The summer has come and gone, the leaves are changing colors and it is getting a little bit colder outside which means you’ll soon be turning up your thermostat, if you haven’t already.    With this change of weather comes the importance of seasonal maintenance for your client’s property.  Below are a few items that should be checked before the harsh winter weather sets in.

 

• Make sure the doors and windows on the property are sealed properly – try adding weather-stripping around doors and caulk to cracks around the windows to improve energy efficiency and reduce wear and tear from water damage/seepage.
• Check the heating system to make sure it is working properly – this will provide enough time to fix anything that’s wrong before the extremely cold weather begins.  Check the air filter to make sure it is clean and ready for the winter months.  Also, remind your clients to remove or properly cover window air conditioning units before fall arrives.
• Clean all gutters – as we know, fall is the time of year when leaves fall off the trees and build up in unwanted places, so clean those gutters and be sure they are fastened securely to the building.
• Check all pipes and drains to be sure there aren’t any leaks, cracks which could potentially cause a pipe to burst or any clogged drains.
• Check that all fire extinguishers are fully charged – according to FEMA.gov, an estimated average of 50,100 heating fires in residential buildings occurred in the US each year and resulted in an annual average of approximately 150 deaths, 575 injuries, and $326 million in property loss.
• Do a walk-through – walk the property and make sure there aren’t any cracks in the sidewalks or driveways.

As stated above, Fall is the best time to take advantage of the moderate weather and remind your client’s to prepare their property for the winter months.  Visit our Document Download page to print out a .pdf version of our “Property Owners & Community Associations Seasonal Checklist” to forward to your clients!

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