Being a letting and estate agent, you are responsible for keeping your property belongings safe and secure. You have to schedule annual inspections to look for anything that requires immediate attention. While inspections can be performed at any time of year, they are significant during the summer months to ensure that your home is ready for the hotter weather.
This article will share various maintenance-related tips that will help you prepare your rentals for the summer rush. Here are some tips to help you with your rental properties:
Check the Air Conditioning System
During the summer, the heat can be unbearable. In this situation, a faulty air conditioning unit is the last thing anyone wants. Most tenants expect a well-functioning A.C system in their houses. If they are not maintained, they might lose efficiency, resulting in higher energy expenditure. Thus, it’s crucial to check that all the air conditioning systems in your rentals are functioning correctly.
- First, replace the filters often found along the return duct. Remember that a clogged filter slows airflow and might cause heated air to build up within the same room.
- Next, let a professional clean the air conditioning coil and empty the condenser drain.
- To avoid clogging the system, you must trim the shrubs and remove debris from the exterior unit.
- Maintaining cooling systems may save energy use by as much as 50%, keeping your renters content and cozy.
- If your air conditioner is older than 15 years, consider replacing it as it can deteriorate in the middle of the season.
Safeguard Your Rental Properties Against Water Damage
With extreme heat accompanying frequent thunderstorms and heavy rainfall, it is crucial to take necessary precautions to prevent your property from further water damage.
- Start checking for leaks and cracks on the foundation of your properties for rent.
- To direct rainwater away from the foundation of your property, you might either install grates or pile up some soil outdoors. One-inch-per-foot grafting will provide optimum rainfall discharge.
- Next, examine the gutters for any low spots or breakage that might cause water to pool outside or close to your rental properties. Water might get too close to your home’s foundation, which can result in leaks eroding the areas below the broken gutters.
- When you examine the gutters, please pay particular attention to the downspout, as you’ll want it to direct water about three feet away from your home.
- Additionally, check the doors and windows for damage, leaks, or caulking cracks.
- Before the summer season starts, replace the caulk to prevent your home from leaks that can cause wood rot and mold.
- Finally, watch your roof’s shingles and flashing, especially if it is an older roof.
Insect-Proofing Your House
Most insects and pests will want to hide inside your home, which is a pleasant, excellent spot to escape the extreme heat of the outside world. Everything from termite clicking and rustling to fly buzzing can cause you weeks of restless nights. In addition, the common cockroach can cause allergies and asthma episodes in adults and children. All of this demonstrates the need for pest management.
But what can be done to stop insect attacks on your properties? Have a look at these tips to maintain an insect-proof home.
- Ensure that your doors are adequately sealed to keep out all harmful and unwanted insects and pests.
- Maintain house cleanliness at all times.
- A highly efficient “Do It Yourself” pest control strategy is to plug holes and seal gaps outside the house.
- The dustbin should be appropriately covered and should be emptied daily.
- Summer’s hot and humid weather attracts mosquitoes, or other insects, who seek refuge in your home. You can add screenings to your windows and doors to prevent such situations. However, don’t forget to check the screens regularly for unwanted tears.
- You can also hire pest control professionals to spray pesticides outside your property.
By following these measures, you can surely welcome a bug-free summer for your tenants, not to mention for yourself as well!
Prepare For External Amenities
Set aside time to clean any outside amenities you provide, such as a pool or a backyard balcony, in preparation for the warmer months.
Pools are frequently left unused for several months, resulting in waste and filth buildup. You can either hire a professional cleaner or can also use a robotic pool cleaner.
Clean Your Dryer Vent
Dirty and clogged dryer vents and ductwork don’t only limit the effectiveness of your dryer. It also removes heat during the dryer cycle in your laundry machines, which helps avoid fires in your properties for rent.
Each year, clogged clothes dryer vents cause hundreds of fires in the United States. To keep your property secure and run a smooth laundry, it is essential to clean your dryer vent every once in a while.
Garments take longer to dry, clothes getting hotter to the touch, or a burning smell when using the dryer are the indicators you need to clean your dryer vents. You may hire a professional letting and estate agent to handle these sorts of things, or you can also manage them independently.
Perform Yard Maintenance
A well-maintained outdoor space is one of the best features that attract tenants to your rental properties. Since most individuals like spending time outside, our letting and estate agents suggest a few things to make your property more inviting.
- Embellish your gardens with some new aesthetic furniture, Plants, flowers, prune bushes, and mow the yard.
- Check the sprinklers and ensure they are in working order, so the outside plant does not dry out.
- Perform yard care or employ a landscaping specialist to tidy up the landscape. If you want to improve the appearance of your yard, clear any fallen branches, mow the lawn, or trim huge shrubs.
Examine the Smoke Detectors
According to the environmental planning and assessment regulations, all properties for rent must install smoke-detection alarm systems. If your rental home is in a high-risk region for fires, ensure the smoke alarms are in good working condition. Check and replace the batteries to extend their useful life and increase the security of your property.
Ensuring they’re in good working order will help you avoid legal problems as a landlord.
Testing Natural Ventilation for Your Rental Properties
A perfectly working air conditioner is useless if leaks in your home allow your perfectly cooled air to leak out slowly.
- Begin by searching for leaks such as draughts in doors and windows. If you locate any, use weather-stripping and caulk to seal them.
- You should also inspect your basement or attic insulation to ensure that it covers all of the areas that it should.
- In addition, look for and fix any holes in the insulation.
- Examine ducts and pipelines, and plug any holes with expanding foam.
- Furthermore, verify that the attic floor is insulated without impeding the vents. Just be careful not to overdo the insulation, as this might result in a messy job.
Conclusion
Summer is one of the busiest times in the real estate market. At this point, new graduates join the workforce. Some students are moving to other cities for internships, and families are also considering moving if their children are out of school. To maintain your properties for rent, you must be prepared.