Leaving your winter prep till the last hour is a big mistake that leaves you scrambling for holiday items that now have a significant markup and rushing all your preparations.
The same applies to your house, which needs to be put in order to keep you warm and safe through the colder months.
Why wait till the temperature drops below zero and you have to claw your way through the driveway with a shovel to address potential issues?
Now is the perfect time to use our winter cleaning checklist for rental properties.
How Does Winter Preparation Protect Rental Property?
1. It Prevents Water Damage
One of the most immediate and financially devastating risks in winter is burst pipes due to freezing temperatures. In other words, weather-proofing your house before it gets too cold is a proactive way to prevent that. The last thing you want is an unexpected cold snap causing water to freeze, expand, and eventually rupture your pipes. Instead of coughing out thousands of dollars in emergency repairs, the most cost-saving strategy is to ensure your home is winter-ready.
2. It Extends Your Heating System’s Lifespan
Another way winter preparation saves you money is by extending the lifespan of your heating system. Tasks such as having the furnace professionally serviced and replacing air filters decrease the likelihood of a complete and expensive breakdown in the middle of winter. Thus, weatherproofing your home is also a long-term savings strategy.
Winter Cleaning Checklist for Landlords
Exterior Cleaning & Maintenance
Prevent water damage from melting ice by focusing on clearing leaves and debris from your gutters and downspouts. During fall, these locations are more likely to harbor gunk that stops melting snow and ice from draining away. Which means water can pool in these spaces, causing blockage and possibly damaging your roof or siding. As a result, it would also be a good idea to do a roof inspection.
Remember to also trim trees and shrubs nearby so they don’t break off under the weight of heavy snow and ice. Aside from making your home winter-ready, exterior cleaning and maintenance can help you make your home more aesthetically pleasing. A definite plus if you’re looking to attract a new tenant in the off-season. If you plan to move out before winter sets in, having a move-out list may also be helpful to avoid any discrepancies when you move out.
Interior Deep Cleaning Tasks
It’s also essential to prepare the interior of your house for colder months, and that includes performing a deep clean. After all, people spend significantly more time indoors during winter, which means you need to ensure the air quality is pristine and the house is organized and cozy. Indoor cleaning tasks you should add to your list include replacing your air filters and cleaning the dryer vents. Hiring a local Anne Arundel County property manager can assist in coordinating with professional HVAC servicing. Also, remember to inspect areas like your bathroom, kitchen, and basement for signs of mold, which are more likely to be exacerbated by the cold. Spotting them earlier allows you to tackle them before they become a major health risk.
Safety & Preventive Measures
Next, get ahead of winter-related emergencies through proactive measures that guarantee your home systems won’t malfunction when it’s freezing outside. That includes actions such as insulating exposed pipes, especially in places like your crawl space and attic, where there’s more likely to be a draft. Besides preventing a burst pipe, you should also test and replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. After all, with so many heating systems running, there’s a greater fire risk at home, especially if you have appliances like a space heater. If you have a bigger house, you may also want to hire someone to clean your chimney professionally and ensure there’s no creosote buildup that could cause a fire.
Value of Seasonal Cleaning for Long-Term Property Upkeep
Extends Major Systems
Regular seasonal cleaning and inspection help prevent the rapid degradation of your property's expensive components. For example, annual cleaning of your HVAC system’s filter and routine tune-ups can prevent strain and reduce the risk of critical failure, which adds years to its lifespan. The same logic applies to other integral systems like your roofing and appliances. Clearing gutters prevents ice formation, and cleaning vents and coils keeps your equipment running smoothly. As a result, reducing the wear-and-tear on these systems extends their useful service life.
Maintains Tenant Satisfaction
Another reason seasonal cleaning is beneficial long-term is that it reflects positively on you as a landlord. Tenants are more likely to stay in properties where there is a proactive maintenance culture because it makes their lives more convenient. After all, who wouldn’t want guaranteed functional heating, flowing pipes, and clean air? That means reducing emergency repairs not only keeps more money in your pocket, but it also ensures maximum tenant satisfaction and increases the likelihood of a lease renewal. It’s pretty simple since having fewer complaints could mean fewer tenant turnovers.
Preserves Property Value
Doing consistent upkeep protects the property’s market value and ensures a better return on investment. By actively preventing water damage, mold, and pest infestations, seasonal cleaning slows the natural depreciation of your home’s structure and its components. Plus, a property that undergoes consistent and routine maintenance often requires less intensive and expensive work between tenants. Having well-documented maintenance records can also be a selling point if you ever decide to list the property.
Conclusion
Winter preparation isn’t just about buying holiday decorations and going gift shopping; it’s also about ensuring your home is warm and safe during the colder months. Proper planning also saves you money in the long run by preventing water damage and extending your heating system’s lifecycle. As a result, your winter cleaning checklist should include tasks like exterior and interior cleaning, weatherproofing the house, and preventative measures that ward off emergencies. Besides keeping your property safe during winter and avoiding costly repairs, a winter checklist can improve tenant satisfaction and even protect your property value.
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