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End Of Summer Maintenance For Your Philadelphia Rental Property

End of Summer Maintenance Tips for Philadelphia Rental Property

If you are a successful Philadelphia property owner, chances are you have been preparing for your annual end of summer property inspection.

Routine inspections of your rental property are a great way to ward off major maintenance expenses, ensure your tenant is fulfilling their lease obligations, and ease your mind that your investment property is intact.

And, what better way to remember to perform these inspections, than to conduct them every time the season changes?

Keeping your rental property in tip-top shape year round is not an easy task if you don’t take a proactive approach.

Many property owners focus on the transition between fall and winter (especially in Philadelphia where freezing cold temps and snow can wreak havoc on your property), but fail to focus on the switch between summer and fall.

If you have not been gearing up for your end of summer inspection, or are not quite sure what to add to the property inspection checklist, keep reading.

Today, we will look at some of the most common end of summer maintenance tasks you or your Philadelphia property manager should do to guarantee a smooth transition into the upcoming cold months.

 

End of Summer Maintenance for Your Philadelphia Rental Property

1. Furnace Inspections

If your Philadelphia rental property has a furnace, now is the best time to get it inspected. This way, anything that is wrong with it can be repaired right away so it is ready to go once the colder months hit.

HVAC experts agree that 75% of no-heat calls during the winter are a direct result of the furnaces not being cleaned or serviced properly.

If you want to avoid a midnight call from your tenant, keep the utility and repair costs down, and make sure your property’s furnace is working efficiently, be sure to get it inspected for the following:

  • Ignition failure
  • Gas line trouble
  • Failure to heat
  • Broken bearings, belts, or motor
  • Debris in the filters
  • Strange noises

Having a properly functioning furnace will also help maintain the quality of air within your property, which is important for the tenants residing there.

 

2. Clean the Vents

Clean the Air Conditioning Vents During Your End of Summer Rental Property Maintenance

Vents are known to build up with dust and debris over time. Not only does this affect your property’s air quality, but it also makes your heating and air conditioning units work double time to provide average results.

If you want to reduce your carbon footprint, and that of your tenant’s, as well as extend the lifespan of your HVAC units by reducing the strain that debris buildup causes, conduct annual cleanings of your property’s vents and air ducts come the end of summer.

You want your heating units to be fully prepared to keep your property, and your tenants, warm during the wintertime.

 

3. Check for Mold

If your property is located in an area that is prone to humidity during the summer, it’s a good idea to check for mold growth in your property.

Humidity provides mold spores the perfect breeding ground for expansive growth, especially if unchecked.

Here are some common places where mold can grow that should be added to your inspection checklist:

  • Bathrooms – showers, bathtubs, walls (especially tile grout), sinks, and toilets
  • Kitchen – underneath the sink, around the refrigerator, window sills
  • Fireplace – porous bricks can grow mold when fireplace is not in use
  • Attic/Basement – due to lack of ventilation and possible water leaks
  • Ceiling/Walls – any leaking from the roof or piping throughout the property

 

It is always better to spot mold growth before it gets out of control.

Mold contamination is an expensive and potentially hazardous situation that you and your tenants do not want to contend with.

 

4. Clean the Gutters

Clean Gutters for End of the Summer Maintenance in Your Philadelphia Rental Property

If you have been performing seasonal inspections, it is likely the gutters were cleaned and repaired before summer hit.

However, as an added precaution (or to make up for failing to inspect them this year), check to make sure your rental property’s gutters are clear, and in good working order.

As the fall and winter seasons approach, so do rainy, snowy days. Having clear gutters will help offset the debris that is likely to come your way, and help reduce any issues with breakage, clogging, or leaking.

 

5. Check Detectors

Now is a great time to make sure your rental’s smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working. This is especially important for those with rental properties that have furnaces.

 

6. Check for Drafting Issues

Check Windows and Doors For Draft Issues in Your Philadelphia Rental Property

There are two specific places in your rental property that you can inspect for draft issues:

  • Check for worn and cracked weatherstripping on all doorways leading to the exterior of your property. In addition, consider adding door sweeps to further prevent cold, drafty air from entering, and cozy warm air from leaving your property.
  • Windows are prone to letting cold air seep in if the seals are worn and cracked. In addition, window panes that are old may let excess moisture in from the rain and snow, become hard to close all the way, and even crack. These are all things you do not want to deal with in the dead of winter.

Checking minor issues such as these before it gets too cold will not only prevent you from having to make major repairs down the line, it will reduce the inconvenience of having to fix such issues when it is freezing outside.

 

As you can see, there are several things to check during your end of summer property inspection that will help make the transition from hot to cold seasons run smoothly.

If you are looking for an experienced property management company in Philadelphia to help with things such as seasonal inspections, get in touch with Bay Management Group today. Not only can we help conduct seasonal and move-in/out inspections of your rental property, we can also help repair and maintain your property.

With a 24/7/365 maintenance crew comprised of high-quality, timely, and affordable contractors, we take the burden of repairing your rental property off you.

After hour calls, middle of the night emergencies, and even minor fixes are taken care of quickly and efficiently by our crew.

In the end, you will save time and money using our property management services, and rest easy knowing that your property is in tip-top shape year round.