How to Look After Your Home in Winter
Now that wintertime is here, it’s a good idea for homeowners to thoroughly review their property. Whether you’ve already got tenants in place or are looking for someone new to rent your place, keeping your property up to scratch will save you time and money on repairs and maintenance. With the colder months bringing about challenging conditions, you don’t want to avoid these problems for long.
Assess your roof and drainage
Your property’s roof gets battered by wind and rain throughout winter and autumn. With any new leaks potentially leading to costly damage, you must ensure broken tiles and unsealed sections get dealt with as soon as possible.
Blocked gutters and drainage pipes often cause serious deterioration. This is because water settles on your roof, leading to rust, mould and water damage that results in structural concerns. Meanwhile, trim back overhanging trees to prevent branches from crashing down on your roof.
Check for mould
As a homeowner, conducting regular checks for mould is imperative. With excess moisture causing mould to grow throughout the home, including bedrooms and bathrooms, this problematic substance is bad news for you and your tenants.
For example, mould can cause allergic reactions, skin rashes and asthma attacks. However, you have the power to stop it from occurring by ensuring your home has suitable ventilation, unblocked gutters and no plumbing leaks.
Test your smoke alarms
It might sound simple, but too many people don’t test their smoke alarms. Although it’s hard to imagine a fire breaking out, it’s actually more common for these events to happen during winter. By checking your smoke alarms regularly, you might just avoid a crisis.
If you haven’t done so already, consider installing carbon monoxide detectors. With leaks potentially occurring from gas heaters, dryers and furnaces, carbon monoxide is odourless and invisible, making it almost impossible to identify without a detector.
Review your insurance
While some damage is bound to occur eventually, it’s possible to protect yourself with landlord insurance. This type of insurance can provide peace of mind regarding everything from fires to loss of rent should you struggle to find a tenant.
Although it’s easy to think that these problems won’t ever happen to you, insurance protects you against the unexpected. With wintertime weather presenting many new challenges, perhaps a renewed policy makes sense for your situation.
Speak to the experts
Get in touch with the experts at InStyle Property Management to get the best advice about renting your home. Our talented team will help you understand your options and make informed recommendations that provide you with the most stress-free experience.