Fall is a great season for completing essential maintenance services on your rental properties. From sealing draught leaks to cleaning gutters, these tasks will prepare your properties for the upcoming colder months and help avoid costly repairs down the line.
We have created the ultimate fall house maintenance checklist, covering 21 tasks that will help ensure your property is safe, efficient, and prepared for winter.
21 tasks to put on your fall home maintenance checklist
Keeping track of all essential maintenance tasks can be tricky. You can use inspection software, which helps you identify and prioritize tasks before any issues turn into major problems. You can also incorporate our home fall maintenance checklist into your fall maintenance routine, ensuring that your rental properties are set up for a problem-free winter.
Clear radiator vents
The nip in the air means your tenants will be starting to turn on their radiators. To ensure these heating systems work properly, you can vacuum out dust and debris that may have accumulated over the warmer months. This maintenance task helps keep your tenants cozy while reducing energy costs by allowing the heating system to run more efficiently.
Seal up draught leaks
Gaps or damaged seals around doors and windows will allow the warm air to escape from your rental properties, resulting in uncomfortable living conditions for your tenants and higher energy bills. At the beginning of fall, you should inspect all windows and doors for air leaks. You can then schedule repairs over fall to ensure these are fixed before the onset of winter.
Clean your chimney
If your rental property has wood-burning fireplaces, you will need to schedule a chimney clean during fall. Cleaning your chimney before the cold weather prevents dangerous chimney fires and ensures smoke is properly vented outside. You will need to hire a professional chimney cleaner to remove soot, debris, and creosote buildup.
Check your detectors
As the colder months approach, tenants will start using their fireplaces and heating systems more often. This makes it crucial to ensure that smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are functioning correctly. Fall is the perfect time to replace any old batteries, ensuring these essential safety devices remain operational when they’re needed most.
Repair walkways
Fallen leaves can cover walkways, creating slipping hazards and hiding uneven surfaces that can lead to falls. It’s essential to keep all walkways on your property clear throughout the fall and repair any obvious cracks or damaged surfaces. This maintenance step will reduce liabilities and enhance the curb appeal of your property.
Protect your water faucets
At the end of fall, you should wrap your water faucets in insulated covers to protect them from freezing temperatures. This helps prevent any damages that can lead to water leaks and expensive repair bills.
Clean your gutters
While the falling autumnal leaves can be beautiful, they create a critical task for your fall checklist home maintenance: gutter cleaning. Throughout fall, you will need to routinely clear any leaves and debris from your gutters. This will prevent water pooling, which can result in leaks or ice dams during the colder months that can damage your gutters. You can do this by using a ladder, gloves, and a hose to clear the gutters and downspouts.
Prepare your fireplace
Getting your fireplace ready in the fall is crucial for safe and efficient operation. Focus on checking the fireplace for any obvious damages and ensuring the damper opens and closes smoothly. A functional fireplace will reduce your tenant’s need for central heating, allowing you to save on energy bills during the colder months.
Stow away lawn chairs
Lawn chairs and other outdoor furniture will need to be stored away during fall. This protects them from the colder elements and ensures they will be ready for your tenants to enjoy again next summer. Make sure to clean these items and dry them thoroughly before storing them in a protected space.
Drain garden hoses
Leaving garden hoses exposed to the cold can cause the water inside to freeze, potentially splitting the hoses and leading to unnecessary expenses. To prevent this, it’s important to disconnect, thoroughly drain, and neatly coil your hoses at the end of fall.
Clean window wells
Cleaning window wells of leaves and debris in the fall prevents water accumulation and potential leaks into your basement. This is especially important to complete if you have basement-level rental units, helping to keep your tenant’s home dry and mold-free. You can complete this easy task with gloves and a garden refuse bag.
Inspect your roof
Inspecting your roof for missing or damaged shingles and clearing debris before winter sets in prevents leaks and water damage. A professional roofer can perform a thorough inspection and make necessary repairs. This crucial maintenance step extends the life of your roof and protects the interior of your property from weather-related damage.
Aerate the soil
Aerating the soil in your lawn helps oxygen, water, and nutrients reach the roots of plants more effectively in the fall. This process helps maintain your lawn and promote a lush lawn in the spring. You can use a garden fork or an aerator to puncture holes in the soil.
Review any safety features
Take time this fall to check all the safety features in your property, like fire extinguishers, emergency lights, and exit signs. Doing this ensures they’re all in working order, keeping your tenants safe in case of an emergency. You can conduct these checks yourself or hire a professional to ensure everything meets the current safety standards.
Identify and ward off gas problems
Identifying and addressing any gas line leaks or issues is crucial for tenant safety and efficient heating. Have a professional inspect and repair any problems with gas lines or appliances.
Bleed radiators
Radiator bleeding is the process of releasing trapped air from within the radiators of a central heating system. Removing these air pockets ensures that your heating system heats your property evenly and efficiently. Use a radiator key to open the valve slightly until water starts to drip out.
Clean the furnace filter
Cleaning or replacing the furnace filter in the fall improves indoor air quality and heating system efficiency. You should check the filter monthly and replace or clean it as needed.
Cut grass short
Cutting your grass short in this season keeps your lawn healthy and better prepared to survive the winter. Set your mower to a lower setting for the final cut.
Clean your carpets
Cleaning your carpets in the fall removes accumulated dirt and allergens from the warmer months, helping improve the air quality inside your property. You can use this season to bring in a professional carpet cleaning company to give your carpets a thorough clean.
Re-touch up exterior paint
Touching up the exterior paint of your property in the fall protects the building from weather damage by preventing any moisture from getting into the walls. It also keeps your property looking fresh, maintaining its aesthetic appeal to current and prospective tenants. Perform a routine check to identify chips or cracks and cover them up with matching paint.
Fertilize your garden
Fertilizing your garden in the fall prepares your plants and lawn for the cold months ahead by enriching the soil with nutrients that can strengthen plant roots. You should apply a fall-specific fertilizer according to the plants you have and the package directions.
Prepare your property in fall with MRI Software
MRI Software multifamily property management software is an essential tool for landlords and property managers. Our powerful software simplifies the process of tracking and completing fall maintenance tasks across all your properties. You can also easily receive maintenance requests from tenants, allowing you to prioritize tasks that will boost your tenant satisfaction.
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The post Fall Home Maintenance Checklist appeared first on MRI Software.
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