4 Things Landlords Need to Do Before Winter

Many experienced landlords will attest to the fact that winter is the time of year when you will receive the most calls about issues with the property. Before the big freeze hits, you should make sure you take all precautions to ready your home for the harsher conditions. Adverse weather can often mean damage to the home, which can lead to costly repairs and hiked-up energy bills. Here are a few tips to help you prepare your property and keep your tenants happy.

Check Your Trees

If your property features large trees that tower over pavements and neighboring homes, you need to make sure you check them for overgrown branches and dying limbs. This is especially important when the weather takes a turn for the worse. Unhealthy trees can pose a hazard to your tenants and the people in the surrounding area. Branches can end up damaging the sides of properties or falling off and causing harm to passersby. Not to mention, they can fall on passing cars and even affect overhead power lines. Maintaining large trees can be quite a job. If in doubt, enlist the help of a professional tree surgeon to help you get the job done safely.

Insulate Your Home

A property that has poor insulation can suffer from draughts, cold spots, mildew, and other potentially hazardous issues. Although it can be costly to replace windows, doors, and floors, you can take other protective measures to keep your tenants warm. For example, draught excluders can be provided, hot water cylinders can be protected with insulating jackets, water tanks with insulated boxes, and foam tubing for exposed pipes are cost-effective too. You may find that poor insulation is why tenants never stick around. To ensure this no longer is an issue, make these vital changes. Then, you will want to make this all very clear to prospective tenants that insulation is included in the property. You can add these details to a web property platform, such as Room Club. These types of platforms can help you fill up your spare room in no time and provide as much detail as possible and the space you are offering, ensuring that you have appeal to tenants. Visit roomclub.com for more information.

Clean Your Gutter

Cleaning out the gutter isn’t a fun job, but it has to be done if you want to reduce the risk of water damage to your home. With heavy downpours, increased rainfall, and the chance of ice and snow, your gutter is more likely to become clogged and overflow. An overflowing gutter can lead to damage to the faćade of your property, structural impairment, and even a flooded house. Once rainwater finds its way into your home, mold and mildew can spread rapidly. Furthermore, a clogged gutter in the winter can end up freezing over. If this happens, you can risk severe damage once the debris thaws out. Get into the habit of checking and cleaning your gutters at least twice a year to reduce the risk of damage.

Bleeding Your Radiators

It doesn’t take long to bleed the radiators, yet it is a simple task that many people forget to do. Bleeding your radiators at least once a year can help you save money on energy bills. Over time, air can get trapped inside radiators. This stops heat from spreading properly, which then prevents the radiators from working at full capacity. Taking the time to bleed them will enable your home to heat up efficiently.