Warmer temperatures took a little longer this year, but it’s finally here! This is a great time for your HOA to tick a few maintenance tasks off their to-do list to ensure that your condo community’s shared areas are all in top shape for summer. Start with these 10 projects:
Checkups and Major Maintenance
It’s important to do a general checkup of anything that may have undergone damage throughout the previous months. Inspect:
- The roof and gutters
- Decks and patios
- Fences and driveways
- Interior and exterior walls
- Chimneys
- Sprinklers and security systems
- Garages, basements, and parking lots
Check the plumbing and watch out for water
Plumbing can create major expenses if you’re not paying attention, so the arrival of the warmer months is a great time to give your building’s plumbing a full inspection.
- Investigate odd odors that may indicate mold and treat it accordingly.
- Install dehumidifiers if needed.
- Inspect your hot water tank or boiler heating system (Read our previous post to find out how to do this properly)
- Check your irrigation systems if they’re underground. You want to make sure they’re not leaking, stopped up, or rusting.
Reduce the risk of fire
- Conduct a safety and habitability check and inspect your smoke detectors to ensure that they work properly in case of a fire and check and replace fire extinguishers if needed.
- Do the homes in your building have fireplaces? They need regular care and cleaning to assure a safe and roaring fire for winter. Creosote, a flammable, tar-like substance that accumulates in the firebox, chimney, and flue, should be removed by a professional once a year, eliminating the worry of a potential fire hazard.
- The chimney should also be inspected annually to ensure there are no structural problems.
- Make sure your building has an established fire escape plan.
- Get an electrician to check the building’s electrical wiring and ensure there’s no fire hazard anywhere.
Replace broken windows
Walk the property and inspect all windows. A broken window causes a much bigger issue when the colder months return, so it’s a good idea to replace them during Spring/Summer.
Do pest control
Pests benefit from warm weather. As a result, they’ll mate, migrate to new areas, and increase activity. This calls for an early intervention to combat the situation before it turns into a full-blown problem. Perform pest control to prevent bugs, rodents, and other similar infestations from becoming an issue in your building.
Take care of landscaping
Making your property a beautiful and comfortable place to live, especially during summer months, is undoubtedly a priority in your HOA. A little bit of landscaping can make a huge difference in the way residents feel about their homes.
Summer is the time to think about planting flowers, caring for trees and lawns, and generally improving your landscaping.
As the watering season for plants and crops as well as lawns start, either inspect the sprinkler system yourself or have professionals come and check them to ensure they are in good shape for the upcoming season.
Prepare amenities for use
Prepare your outdoor amenities in time, so they are ready to be used by the residents in your community. This means:
- Ensuring grills have gas and are in working order
- The pool is clean (if you have one)
- The decks are scrubbed, dry, and safe to use
- And all the chairs and umbrellas in common areas are in good shape.
Make sure air conditioners work
The beginning of summer is a good time each year to check that the HVAC units in all of the common areas like the lobby or the gym are in working order. This can include simply having the unit serviced so that it is less likely to break down over the summer. This will make common areas more comfortable to be in throughout the hot months.
Repair any damage to the walking path
Walking paths are a common amenity in most HOAs today. Most of the time, they are neglected during the colder months, which means they’ll likely need some care before summer arrives. Walk along the paths to identify areas that need repairing. If any paving or asphalting job needs to be done around the property, the summer is the best time for these.
Paint
Finally, if anything needs a new coat of paint, like your outdoor buildings, the summer months are the best time to do this, as long as it’s not scheduled to be a rainy day. The heat will help to dry the paint and remove the moisture from the air.
As there’s always work to be done around a residential building, HOAs can sometimes feel like their to-do list is never-ending. To make your HOA’s life easier, you can work with a property management company to discuss the most time-sensitive task that your condo board wants to make a priority for this season and get help with prioritizing these, as well as access to a list of tried and trusted vendors.
Sounds helpful? Get a proposal today!
