In the midst of another rough Chicago winter, condo owners and renters have enough to deal with outside of the residence. A quality property manager makes sure that the elements don’t cause additional inconveniences on the home front. How do we do it? By heeding the following tips:
Plan ahead
All your winter snow removal equipment should be checked in advance of the season and be ready to work overtime when the elements arrive. Make sure all storm windows and other winter accessories are placed well before the first frost and remove window air conditioner units and other summer-centric appliances – cold air can penetrate any cracks. Most importantly, be sure the heat is in working order. This means bleeding the valves on any hot-water radiators to increase efficiency, flushing your hot-water heaters to remove sediment and cleaning the air filters in furnaces to improve air quality.
Find the right temperature
Sometimes apartments get too hot—particularly in condos with radiators and no thermostats. Rather than have your tenants open windows and let heat escape, consult them to find an ideal temperature. Likewise, if residents are cold, that needs to be addressed. In addition to turning the heat up, provide tenants with a checklist of items—such as pulling the drapes down at night and properly managing a fireplace—that can help keep the temperature up.
Have the right stuff
It’s going to snow, heavily, a few times each winter. At that point, it’s vital for a property management company to have the proper equipment—snow blowers, shovels, ice breakers, snow plows, etc.—to combat the elements, along with a plan of action. A property management company with full-time maintenance workers should make sure those workers know which areas are priorities and need to be cleared first.
Winter is hard. But with the proper planning, communication and equipment, it doesn’t have to be hard on the home front.
