Winter Maintenance Emergencies: Be Prepared

Winter is coming. With the winter months come extreme weather conditions, holiday travel, and additional hours of darkness. These conditions open the door to winter maintenance emergencies  that affect many properties such as frozen or burst pipes, broken heaters and furnaces, and iced-over roadways and sidewalks.

In addition, insulation, plumbing, roofing and HVAC/furnace units need to be inspected and serviced. Doing this in advance of cold temperatures can save some headaches in the event of an emergency. You may still be able to take proactive measures if the inspection shows a problem.

Make sure your residents know the process for maintenance issues and what constitutes  winter maintenance emergencies. An email or letter with reminders of protocol can be very useful this time of year. Be sure to review your Property Meld emergency module to include winter possibilities. If your residents are planning travel it is also helpful to mention if there is a process for mail delivery or emergency situations in the absence of the residents.

Stay in touch with your vendors. Educate yourself on the protocol for what vendors expect during the winter months. Know the process and charges for emergencies, including off hour and unscheduled repairs. Even if you have in-house maintenance, be sure that there is a protocol in place for unexpected situations.

Take a look at your insurance policies. Now is a good time to re-familiarize yourself with what can be submitted as an insurance claim. Many weather-related emergencies qualify, and knowing in advance what is covered can offer you peace of mind through the season.

By taking action before the weather takes a turn, you can be sure that you and your residents will have no worries should the winter weather decide to rear its chilly head. An ounce of prevention is most definitely worth a pound of cure, even if the pound of cure is snowman shaped.

If you need some help getting started, we are happy to chat about how Property Meld can make a huge difference in the maintenance process all year long.