Fall's Checklist: Rental Property Maintenance for a Hassle-Free Winter

Fall is the time to prepare for a potentially harsh winter ahead.  So, we are in Northern California and with the exception of our mountainous areas, we don’t see exceptionally harsh winters.  
But that doesn’t mean that we do not prepare our rental properties located here for the winter months.  We still get pretty big storms with high winds and last year, quite a bit of unexpected rainfall.  The point is inspections are always a good idea.  Even more so just before the cold winter months set it.
In this episode we give you suggestions on what fall seasonal maintenance items you should be doing for your rental properties, especially if they will experience freezing temperatures this coming winter season.
We time this preventative maintenance along with our semi-annual property inspections.  This way we can lessen the amount of disruption to our tenants and keep our time on property to a minimum, which also helps us remain efficient in our business.
Where we touch on the things you should focus on inside the unit, most of the tasks are for the exterior of your rental property.  We discuss what to do and why it is important.  The rest is up to you.

LINKS

👉 Episode 4: The Importance of Rental Property Inspections
👉 Our 6-Page Inspection Checklist. Inspect up to 4 bedroom/4 bath and includes all pertinent areas to be inspected, including the exterior.  Help support our site while getting a valuable tool you can use over as many times as you'd like.
👉 Amazon Basics Outdoor Furniture Covers: All the covers Amazon Basics offers.  We have tried the expensive ones and these outlasted them at a fraction of the price.
👉 Outdoor Insulated Water Faucet Cover: Super Waterproof and Insulation, Universal Dimensions, Unique Covering Wall Patten(the sock not only covers the faucet firmly, but hugs against the wall),  Flexible String Tie System.
👉 TurboTenant is a great option for landlords with just a few doors or for those who may be new to using rental property software.  

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Transcript

Stacie: 0:00

Ask us how we know these feelings because we've been there.. we used to choose to deal with crap as it happened and then we decided it was a bad look on us and it didn't show us as caring, responsible landlords. And I'm a people pleaser who likes everyone around me to be happy. I prefer not to give anyone a reason to think ill of me or us and for the most part you and I do succeed at that, especially when it comes to handling preventative maintenance on our rental properties.

Kevin: 1:22

Hey, landlords. Thanks so much for listening to our podcast. My name is Kevin and I'm here with my wife, Stacey, who is very happy that fall is just a few days away.

Stacie: 1:34

I am very happy and it's not a pumpkin spice latte kind of happy. It's. More like the leaves are changing colors and the weather is going to be cooling off soon. And there's just that smell in the air that I, that I love. Yeah, here in the San Francisco Bay Area, fall is usually when we get our best weather. Yep, Indian summer is a real thing. And I'm also excited because you finally agreed to us getting air conditioning in the

Kevin: 2:03

house. I, I did? Yeah, well, you haven't let up for about five years, so I guess you finally wore me down.

Stacie: 2:13

Think about it though. It's, it's perfect timing. We're going to be doing some projects around the house, so we can just add it to the

Kevin: 2:19

list. You know, I'm only agreeing because we know a guy in the refrigeration trade and he can probably get us a pretty good deal on it.

Stacie: 2:28

Well, I'll take it. Besides we are adding solar panels and that should balance out the increased electricity expense you were worried

Kevin: 2:36

about. Okay. But. You know, all I see are dollar signs. Remember when we did the big remodel about seven years ago? You said, it will only cost this much. And then after all the add ons, it was nearly double. So when you say, let's do some projects to the house, I get concerned.

Stacie: 2:56

Yes, you should. But our home is beautiful. And guess what? Every day I am grateful and especially grateful to share it with you.

Kevin: 3:05

Okay, I already said yes to the AC stays. You don't need to butter me up anymore. But seriously, I'm grateful too. I do love our home. Okay, so on with the show. Today we are discussing fall seasonal maintenance for your rental properties or your personal home too. These are all things that any property owner should consider when preparing for the winter months.

Stacie: 3:30

Yep, so today we're going to be covering inspections that you can do to make sure that all is well with your property inside and out, preventative maintenance items to do in preparation for winter months, and of course, biannual maintenance items that regardless of your climate should be attended

Kevin: 3:50

to. Okay, so I have a question for you here. What do you think the percentage is of property owners that budget for all these maintenance items? Okay. Oh,

Stacie: 4:00

I hate these. I don't know. I'm horrible at guessing this kind of stuff. I, I'll say on the fence, and I'll say 50%.

Kevin: 4:08

You're way high. Only 20 percent actually set aside funds and budget for routine or preventative maintenance. And a whopping 74 percent of property owners say they'll just wait until something happens and then deal with the repairs. Whoa.

Stacie: 4:26

I mean, that's insane. I guess I'm a person who doesn't like surprises, especially bad ones, but I guess things are going to happen and time is money too. So I can see how others do have that viewpoint.

Kevin: 4:40

Plus Americans are busier than ever. So I'm sure setting aside time to perform these maintenance tasks is easy to put off. And when it's your personal residence, okay, that's fine. But when you're a rental property owner, it says a lot to your tenants when they see you staying on top of the maintenance tasks. And doing what you can to create a safe and comfortable environment for them We can't say it enough be professional Be responsible and take owning rental property. Seriously You are being paid to provide a working unit And who wants those calls that always seem to come at the worst time ever, You know, like the heater went out on Friday night and the tenant has no heat or a branch just took out part of a roof or the tenant's car in the driveway.

Stacie: 5:29

Ask us how we know these feelings because we've been there. We used to choose to deal with crap as it happened and then we decided it was a bad look on us and it didn't show us as caring, responsible landlords. And I'm a people pleaser who likes everyone around me to be happy. I prefer not to give anyone a reason to think ill of me or us and for the most part you and I do succeed at that, especially when it comes to handling preventative maintenance on our rental properties.

Kevin: 5:57

Okay, so here's the deal. Our lives are insanely busy and much of the stuff we're doing is by choice. and we're in the sandwich generation. Where we have parents who are pretty self sufficient, but are starting to need a little more assistance. And we have the boys and family members who lean on us for support and guidance. It's not about financial support, but we are choosing to be active in all of their lives. And luckily, we're starting to move into the stage of being friendly and doing fun stuff with them as well. The point is, we want to have control over where we spend our time. And we'd rather spend a few days each fall and spring doing inspections and preventative maintenance to reduce the chance of those late night or weekend calls to fix something. Really, for us, this structure has worked pretty

Stacie: 6:46

well. Yeah, I mean, really, so far so good. So, let's start with inspections. We do periodic inspections twice a year, and typically we will schedule inspections of our units, the multifamily and smaller too, over a day or two, and it depends on how much deferred maintenance we have to do at that property. We did a podcast all about why inspections are important And what we do during them. So check out episode four, we'll link it in the show notes for you to give it a listen, but basically the two weeks before we have scheduled to do these inspections and maintenance, send an email to our tenants letting them know we'll be on site and in their unit to check for water leaks, change their air filter, and make sure that everything is working properly. In this email we'll give them a range of the hours we'll be entering and if this time is inconvenient for them to let us know and we'll arrange a time earlier or later in the day to accommodate them. Keep in mind, many people work remotely now, so they may have weekly meetings scheduled during the timeframe that you choose. We also ask them to advise us if there are any issues that need to be resolved in their unit or on the property. We do this early on so we can prepare and have the right tools and parts or schedule a tradesman to come in to evaluate and remedy the issue. When we do go in, we're looking for leaks under the sinks, making sure that the smoke and carbon detectors are in place and working, you know, things like that. We're also making sure that there's no lease violations, like blocked exits, Unauthorized roommates or pets, charcoal grills on wood decks, those kinds of things.

Kevin: 8:31

And if you're a regular listener or follower, you likely know by now that we created our own inspection checklist to keep us on track and focused when we go into these units and properties. We do charge a nominal fee for it. What is it? Five bucks? Yep, five bucks. So the form is six pages and is for inspections of rentals of up to four bedrooms and four baths. If you have a smaller unit, just ignore the extra areas on the form. But it includes every area we could think of that you need to keep your eyes on. All the living spaces. HVAC and appliances, garages, basements, and attics, as well as the outside of the property, like walkways and fences. be able to inspect windows, doors, lighting, etc. The checklist includes areas to note if something is good or if it might need attention. about being organized and creating systems. Our goal is to help all of you reduce the overwhelm so you can spend more time doing the things you love. We will link the form in our show notes to check out Like I said, it's five bucks and you can download it to use over and over

Stacie: 9:40

And we left room at the top for you to personalize it so you can add your business name or logo if you wanted to.

Kevin: 9:46

Okay, so that two weeks prior is also when you want to schedule anyone you might need to do work on the property. Maybe you have fireplaces in your units and it's time to get them inspected, cleaned and swept before tenants start building fires in there. or maybe you have some large branches that have grown over the roof line, and you need a professional tree trimmer to trim all the trees. You wanna schedule everyone to do work over a day or two so you can get in there and then get back out. A lot of landlords don't like to do inspections because they don't want to bother the tenants. So, get in there over one or two days and get as much done as you can so you don't need to bother them over and over. Did you guys know that the number one reason tenants leave a property is because it is not maintained? And when they would call for a maintenance issue, the landlord would put them off or ignore them altogether? I mean, that's just sad. Yes, you own rental property to make money. However, it is not passive in the least. You must be present a few times a year to reassure your tenants that their safety and comfort are a priority to you.

Stacie: 10:56

Well, yeah, that and the fact that it is your chance to look for lease violations and make sure your property is being taken care of. I realize some of you don't care, as long as you get your rent on time each month. But think about the consequences of waiting on the discovery of a small water leak. or the tenant not changing their air filter will severely impact the life of the heater and air conditioner. Or if you find a pet in the unit that was not authorized and maybe it's damaging the carpet or flooring. So, think about those kinds of things. We have gone into units multiple times to find the smoke and carbon detectors removed and sitting on the top shelf of the closet or in the kitchen. Now, where this is definitely the tenant's wrongdoing, you as a landlord are responsible for making sure that that smoke detector unit is in its proper place at least twice a year. Because, if there is a fire, your insurance claim adjuster is going to ask when was the last time you verified it was there and properly working. And you have to have proof of this. Now before we get into the items we do for our fall seasonal maintenance, I want to remind you of a couple things. Make sure you have a clause in your lease that states that you're going to be coming into the unit periodically to do inspections. It's not a given in every state that you can do this, so make sure you cover yourself. Also, give proper notice of entry. Some states require 48 hours notice, so know your local state and landlord tenant laws. And if you have not already, create standard operating procedures for your rental property business. Include your procedures for scheduling and following through with inspections. In episode six, we covered what they are, why they're important, and shared what we have included in our standard operating procedures. If you find yourself in a legal battle, this manual or your procedures will be the first thing your lawyer is going to ask for so they can see what your procedures are for the issue at hand. By taking the time to complete one of these, you really can cover yourself in the long run.

Kevin: 12:58

Well, that's if you actually follow through with those procedures, though.

Stacie: 13:02

Yeah, well, in my opinion, just by creating them, it helps landlords have more confidence in what they're doing. I think they're going to feel more responsible and if they follow those procedures that they have stated are important to the success of their rental property business.

Kevin: 13:19

Yes, I'm completely in agreement with that. Okay. So besides unit inspections. Let's get into what we do for our fall seasonal maintenance of our rental properties. So, fall is called fall because, well, leaves fall off trees and bushes with the onset of cooler weather and the change of the season. Falling leaves, even if not from your property, will We'll get into your roof gutters. So get in there and clean those, make sure you get all the muck. That's the technical term for the dirt and broken leaves that create a mud like consistency that will sit in the gutters and cause them to rust from the inside out. So after you get all the leaves out, get up there with a hose and wash all that out. This also allows you to clean out the downspouts and make sure they're clear. We have an older family member with a rental property near our home here in the Bay Area, who we help out now and then with maintenance issues. We got a call from them that their garage gutters and downspouts were not working during a storm. It ended up they had a large pod from a neighboring tree that got stuck in the downspout, and when the leaves went down it caused it to clog and back up onto the roof. Then the gutters didn't work and water started falling over the sides. Which eventually could lead to dry rot of the facial boards and roof line. That was

Stacie: 14:42

so funny when that happened, it scared the crap out of me when you finally got that pod to break loose and the water from the gutters suddenly flushed out at the bottom and all over my feet and got me soaking

Kevin: 14:54

wet. Well, we learned something new that day. Never would have thought that little, what, about a two inch pod could get stuck like that, but we have heard of rodents making nests and downspouts too. So make sure those are cleared out too. And

Stacie: 15:10

One more thing. If you're not a fan of ladders or your roof line is too high. Hire someone to do it. There are companies out there that can do this service and they're usually window cleaning companies that offer it But we have hired them

Kevin: 15:23

before yeah in in Sacramento our gutters are three stories high Now I can handle one maybe two stories on a ladder But no way are you gonna catch me up 30 feet in the air cleaning out gutters? And even if I want to I don't think I have a ladder that could get me up that high Yeah,

Stacie: 15:42

Yeah, well, you're not a fan of heights in general, as our recent Disneyland trip proved. Wow. You cleaned the gutters of our first story, but you kind of do sweat it during the holidays when you have to reach up to hang Christmas lights on that, on those second story eves.

Kevin: 15:58

Nope, not a fan, but the things you'll do for love. Oh, and to help Santa find your house. Yeah,

Stacie: 16:05

wink wink. You do take care of all that yucky stuff, so, thank you. Alright, there are a few more exterior items to tend to, so let's get to those. If you have community outdoor furniture, remove the pads and cover all the furniture to keep it looking nice for many seasons. We have found some heavy duty covers on Amazon that are priced really well and last a couple years. They stay on the furniture for us year round though, so they get beat up by the Sacramento heat during the summer. we will link them in the show notes. They work really well in the snow because we use them in our mountain house too. You'll want to turn off your sprinklers in your irrigation systems as well. Typically these systems have their own water valve near the home. So turn the handle clockwise to shut the water off and then open all the outdoor valves and faucets to empty the water out of the lines. Because it only takes about 6 hours for pipes exposed to freezing temperatures to turn to ice and crack a pipe. Unless you're in a warm climate like the desert or Florida, most states will not need to run their sprinkler systems during the winter months. hose bibs that are connected to the house water and can't have the water shut off, them with something to insulate it. we've seen all kinds of creative ways of doing this. But we picked a couple covers up that seal with Velcro. They're really easy to use and I think it costs nine bucks for two covers. We'll link those in the show notes as well.

Kevin: 17:33

Yeah. So the whole point of covering the exterior water spigots that can't be drained is if they freeze, this will cause a break in the line behind the wall. And that can be a major issue if not discovered right away. So those covers are pretty cheap insurance to keep you from having a huge headache to deal with come springtime. Okay, so while you're on the property, you'll also want to do a quick inspection of the walkways. Make sure there aren't any cracks or raised areas larger than about an eighth of an inch. Check gravel and asphalt areas to make sure there are no washed out or broken areas. stairs or steps for loose nails and make sure the railings and handrails are tight. Adjust timers and make sure the pathway lighting and motion sensors are working correctly. Also, make sure there is a plan in place to maintain the walkways during freezing weather. Whether, you hire a maintenance company to come out on a scheduled basis, or write it into your lease that a tenant must manage snow removal, a plan needs to be in place. With so many people using delivery services for merchandise and food these days, make sure you have a safe pathway for everyone. It doesn't take much for someone to trip and fall and hurt themselves to result in an insurance claim.

Stacie: 18:54

And we know that a claim on your insurance can result in the loss of a policy, so inspect walkways and have a plan to keep them safe during those winter months. For

Kevin: 19:02

sure. I mean, we had a landlord contact us that they lost their policy over a large flood to one unit that affected several others. So, please be diligent. Other areas you want to check on are sewer or water drains that may be on your property. Make sure they are clear of leaves and garbage so there won't be any flooding to your home or basement. And inspect trees on or surrounding your property. Look for low hanging or weak branches that could break off and potentially injure someone, block walkways, or bring down power lines in a storm. If they are a neighbor's trees, use your mobile phone to snap a picture and send it to the owner with your concerns, asking how you can work together to resolve the issue. For most states, if a branch is hanging over your property line, you can remove it. However, you know, this is a sure way to piss off your neighbor, so your best bet is to try to work with them first.

Stacie: 20:01

So, we know we point this out often, but for multifamily properties, check the exterior fire extinguishers to make sure that they are secure, serviced and up to date, and in good working order. Also, that escape plans are easy for tenants to locate and usually those are near the exits of the building. Make sure all exit lights are on and working. Check that the fire escapes are not blocked and working correctly or that the escape ladders that you provided are easily accessible within their units. And for all size properties, inspect all the doorways for proper weather stripping and that the windows seal tightly. Maintain exterior window caulking to keep water from leaking through into the window panes that would go down the wall and into the unit. This issue is a prime opportunity for mold to grow inside the unit. Especially if the tenant has a table or a couch under that leaking window that can restrict air flow to dry that wall out. Another thing we do on our properties is walk the exterior and check for cracks or peeling paint. Sometimes you don't need to do a whole house paint job, but nipping these issues in the bud early will help you keep your future paint maintenance minimized. If needed, caulk and seal cracks to keep water from penetrating behind siding or trim. And if you find peeling paint, sand it and get a good coat of primer on there before touching it up.

Kevin: 21:23

The nice part about that is it buys you some time before you have to paint the entire house. Okay, well not all rentals have chimneys or wood stoves, but they do have roofs that need to be checked. It's essential to be ahead of the game on roof leaks. First, look for missing curled or damaged shingles. Next, check the flashing around the chimney vents and valleys for damage. Finally, make sure the chimney cap is present and attached correctly. If you aren't familiar with these tasks, have your contractor check'em out for you. We hire our contractor to be at. every inspection with us. I mean, he knows way more and can let us know if something is urgent or can wait. If your properties do have a fireplace or wood stove and they are used often, have a chimney cleaning company out to clean the soot from the flue if it's been longer than three years since the last cleaning. Make sure you can open and close the damper to the flue. For wood stoves, inspect all components for corrosion, cracks, or loose joints. Toxins can leak out of the stovepipe if these ailments are present. In addition, make sure the wall protection is correctly installed and, if provided, a child proofing fence is in place.

Stacie: 22:41

That is a very good reminder. I need to call my cousin and remind her to do that. Okay, now on with the mechanicals. Every other fall, we have our HVAC tech out to inspect the heaters. Because they are gas operated, we have them check for any cracks or corrosion that could lead to a carbon monoxide leak. Plus, he makes sure the pilot light is lit and all electrical components are safe. He thermostats to make sure that they're functioning correctly. And although it's stated in the lease that replacing the air filter is a responsibility of the tenant, we do it ourselves. Why? Because, quite frankly, they never do it. Having a clogged filter can cause the heater or air conditioner to work harder, therefore shortening its lifespan. And also, it's just not healthy to have all that dust matted within the filter that's supposed to be there to clean the air. Many tenants have no idea that there's even a filter that needs to be replaced and sometimes the air filter is hard to access So it's just easier to add it on our tasks to to complete during our inspection. Yeah,

Kevin: 23:49

I completely agree I mean when we bought the fourplex in Idaho our Property manager told us they have a service that delivers air filters each quarter to our tenants We thought great and then we asked Do they replace them? We got a very confident, not often. They told us more times than not, they'll do a walkthrough and find four brand new filters stacked on the closet shelf. Now this is a clear indication that tenants have no idea what to do. If you insist tenants handle it, you should make a video or have step by step instructions on how to replace it for them to follow. Let me tell you though, this is just so much easier for us to do when we are there for the inspections. If you want to add a fee to do it, that's fine too, but seriously, it takes less than two minutes to do this task. We also replace the batteries in the thermostat once a year as well. There is nothing worse than getting a late night call if the heater isn't working only to find out the batteries running the thermostat had died.

Stacie: 24:56

Yes, and we do the same thing in the smoke and carbon detectors too, where we check them every single time we enter the unit. Once a year, we're going to change the batteries. So, here's a tip. So you will know when the batteries were last changed. Use a permanent marker to write the date on the battery. Why is this important? We date the batteries and take a photo of the smoke detector showing the battery installed and the date showing. If there is a fire and the detector is removed or not working, this is our proof that we inspected and maintained it for the insurance adjuster to see. You always have to be working to cover yourself, you guys.

Kevin: 25:36

Yeah, I used to think some stuff was overkill, but it really all comes down to being a proactive professional rental property owner. You need to maintain your units, and in turn, protect yourself from anyone trying to cause blame. A few more items to check are the fences to make sure they're secure against strong winds, especially if you allow pets. Make sure the gas shut off wrench is attached to the gas meter for easy shut off in case of a fire or a leak. Inspect sump pumps in basements and under the home to make sure they are cleaned and working correctly. Additionally, for those of you with septic tanks and propane tanks, make sure you are checking those systems as well. Okay, the last item on our checklist is not one at the physical property, but in your office space. Fall is a great time of year to call your insurance agent and make sure you have the proper coverage. Winter storms can bring a flurry of issues, especially flooding and downed trees. So, you should make sure your rental property is covered for any kinds of issues that can occur in your area. As you can see, most of the preventative maintenance is for the exterior of the home. Of course, the location of your rental property will make a big difference in the timing of this maintenance. Now, our properties in Northern California have a reasonably mild climate. This allows us to wait until, you know, at least November to perform these duties. for those of you with properties in areas with freezing and snowy winter climates, you might want to start this maintenance in late September or early October. Regardless, you just don't want to avoid planning your fall maintenance for your rental properties.

Stacie: 27:23

Yep, and preparing your property for fall before winter cold sets in is going to save you time and money once spring rolls around. Frozen pipes, mold growth, broken HVAC systems, and animal infestations are just a few of the problems that accompany fall and winter weather. And the last thing any rental property owner wants to deal with when the winter snow melts and the spring flowers bloom are leftover problems that could have easily been avoided. Be sure to include these items on your list before the holidays and your pocketbook will thank you come spring. How much time does this take us? We can get through our six unit building in one day when our contractor is there with us. One day of inspection work and prepping for the winter season gives us peace of mind and it shows our tenants that we maintain and take care of our properties. We did not start out this organized though. It was through trial and error that we created these systems and made them work for us. So take the time to create systems that are going to work for you and build yourself a professionally operated investment property business. So that's our episode for today. As always, we are humbled that you took the time from your busy day to listen to what we have to say. If you like what you hear, it will really help us out if you follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. It would help us even more if you not only subscribe, but if you took the time to leave us a very kind review. Again, thank you for listening. This is Stacey and Kevin, the founders of Your Landlord Resource, signing off. And until next time, you've got this, landlords.