Year-round maintenance is one of the best ways to protect your houses for rent in Georgia. In addition to routine property inspections and responding quickly to maintenance issues, preventive maintenance helps investors spend less money on costly repairs while keeping rentals in excellent condition for renters (and better property values).
Are you up-to-speed with a year-round maintenance plan? Each season requires different tasks to help your rentals make it through weather and temperature changes while minimizing potential damage and keeping residents comfortable. If you don't have an established seasonal maintenance program, now is the time to start!
Follow these tips from our expert Atlanta, Georgia property management team to set your rentals up for success.
Essential Summer Maintenance Tasks
Your properties have survived winter and spring. Now it's time to take care of some critical tasks that are ideal before summer hits.
Rental property owners should schedule a time and the appropriate professionals to tackle summer maintenance tasks, including:
- Trees, shrubs, and landscaping-inspect for damage and make sure limbs are clear from the roof, patios, and over the driveway. Trim if necessary.
- Window screens-Check for rain or hail damage and repair holes or replace screens.
- Pests (interior and exterior)-Look for rodent damage or evidence of pests. Schedule routine pest control.
- Water damage-After spring rains, check the floors, walls, and ceilings for evidence of water damage. Schedule repairs if necessary.
- Appliances and HVAC system-Test all appliances and replace air filters.
- Smoke detectors-Test and replace batteries.
Time the completion of these maintenance tasks before the hot summer months arrive in Georgia. Your rentals will be ready for the heat, and your renters will stay comfortable.
Critical Fall Maintenance Tasks
Before fall arrives, take care of these critical tasks for your houses for rent in Georgia. Prepping your properties for fall weather helps you and your renters enjoy the gorgeous fall foliage while minimizing the risk of property damage during the season.
Tackle fall maintenance tasks, including:
- Roof, gutters, and siding-Inspect the roof and siding, including the gutters. Call a roofing expert for repairs.
- Winterize the irrigation system-Lawn and landscaping won't require consistent watering during the fall and winter. Winterize the irrigation system to minimize potential problems during colder temperatures.
- Winterize the AC and check the furnace-It's time to switch the HVAC system to 'heat.' Let an HVAC technician inspect the system and prepare it for cold weather.
- Check and winterize driveways-Now is the time to fill holes and cracks and prepare driveways and walkways for potential ice.
- Pests (interior and exterior)-Look for rodent damage or evidence of pests. Schedule routine pest control.
- Smoke detectors-Test and replace batteries.
Complete these tasks before the colder winter months arrive!
Important Winter Maintenance Tasks
While houses for rent in Georgia don't experience harsh winters like cities further north, it's still important to perform winter maintenance tasks for your properties.
Make sure your winter tasks include:
- Inspect the insulation-Even though Georgia doesn't often experience extreme cold, poor insulation can make it hard for renters to stay warm. Make sure your properties have adequate insulation.
- Check the door and window seals-Keeping cold are out and warm air in is important! Check door and window seals. Replacing caulking where necessary.
- Check the thermostat-Make sure it triggers the heater when set to a comfortable temperature.
- Establish a winter weather plan-Weather it's ice or other winter weather, protect the properties pipes and make sure renters understand how to shut off the water in case temperatures or conditions become extreme.
These tasks help your rentals and renters stay safe during the coldest months of the year!
Crucial Spring Maintenance Tasks
As the winter months subside, it's time to prepare your properties for spring! Your spring maintenance task list should include:
- Roof, gutters, and siding-Clear away debris and check for damage.
- Outdoor faucets-Make sure they operate correctly after the colder temperatures.
- Walkways and driveways-Check for damage after cold temperatures and ice.
- Landscapes-Clear away dead limbs and prune for spring growth.
- Pests (interior and exterior)-Look for rodent damage or evidence of pests. Schedule routine pest control.
- Smoke detectors-Test and replace batteries.
- AC-Call a technician for HVAC maintenance to prepare the system for warmer temperatures.
Your houses for rent in Georgia will thrive with an intentional year-round maintenance plan! Plus, renters appreciate well-kept rental homes-and are more likely to renew their lease when they experience quality maintenance.
Looking for more about property management best practices? Read these blogs.
A Georgia Property Manager Handles Year-Round Maintenance
If this year-round maintenance task list seems like a lot of work, a property manager can handle it for you! Revolution Rental Management, formerly known as GTL Real Estate, takes a professional approach to all seasonal maintenance and repairs. It's standard operating procedure! Real estate investors save time and money on maintenance for their houses for rent in Georgia when trusting our property management team to take care of everything.
