Winter is right around the corner, which means now is the best time to start getting your rental property ready for frigid temperatures and piles of snow. However, the weather isn’t the only thing you need to worry about during the winter months. Not only is winter the coldest time of the year, but it’s also the time when crime and house fires are most common. To help you protect your tenants and your property, here are three tips you can use to keep your building secure this season.
Insulate your pipes
Approximately 20% of all insurance claims are related to some type of water damage. The winter season isn’t very kind of pipes. When outdoor temperatures drop below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, the water inside of your pipes can begin to freeze. When water freezes and thaws enough times, it can cause fractures in the pipes. This leads to leaks and even burst pipes. To help protect your rental property from water damage and flooded basements, make sure to keep your plumbing system well-insulated to protect your pipes from the cold.
Secure your tenants’ windows and locks
The holiday season may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also one of the most dangerous times when it comes to crime. Across the country, there’s one burglary for every 13 seconds, and theft is one of the top three most common insurance claims. To help keep your tenants and your property safe and secure from criminals looking to pull a Grinch, make sure that your tenants’ windows and door locks are secure. Consider setting up security cameras at the entrance of the building to deter crime even further.
Collect Christmas trees after the holiday
Once the holiday season is over, many tenants will be looking to get rid of their Christmas trees. However, dead Christmas trees can be a major fire hazard. A tenant leaving their Christmas tree outside their apartment while waiting for garbage day is the same as leaving a thousand match-sticks outside their door. To help keep your tenants and your property safe, consider offering Christmas tree pick-up services as a part of your maintenance schedule. Picking up your tenants’ dead Christmas trees and delivering them to the on-site dumpster will help to reduce the risk of potential fires.
The winter season can be hectic, but it’s important to make sure that your rental property is safe and secure from hazards. By following the tips above, you can help to make sure your property is secure against water damage, theft, and fire hazards.
