With the summer winding down, now is the time to start thinking forward to the upcoming fall and winter season. Chicago winters are notoriously brutal and now is the best time to start preparing. Here are the items that Chicago property managers recommend to check now in preparation for the upcoming winter.
Furnace:
Is your furnace/heating system functioning properly? Typically, it is best to get your furnace inspected and cleaned every year. Making sure that it operates at peak performance is important to keeping your heating costs down and also for your own safety as furnace malfunctions or problems can be dangerous. Chicago requires that landlords provide tenants with the equipment capable of keeping their properties above 66 degrees during the winter months, so you will want to make sure that each of your tenants units heating equipment is working properly.
Pipes:
Frozen pipes can burst and cause thousands of dollars of damages to a property and/or cut off the water supply to some parts of the units. Your best bet is to have a professional come out and inspect for potential pipe freezes. The right professional can make suggestions on potentially relocating exposed pipes that are vulnerable to freezing or at least wrapping those pipes with heat tape or other mechanism to keep them from freezing.
Roof:
The roof of an apartment building is protecting your investment from all of the elements. Having a roof inspection before the winter can be crucial to protecting your investment from complete ruin. A damaged roof may not be able to handle the weight of the snow and ice that accompanies Chicago winters.
Making sure your investment property is ready for winter is a crucial step in the success of your property. Doing the proper inspections before can alleviate having expensive repairs during the winter. If you would like an inspection of your property before the winter hits, contact Gary in our maintenance department at 630-360-5574 today.
