With the first frigid cold snap behind us for the early season, we want to pass on some helpful information for both tenants and property owners. We rarely see subzero temperatures continue every night for as long as they did last week. As a property management company, our goal is to prevent tenant disruptions and protect our clients’ properties.
If you are a tenant, here are a few helpful tips that will help reduce the chances of having problems during the next arctic cold snap. First, pipes are the biggest concerns when the subzero temperatures invade the Northern Colorado area. The first thing to do is keep your thermostat up a few degrees or don’t program it to reduce the temperature when you are not home. Second, be sure that you leave your cabinets open to any interior pipes that are located on an exterior wall.
For example, if your kitchen sink is located on an exterior wall, it is a good idea to leave the cabinet under the sink open. This allows warm air to warm the sink pipes. Third, consider leaving a small trickle of water coming from sinks. When water is moving in the pipe, it drastically reduces the chances of them freezing. These three tips should reduce the chances of experiencing pipe issues from cold temperatures.
Now, as far as owners go, these are tips for owners that have an unoccupied home. Be sure that you or someone you know (for example, your property manager) check on your home every 24 hours to ensure the heat is still running in the home. If you are planning on leaving your property unoccupied for a long period during the winter, consider having your home winterized. This entails shutting off the main water valve to the property and removing the excess water from the internal pipes. Then, a licensed plumber adds some antifreeze to portions of the plumbing to ensure its safety.
Another good idea is to have a licensed plumber install a low-temperature alarm that alerts you when your house has dropped to a dangerous level. Lastly, if you are not leveraging a property management company and do not live in the area, consider leaving a lockbox somewhere near your home so emergency technicians can enter your house if it is in need of attention.
For additional information on how to protect your property, please contact us for more information. If you are in need of property management services in Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Timnath, Wellington or the rest of the Northern Colorado area, please consider Real Property Management of the Rockies. We would be honored to become your trusted property management partner.