Spring is here and with it comes a laundry list of spring cleaning and home maintenance tasks. The Greenwich Home Management property management team in Greenwich, CT has put together a checklist of essential to-dos. These tips will help ensure your property is looking its best and help you keep your equipment running efficiently for the months to come. Homeowners can tackle some of these tasks, however, some are best handled by a home maintenance professional.
The following provides more information on some of the key tasks that demand attention:
Gutters can trap leaves and debris over the winter – even if they were cleaned in the fall. Cleaning your gutters in the spring helps to ensure water is always directed away from the house. Clogged gutters can lead to water backup that can be pushed under shingles and cause serious moisture issues that lead to rot and mold. This is a task that Greenwich, CT homeowners often look to Greenwich Home Management to handle. It requires high ladder work. For this reason gutter cleaning is often best handled by a pro.
April and May are typically some of the wettest months of the year. Spring rains can be a scary time for Greenwich homeowners that have had wet basement issues in the past. If you have a sump pump, March and early April are the time to have the equipment inspected to ensure everything is working properly. Inspections can also help expand the lifespan of the pump.
If you have water issues in the basement, but don’t have a sump pump, reach out to Greenwich Home Management to discuss how to eliminate the wet basement once and for all. We can provide a full assessment and determine the cause of the issue. We may recommend installing new drainage, or consider the value of adding a sump pump to remove and water.
The winter months are harsh on home exteriors. Springtime is typically when we see signs of peeling paint. If you do see paint flaking or fading, it’s always a good idea to get ahead of it. Sumer heat can exacerbate the issue. Once wood is exposed to moisture it starts becoming susceptible to rot. This is when having a property management professional like Greenwich Home Management on your side can pay off. We can handle any and all home maintenance tasks, and our master painters can handle the inspection and get the job done.
Lint can build up over time inside dryer vent tubes. When this happens it becomes a fire hazard. Lint is extremely flammable. Keeping the dryer vent clean also helps the machine work at peak efficiently. When clogged, the unit has to work harder to push air out. This uses more energy and causes more ware and tear on the equipment.
Clogged refrigerator coils are not necessarily a fire hazard, but they can affect the efficiency and function of a fridge. When the coils are clogged it can be hard for them to release heat efficiently. The compressor then works harder. This causes stress to the unit which can shorten its lifespan, and it will use more energy.
The Greenwich Home Management property management team vacuums dirt and dust from refrigerator coils. For dryer vents, the crew uses a special brush with a long extension. Both jobs are relatively easy, however it can be nice to have someone handle these types of projects for you.
The winter weather leaves deck, patio, driveway and siding surfaces dirty and covered with debris. Power washing, otherwise known as pressure washing, is an excellent way to clean these surfaces in the spring. Pressure washing, however, requires equipment and knowledge of technique. Improper or overly aggressive use of the machine can result in damaged surfaces. The pressure setting should be in line with the type of surface that is being washed. Some machines can put a hole through asphalt. When done properly, however, pressure washing can make surfaces look like new.
Spring is a great time of year. Kick it off with a thorough spring cleaning and maintenance plan. Having the property ready for outdoor fun with the family, and ensuring your mechanical systems are in top working order, will help ensure that you can relax and enjoy your home for the months to come. The Greenwich Home Management property management team will be busy helping Greenwich households with their checklists. Please reach out to us if you would like help getting your home ready for the season.
This is an unusual time for us all. Like many you’re probably trying to figure out how to juggle family, work, and home tasks. Although some projects can be put on hold, certain home maintenance needs will require attention. Many New York City residents are coming to their second homes in Greenwich, CT to avoid the city. As a result we’re seeing an uptick in demand for properties that need to be ready for full time occupancy. So how should you approach residential property management during this time? Following are some ideas on how to keep your family and your home maintenance professionals healthy.
At Greenwich Home Management we provide residential property management services. As a result we dispatch the full range of home maintenance professionals. During this time of year in Greenwich, CT we are starting to handle outdoor work, such as spring-cleaning, masonry, and pool installs and openings. These workers pose lower health risk than others that need to be indoors. Indoor projects, of course, still require attention. When it comes to AC maintenance, appliance repair and plumbing issues, you’ll want to take additional care.
If you plan to have workers on your property it’s important to maintain close, remote communication with your property management company to ensure certain protocol can be implemented. You should feel comfortable asking questions and providing any guidelines that you feel are necessary to maintain the health of your family. In addition you may need to let your management team know when you want certain work to be done. And always inform crews before hand if you have someone in the house that is showing signs of sickness.
At Greenwich Home Management we are taking a range of precautions daily. Before dispatching a handyman, HVAC repair professional or landscape crew to someone’s house we ensure that nobody has fever, cough or shortness of breath. We instruct our crews to handle only the tools and equipment needed to accomplish the job. In addition our crew will regularly be using hand sanitizer, thoroughly washing hands, and avoiding contact with mouth, eyes and nose. We also employ facemasks and booties to cover footwear.
The New England Journal of Medicine states that coronaviruses do not survive well on clothing surfaces. As a result it is unlikely that a worker would carry the virus on their clothes into a home.
We are social animals and it’s instinctual to reach out and shake someone’s hand when they arrive up at your home. During this time, however, skip the handshake, and maintain six feet of distance to work crew. In some instances you may be more comfortable leaving instructions with your property management company that allows them to enter the home on their own.
At Greenwich Home Management our residential property management services are set up well for this type of situation. You have one point of contact for all of your home maintenance needs. And your management contact will have key access to allow workers into the home if needed. If it makes you more comfortable we can let the tradesman into the home even if you are there. This way you can avoid any potential contact. And we can work closely with you to establish schedules that you’re comfortable with.
Many Greenwich residents are now working from home. As a result a home office space needs to be fully functional. For those using weekend homes, dedicated offices may not be in place. And of course the kids are home now full time. This all leads to more usage of equipment and appliances as well as special requirements that may need maintenance and/or setup. Your property management company can help you establish a comfortable workspace.
It’s spring and so there are likely several projects that need to be completed. And of course things always come up unexpectedly. To help make the process easier during this stressful time, our property management team can tackle all of your spring maintenance needs. These may include AC tune-up and cleaning, spring yard cleanup, roof repair, wet basement issues, driveway repair, gutter cleaning, etc.
Making smart decisions when it comes to social distancing can make all the difference in this unique situation. Our Greenwich, CT residential property management team will do our part to help keep you and your family healthy. Eventually we’ll get through this and we’ll do it by working together.
