Tips for Maintaining Remote and Vacant Homes
There are many reasons a home becomes vacant, and it becomes really creepy and messy especially when left for a very long time. If you will be leaving your home for a very long time, it is advisable to first of all obtain a vacant home insurance because most insurance policies won’t cover damages to a home that has been vacated for over 30 days.
Managing a vacant home comes in different parts, and you can do this yourself or hire others to carry out the maintenance for you.
For monthly maintenance, check the plumbing fixtures for leakages and proper drainage. Another thing to do is inspect the HVAC filters and if possible, change them every three months or thereabout. Ensure that all switches, alarms, and detectors are properly working. Replace the batteries of these appliances once in six months. Go round the building and inspect the roof, doors and windows to ensure they are in good condition. If you find any damaged, make repairs as necessary. You should also watch out for your lawn to ensure that they don’t over grow, and ensure that the surroundings are kept tidy.
For seasonal maintenance, you should watch out for major changes especially in winter season. Snowfall can damage your property, and you should check your home in all seasons, be it winter, spring or fall.
When fall comes, endeavor to check the heating system and make sure everything is ready for winter. Make sure there isn’t any leaks, especially in the doors and window areas. Check the furnace, vents and thermostats. If you have AC units, then remove them and store them somewhere safe. Winter is coming, so they all have to be in perfect condition. Hoses and outdoor water outlets should be flushed out and stored after they have dried. You should check if the sump pumps are in good condition, so that you won’t have problems when you need it in winter and early spring. Other things to check are walkways and drive ways for cracks, and if you find any, fill them up so that they don’t hold water during winter and become worse. Inspect your insulation, check the roof and ensure everything is ready for winter.
When winter comes, check the electricity from time to time, and ensure that the house is heated up. Check for ice dams, properly clean the basement, and ensure that everything is working fine to keep the house warm enough.
During spring, ensure that the gutters are clean, water is flowing away through the exterior drainage, check for damages, clean the surrounding and mown the lawn, among other things.
When summer comes do well to check the plumbing fittings, septic systems, insects, and make sure every other part of your home is clean.
As you can see, it is not easy maintaining a vacant home, and if you leave some of the minor problems unattended to, they may escalate to something more serious. If you can’t do this on your own, it is advisable to look for someone to help you out.
