Winterizing Your Multifamily

You’ve almost finished those turkey leftovers and the boxes of holiday decorations have been dug out from the depths of the closet and are ready to be hung. This can only mean one thing: colder days are on the way. And for financially-savvy landlords and property managers, cold weather means winterizing. Last year we looked at the top seven things every landlord should do to prep their properties for the winter months (to ensure that you’re doing everything possible to keep heating costs down and unit temperatures up, be sure to take a quick refresher look at that post). And for even more tips and ideas for winterizing with the best of ‘em, read on.

Door stoppers.
Most of us have been programmed to make sure that any gaps between the front and back outside doors and the floor are filled in with rubber door stops. But don’t stop at the exterior doors. Consider doors inside of your building that may be allowing heat to escape. Doors leading to attic stairwells are a prime example of an often-overlooked heat vacuum. Survey your property carefully to make sure that all doorways (both interior and exterior) are fitted with weather-stripping and rubber stops as necessary.

Pre-set temperatures.
If you’re providing tenants with controlled heat, investing in an electric, programmable thermostat will likely save you a lot of money in the long-run. While you certainly don’t want to freeze your tenants out, it’s also not necessary (or comfortable, for that matter) to keep the heat cranked up to maximum levels 24/7. An electronic thermostat will allow you to pre-program temperatures according to the time of day. For example, you may want to increase the temperature by a few degrees in the morning and evening hours, when the weather is likely cooler and tenants are home. Remember, these thermostats will allow you to over-ride the automatic settings should it become necessary to increase or decrease the temperature at any given time.

Roofing repairs.
Because it’s not the most easily visible part of your property, missing shingles or other gaps in the roof that allow the warm air to get out can be easily overlooked. As we all know, heat rises, so ensuring that your roof is in good repair is an essential part of keeping the heat in and the cold out. Depending on the size of your property, either you or a contractor should conduct a thorough examination of the roof to make sure that any missing shingles, tiles, or nails are replaced; that any gaps are fully caulked; and that any warped or darkened areas on the roof are identified and treated as necessary.

Electrical outlets.
They’re easy to miss, but electrical outlets can be exactly that—a perfect way to let costly heat out of your building. It may be a bit tedious, but it’s to your benefit to go through your property at least once a year, removing electric outlet covers to make sure that any spaces left by electrical outlets are filled in. These gaps can be easily filled with foam, which will eliminate the problem.

Taking care of these easy-to-miss heat escapes will go a long way to keeping heating costs under control during the winter months. Also remember to ask for your tenants’ help. Particularly if they are not directly paying for heating costs, it can be easy to forget the important difference simple actions like closing storm windows and removing cooling units can make during those winter months. Provide them with a list of simple winterizing reminders and be sure to offer your assistance with any of the requested items as necessary.