What is property Maintenance?
Property maintenance is the process of preserving a residential, commercial, apartment, or hospitality building and its immediate surroundings through a set of specific maintenance activities.
Why is Vacation Rental Maintenance so important?
Regular vacation rental property maintenance consists of specific tasks that prevent or slow down the normal wear and tear of your vacation rental property. Maintaining your home consistently can make the difference between getting a good guest review and a mediocre one. It can help you save time and money by avoiding costly repairs. And, most importantly, it can help drive a steady flow of bookings.
Regular maintenance is important for various reasons. Not only does it help to ensure the safety of your guests or long-term tenants, but it also has long-term benefits for you as a property owner. Guests want vacation rentals that are well designed and well kept, inside and out.
Fruitful Tips for vacation rental maintenance
Here’s how to stay on top of your vacation home’s maintenance to keep it in prime condition all year long.
Perform In-depth Inspection:
Even though some tasks only need to be completed once a year, the same does not apply when it comes to inspecting your property. It is advised that you complete a routine inspection once a quarter by walking around your property. Tour your property with a discerning eye, similar to how a home inspector would. The key is to catch things early before they become a massive headache. Check for any pest or water damage. Test your outlets for any outages and faucets for any plumbing issues. Don’t overlook your home’s exterior—overgrown trees and encroaching roots can cause major damage down the road.
Add smart home technology
Technology helps keep an eye on your vacation property, no matter how far away you are. If you plan on being away from your second home for an extended period of time, consider adding some smart home gadgets. Security cameras with Wi-Fi let you keep an eye on your property, while smart lighting apps program your lights to come on at various intervals, making it seem like you’re home even when you’re not. And a variety of smart home gadgets can alert you to potential maintenance issues, from failing HVAC systems to water leaks.
Exterior maintenance:
This refers to upkeep related to a property’s exterior—also known as grounds maintenance—including cleaning of a building’s exterior, roof gutters, and drains. It also includes landscaping and gardening, repairs, snow removal in common areas, and graffiti removal.
Interior maintenance:
This includes keeping the plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems in working order for all units and common areas, and making repairs quickly when they’re needed.
Safety checks:
Safety checks include checking and maintenance of smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. They also cover proactive inspections of electrical and mechanical systems and periodic safety inspections of the property and grounds.
Prepare for the seasons:
Some vacation homes require even more maintenance based on extreme seasonal changes where they’re located. Beach houses could be exposed to potential thunderstorms and strong winds during hurricane season. Meanwhile, mountain cabins can be subject to freezing temps and snow in the winter. Preparing a vacation home for winter conditions can mean checking the roof, protecting outdoor furniture, draining the water from your pipes, and insulating your home properly.
Assemble a vacation rental maintenance team:
No one expects you to know how to clean your pool, inspect your pipes, and check the roof yourself. Whether you live across town or across the country from your vacation home, hiring the right people to work on the right things is one of the best ways to take care of your property. Find vendors you can trust, then put them on speed dial. You’ll never know when you’ll need to call in a local arborist to inspect a tree in your backyard or an HVAC technician when the heat stops working mid-winter.
The best solution: Rely on a trusted professional property manager
In the event that you work with Manage My STR to deal with your vacation home, we come prepared with a checked Rolodex of vendors and maintenance services in each market-from exterior decorators to handymen. Our nearby groups will frequently set up any arrangements, work with the vendors directly, and handle any administrative work and follow-up.
Performing standard support on your rental home will save you from making repair costs in the future, in addition, to guaranteeing that guests just experience your home in its top-quality condition. Follow this guide to help with your home’s upkeep throughout the year.