During the winter months, freezing temperatures, snowstorms, and ice are common occurrences. Targa Real Estate knows that your multifamily community needs to be prepared for any inclement weather. This ensures the safety and wellbeing of residents and reduces potential expenses. Here are some ways to prepare for winter:

Perform Heating and HVAC System Maintenance

Whether your multifamily community has a furnace, radiant heating system, or HVAC system, it's important to check that the equipment is performing as it should. Some ways to do this are to ensure that filters are replaced regularly and to be sure to perform other scheduled maintenance before problems arise.

During winter, malfunctioning heating systems not only pose a danger to residents but are also more costly to repair. In addition to cost, it is usually challenging to find a company that can perform service during winter anyway because of snowstorms or booked schedules.

Check Common Areas & Building Exterior

The shared spaces of your multifamily community are equally as important as appliances and equipment. For exterior and stairways, check light bulbs for cracks and make sure that lighting fixtures work. The last thing you want is for walkways and entry points to be dark in the winter as this poses a safety hazard.

For common areas and around the building, check that windows and doors are sufficiently sealed. You can use weatherstripping and/or foam spray insulation meant for use around windows and doors to accomplish this. Drafty windows and doors increase heating costs, so insulating is for both comfort and economy.

Keep Snow Removal Tools on Hand

Check your inventory of snow shovels and snow blowers. You'll want to make sure that you have enough tools and that everything is in working order. That way, when it comes time to clear walkways and paths, this can be done as efficiently as possible. In the past, it was also recommended that rock salt be used to help melt snow more quickly, but this can be damaging to the environment. Instead, you can opt for alternative ice melt options, some of which are more eco-friendly.

These are just some of the ways that you can ready your multifamily community for the winter months. For more tips about property maintenance and more from Targa Real Estate, contact us.