Winter presents unique maintenance challenges for condo property managers. As a result, you need to pivot to ensure you’ve added essential winter tasks to your daily and pre-winter maintenance schedule.
This ensures your condo property and units remain safe and comfortable no matter what weather mother nature throws at you.
In this article, we will share seven tips that every condo property manager should know about winter maintenance from the experts at our condo cleaning services in Toronto.
1. Be prepared with a trusted snow-clearing contractor
The City of Toronto requires property owners to clear steps, landings, walks, driveways, parking spaces, ramps, and other outdoor areas within 24 hours of a winter weather event.
As the property manager, that falls on your shoulders. You need a trusted snow-clearing contractor available to manage the work in a timely manner. When engaging a contractor for this job, have them provide an estimate based on the size of your property and the complexity of the project.
You also want to ensure they don’t manage too many other condos, apartment buildings, and office towers that can delay snow removal at your property. Ask how many trucks and drivers they have to ensure they are equipped to tackle the job.
Also, ensure you have a written agreement outlining all the tasks they are expected to perform with a firm cost to avoid misunderstandings and hidden fees. Check online reviews and ratings to make sure they have a strong reputation for dependability and don’t forget to ask for references.
2. Call the experts to conduct an exterior inspection
The exterior of your building is exposed to the elements year after year, wearing down important materials that keep your building winter-proof. With the volatile weather of Toronto winters, you want to call on professionals to perform a thorough inspection of your building envelope in the fall to assess the following:
- Roof
- Decks and patios
- Parking
- Door and window seals
- Garage doors
- Outdoor pipes
- Rooftop HVAC and elevator systems
- Siding
- Windows
They can provide a quote and perform the necessary repairs to avoid issues such as leaks, water damage, inefficient windows and doors, etc. This is a critical part of a preventative maintenance plan that helps you avoid costly repairs down the road.
3. Schedule heating system maintenance and repairs
The last thing you need is a heating system failure in the cold of winter. Ensure you have your heating experts inspect your heating system and conduct fall maintenance and repairs.
This step ensures your system is operating at peak performance and helps you achieve improved energy efficiency.
When heating systems aren’t working properly, it leads to more tenants turning up the heat in their units. As a result, you can experience unnecessarily high utility bills. Regular heating system maintenance keeps everyone warm and energy bills down.
4. Confirm your move-in/move-out cleaning services are on call
Because the moving season tends to be busier in the spring and summer, you might need to double-check with your cleaning services in Toronto to confirm they are available in the slower months.
Move-in/move-out cleaning services ensure your units are cleaned perfectly to maintain high standards that help reduce resident churn. It also ensures you are providing safe, clean homes for residents to reduce possible complaints and maintain property values.
There’s also no need to waste time chasing after former tenants who failed to complete move-out cleaning on moving day when you take matters into your own hands.
5. Hire a commercial floor mat service
Slippery floors in the winter increase the risk of slips and falls, which can leave you liable should personal injuries occur. Also, salt, sand, and wet tracks into the building contribute to early wear and tear of common-area floors.
A commercial floor mat service will deliver floor mats to protect your floors and keep your building safe. They will also schedule regular pickups to replace dirty mats with a clean set to keep your lobby clean and presentable.
Unit owners expect simple measures such as these to protect their assets and maintain property value.
6. Set time aside to install holiday lights and decor
Bring holiday cheer to your condo community by installing holiday lights and decor. Keep things neutral and avoid decorative items that are too specific, like a Christmas tree.
You want your decorations to feel inclusive for all owners and residents. Use a timer to turn the lights on and off to save energy, and schedule a time to take all the decor down by January 2nd.
Another important step is to send out a communication explaining the dangers of unit-specific decorations around unit doors and walls. Decorations are often prohibited in condo corporation bylaws, as they present fire and safety hazards.
Adding regular hallway checks to look for infractions should also be included in your winter maintenance plans.
7. Stock up on products to keep walkways safe
Although your snow removal service can assist with de-icing and snow removal of your walkways following a snowstorm, it’s important to have a supply of salt, sand, and de-icing products on site.
You should apply these products to your walkways whenever temperatures are expected to drop below freezing. This ensures tenants and visitors are safe, reduces liabilities, and shows tenants you are taking reasonable care to avoid slipping hazards.
However, you also have to ensure there is accountability among your employees so it is clear who is responsible to apply the salt and when. The task might not be completed without accountability, leaving your property vulnerable to accidents.
Contact the Condo Cleaning Experts
Managing winter maintenance for condos ensures you meet the requirements of your condo’s bylaws while reducing complaints from owners who feel you are not contributing to maintaining their property value.
Including these winter-specific maintenance tasks in your condo maintenance schedule will keep your building warm, safe, and presentable while creating a happier community of satisfied residents.
Ease the stress of move-out cleanings with Maid4Condos’ condo cleaning services in Toronto. You can call us at 647-822-0601 or contact us online for more information.
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