The Spring “season” is upon us here in sunny Venice, FL and what does that mean? It is about to get hotter than blazes outside, storm season is right around the corner and our population is about decrease significantly. One of the biggest offseason issues facing seasonal owners is property maintenance throughout the summer months when no one is there to report problems. If a home is closed up for seven or eight months during the summer, you have to have the wherewithal to plan ahead for issues that could arise during that period.
The grind of season drops off for our agents so they shift their focus to checking units throughout the summer to hopefully catch any possible issues before they become large scale catastrophes. Below are some common issues we have seen in units that have been closed up and not checked regularly during the summer months and ways of possibly heading those off at the pass:
- Water Leaks can do a tremendous amount of damage to a home and if not caught quickly enough, cost thousands of dollars to repair. For this reason, we have found that the best solution is to turn the main water valve off if the unit is to be vacant for longer than 48 hours. If you shut the water off, make certain that you turn the power off to your water heater. No water running through the unit could burn out some of the elements in it.
- A/C leaks and/or issues are common during the summer months. It gets pretty hot down here and your A/C system is going to be running significantly more during these months to keep up. One of the best things that we can recommend is having your system regularly serviced by a professional. This helps to catch and fix any problems before they back the system up and cause larger issues. In a hot and wet climate like ours, having a unit closed up with no running air for a few months fosters mold and mildew growth in the home.
- Rodents and pests are common down here and as the summer rains begin, they are all seeking shelter from the excessive moisture outside. Unless you are Dr. Dolittle, you don’t want them taking shelter in your home. There are easy solutions to these issues. One is to have a regular pest control contractor who will come through and spray the home for pests and check for signs of rodents. Another way is to drop some bleach into the toilet bowl and seal up your toilet bowls with saran wrap. The bleach helps to keep any mold from growing in the toilet bowl and the saran wrap keeps the water from evaporating out of the bowl allowing a highway for rodents to crawl up through the sewer systems and into your unit.
- Hurricane shutters & bringing any lanai furniture inside are a good idea if you are not going to be coming down to the unit before the start of Hurricane season (June 1-November 30). Bringing in your outdoor furniture helps prevent them from becoming projectiles and shutters help to keep things from breaking your windows and allowing water into the unit in the event of a hurricane. By doing a little bit of preventative maintenance and taking the proper precautionary steps to prevent a future catastrophe you can save bundles in the future.
Thank you for taking the time to read our blog. This is the third in a series that we hope will help educate both owners and tenants in the Venice, Nokomis, Osprey, North Port and Englewood area. Once again, if there is ever a question that anyone has, please do not hesitate to call us.
Thanks and have a wonderful day!!
Sincerely,
The Home & Condo Staff
