By Property Management Systems

Is your Portland Oregon Rental Property ready for the summer months? In this issue of our e-newsletter, we will share with you practical tips you can use to get your rental property in shape for the summer.

Tip #1 – Inspect Your Air Conditioner

The first thing you should do to get your rental property in Portland ready for the summer months is to inspect your air conditioner.

A/C maintenance is a must because most tenants in Portland will use their air conditioners a lot during the summer months so it’s best to do the following:

1. Inspect the air filter – If your air conditioners filter is dirty, you should replace it because a new filter will without a doubt improve the performance of your A/C.
2. Check air flow in the home – Make sure all vents are open and don’t have any obstructions in front of them which could restrict airflow.
3. Review the space around your external condenser – There should be at least two feet of space around your A/C unit.

Tip #2 – Check Windows and Doors

Every window in your rental property should have a clear seal around them without any gaps because those gaps are what allow cold air to escape from the home and increase energy bills.

Tip #3 – Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Each detector in your rental property should have a new battery and each detector should be tested to guarantee that they will work correctly when needed.

Tip #4 – Check Your Rain Gutters

Another important thing that you want to do to get your rental property ready for summer is to check your rain gutters because, Portland typically gets a fair amount of rain between April and May so it’s best to check the rain gutters on your rental property now by doing the following:

Tools Needed – If you plan on checking the rain gutters at your Portland Rental Property yourself you’re going to need a ladder, gloves, bucket, tube of caulking, putty knife, small hand shovel and hose.

Step 1 – Start at the back and work to the front of your rental property. Inspect the rain gutters, and use your small hand shovel to scoop out the “goop” or debris that you find in the rain gutters into your bucket. For safety purposes you should have someone with you, working as your spotter, to keep the ladder steady until you’re finished.

Step 2 – Once you’ve cleaned out all of the gutters you will then need to use your hose to rinse the gutters out and monitor the flow of water to make sure that there are not any leaks in your rain gutters. If you find leaks in any part of your rain gutters you will need to use your tube of caulking and putty knife to apply caulking and seal those leaky portions of the gutters.

Step 3 – After clearing the debris from your gutters and using your hose to make sure that they are draining properly you should next inspect all gutter spikes on your Portland Oregon Rental Property to make sure that they are still properly fastened to the fascia board of your rental. If you see that there are spikes that are not fastened to the fascia board you will need to carefully refasten those back into place.

Step 4 – Last of all, after you’ve cleaned out your gutters, and checked the gutter spikes, you should also review the gutter downspout to make sure that the water is draining away from your Portland Rental Property.

During the process of inspecting your gutters, you should also inspect your roof and look for signs of water pooling on the roof, missing tiles or debris that’s collected on the roof over the last year.

Clean Ceiling Fans

Remove dust from ceiling fans in your rental property by vacuuming them with a handheld vacuum cleaner or blowing them out with compressed air.

Improve the Yard

Take the time to improve the yard at your Portland rental property by trimming back overgrown trees, cutting the grass, and removing any debris which may be on the property.

Inspect the Dryer Vent

If your rental property has a laundry area you should inspect the dryer vents to make sure they are cleaned out because this will prevent a dryer fire.

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