13 Steps To Fall Outdoor Maintenance For Your Rentals

Step 1: ROOF

Most of the autumn maintenance outdoors centers on your roof. Consequently, I have provided a separate discussion devoted entirely to that phase of your outdoor maintenance; please read “The 6 Steps of Fall Roof Maintenance for Your Rentals”, available free to members of my Insider’s List.

Step 2: SIDING

Look for damaged or cracked boards and either caulk (OSI Quad is a good choice) or replace them.

Step 3: WINDOWS & DOORS

Look for cracks around the edges of windows and doors, and if you find any caulk them with Quad. Check the weather-stripping on them as well, and replace it if needed. There is a rubber weather-strip along the bottom edge of the garage door as well, and sometimes it needs replacing. It’s a good time to lubricate the rollers on the garage door with some grease while you’re at it.

If you have storm windows, this is the time to install them for the winter.

Step 4: FOUNDATION VENTS

If you live in a cold part of the country, it will probably save on some heating costs by closing these vents off until spring.

Step 5: FAUCETS

You should protect your outside faucets from freezing to avoid expensive broken water pipes. Close off your inside shut-off valve (if you have one), or install insulation and weatherproofing around the faucet outside. Alternatively, you can install those Styrofoam faucet covers made for this very purpose.

Step 6: HEAT PUMP

If you happen to have a Heat Pump unit outside, clear away any debris and shrubbery that may have accumulated against it, and vacuum off its fins.

Step 7: LIGHTING

Check your exterior lights for burned-out bulbs and replace them with clear or frosted ones for winter. Make sure the lenses on your lamps are intact and clean, too.

Step 8: DECK, PORCH, PERGOLA

Check for loose boards and posts, and tighten them up with screws and/or metal brackets as needed. If the wood is dry and hasn’t in the past been painted with a varnish-type sealer, you might want to take a brush and apply a coat of protectant such as Preserva Penetrating Oil Stain & Sealer (don’t use a roller).

If your wood has been previously sealed with a varnish-type product, don’t try to apply the Penetrating Oil until you have stripped and bleached it. It’s a long process because you have to wet the wood down to do the stripping and bleaching, and following that the wood has to dry out for several days before you apply the Penetrating Oil Stain & Sealer. This would be more of a project than you probably want to get into as part of your fall maintenance. Done a little earlier – perhaps in late summer, when you have plenty of warm, dry weather – it is well worth the trouble and will greatly prolong the life of your wood. Behr’s two-step Stain & Finish Stripper and Bleaching treatment is a good product to use when you do this.

Step 9: SHED

Check the doors and roof for looseness and tighten or repair any defective parts.

Step 10: FURNITURE

You may as well stow the outdoor furniture in that shed, being careful that any cushions are thoroughly dry before placing them in storage.

Step 11: DRIVEWAYS, WALKWAYS, MASONRY

Check for cracks and if you find any fill them with a product such as Dap 3.0 Self-Leveling Concrete Sealant (for cement) or Latex-Ite Super Patch Blacktop Patch (for asphalt).

Moss can cause a dangerously slippery situation on walkways during the rainy season, so if you see any on your walkways treat it with a moss killer such as Lilly Miller “Moss Out”. It can be dusted on as a powder or mixed with water and sprayed using a garden hand pump sprayer.

Step 12: FENCES

Look for missing, broken or loose components and repair them. If your fence is wood, consider applying a coat of sealer or paint.

Step 13: LANDSCAPING

Fall is a good time to apply a dose of fertilizer to your garden and lawn in preparation for spring. Manure or other fertilizer will season within the soil during the winter and give your plants a head start when the ground warms up. Likewise, your lawn will benefit from enhanced root growth promoted by products such as Scott’s Turf Builder applied in the fall.

Gas-operated power equipment such as lawnmowers and tillers should be emptied of fuel and run until the gas in the lines is used up. This will save on the cost of tune-ups next year. If you have gas left in the can, put it into your automobile; a little bit of old gas won’t hurt the car, but it will put a small engine in the repair shop.

Drain and store your hoses. If you have a sprinkler system, blow the water out of it using a compressor.

So, that’s it – 13 steps to fall outside maintenance can prove to be a lucky number for your rental properties. Make them a yearly event and you will benefit from less frequent repairs and happier tenants.

By: Patrick Henry

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Patrick Henry wholesales houses in Portland, OR. Join his Insider's List and get access to upcoming profitable deals PLUS free info of interest -- simply visit www.PortlandHousesWholesale.com