Winter Property Preparation

The Old Farmer’s Almanac says it’s going to be a colder than usual Winter, though the NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) forecasts a milder Winter for the central lying states including MD, VA and DC. Plus, with so many people working from home, winterizing properties is more pertinent this year.

A building owner of vacant property should be well prepared by making sure the heat is set for a minimum of 50 degrees or higher and winterizing any plumbing within the building. The costs of preparing your vacant building for freezing temperatures are small compared to the costs and stress of dealing with a repair, which can sometimes be major.

I advise property owners to prep their vacant spaces or at least keep the heat on to make sure nothing freezes. Most listen, though a few did not or just plain old forgot. Well, some got lucky and nothing happened, while others paid the price when they found out that pipes had burst within the building.

Unfortunately, many times it is an adjoining tenant or a neighboring tenant/owner that eventually sees water flowing out of the entrance doors or loading doors of a property.

Don’t be penny-wise and dollar foolish when it comes to winter-prep on your property. Also, frequent property visits during these cold periods is also advised, since heating systems aren’t 100% reliable.

By Andy Mayr, CCIM, NAI Michael