With winter and colder months coming in and things opening back up again, it’s getting to the point where people are fleeing the frigid temperatures and heading to someplace warmer. We don’t blame you for doing that, but when you are a condo owner, things are a bit different than usual.

The condo lifestyle has plenty of perks to it, but it still has certain maintenance responsibilities that you have to deal with. Responsibilities that when they’re done, you’ll be able to confidently lock your front door and head off without any worry.

The maintenance tips mentioned below will help cover all of these things whether you are gone for a week or two or for a month.

Turn The Water Off At The Main Water Shut Off Valves

Water leaks while away are the worst for many reasons. And those problems get worse if you’re not around and able to do anything about it. To mitigate water damage, mold development, and costly repairs, it’s just a smart thing to turn that off before leaving.

Reset Your Thermostat

Another simple thing to keep in mind and it conserves power. There is no sense in heating up a place that nobody is in so do yourself a favour and drop the temperature down a few degrees. 20 degrees Celsius is pretty good. It’s at a temperature that’s warm enough and can conserve energy in the process.

Monitor Humidity

Some humidity is good for our comfort but too much of it can create some bad effects. Too much of it on the windows can cause condensation on it. When it gets to excessive levels, that condensation can damage the windows, drywall and even the flooring.

You also don’t want to have too little of it as it can leave gaps in all the wood products in your home and can also affect fine art and furnishings too.

All of this can be mitigated by leaving a bit of an opening in your drapes or blinds and allowing circulation around the windows. All of this will prevent a build-up of moisture around your windows.

Tell The Property Management Office You’re Leaving

At least for now. The office might also have a form for you to complete as well which outlines how long you’re away, how they can contact you in the event of an emergency and also contact info of trusted people with permission to handle any issues directly or enter your suite while you’re away.

Check Up On The Fan Coil If You Have One

It should continue to be active during the winter months at 20 degrees Celsuis and shouldn’t be turned off. On top of this, you also want to be checking the filter of the fan coil as a clogged filter will prevent proper air flow and reduce the amount of heat in your home. Of course this also damages the fan coil motor too so have a new filter in it if the old one is bad.

Have All Windows And Doors Closed

A common winter emergency is a busted pipe due to insufficient climate control. This usually happens when someone turns off their fan coil (which you should never do during winter as stressed above), but also from people forgetting to close windows or doors completely.

You do not want to be dealing with frozen pipes or them bursting as it can lead to water damage in your own condo and possibly your neighbors’ homes too. It’s smarter to double check everything and make sure all the windows and doors are closed.

Unplug Any Electrical Appliances

Your TV, video game consoles, clocks, microwaves, toasters, coffee maker, and more. Just be sure to have everything unplugged. Not only is this a fire safety precaution, you can also save yourself money on the energy bill. It can also reduce damage in the event that a power surge occurs while you are away.

Stop Or Have Your Mail Forwarded

If you’re going to be away for a few weeks or a few days it’s fine. But if you’re gone for nearly a month, it’s smart to stop the flow of mail. This means going to the Post Office and either stopping the mail or have it forwarded someplace else. Also you can use this time to cancel any newspaper or magazine deliveries you would get.

In terms of forwarding mail, designate someone you trust to pick up and hold your mail in your absence.

Have Someone You Trust To Check On Your Suite

And lastly, have someone you trust to check on your home while you are away if you’re gone for more than two weeks. If you’re gone for a long time, then you should be doing the other things mentioned above.

As such, having the same person who is the point of contact in emergencies also be the person to check your suite isn’t a bad idea. This person should be able to visit and enter your home at least once a week and perform the following:

• Run the water for the shower, and faucets for a few minutes before turning them off;
• Flush the toilet;
• And check the general condition of the suite.

Your Home, Your Responsibility

All of these things are simple to do and they do so much for the property while you are away. Even while on vacation, you still have a responsibility to look after your condo and mitigate any potential troubles that could happen while you’re away.

The measures mentioned above can ensure that damages are kept to a minimum.

And as an extra precaution, you can also check your insurance provider to see if they have guidelines regarding holiday or vacation coverages for your home too.

All of these things can provide a great peace of mind so you can enjoy your vacation without worry.

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