Summer 2018 has been a very busy season for Henderson Properties. Continued growth in our Sales, Rental, and Investment divisions resulted in a high work volume for the Renovations and Maintenance team. The recent deluge of rain and new tariffs are also impacting maintenance on homes, investment properties, and communities. Here’s few tidbits of wisdom that could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars and/or frustration.

After the Rain

• Inspect for Water Intrusion. We recommend inspecting the following in your home, and repairing as soon as possible:
  • Attic for any roof leaks
  • Clogged gutters and downspouts
  • Crawl spaces for standing water and any ductwork or mechanical equipment that could be submerged in water
• Roof Repairs. Due to the volume of rain received over the past month, there has been a marked increase in roof repairs. We are doing our best to keep up with significant increase in work order volume. Be sure to check your roof for damage, and contact your insurance to see if roof repairs are covered. This could save you from significant out-of-pocket costs.
• Repair Schedules Affected. The constant rain has impacted schedules for many larger capital projects in neighborhood associations. Community-wide roof replacements, painting projects, and siding/wood trim replacements have been pushed back several weeks due to weather. Thank you for your patience during this process. Also, when commissioning new work, consider the impact of weather on the schedule, and build in plenty of time for unexpected factors such as weather to minimize overall impact.

Tariffs Increase Material Costs

• The Chinese tariffs have caused some concern and price increases for items we commonly repair/replace for our clients: household appliances, lumber, nails and fasteners, and metal roofing, and more. Keep this in mind for repairs and replacements, and understand that some prices will be grossly impacted by the materials increase.

Clogged Gutters

• Even after homeowners cleaned out their gutters earlier in the year, we saw clogged gutters and downspouts from pollen and leaf litter. This resulted in damages in some cases due to water backing up in gutters. We recommend cleaning gutters and downspouts at least twice per year, sometimes more depending on your home’s proximity to trees. If limbs overhang your roof line, consider cutting the limbs so the leaves don’t fill up your gutters.

Hot Air

• If your air conditioner is running and is only blowing hot air, please turn off your air conditioner until a service expert can inspect your unit(s). This will limit any further damages. Don’t know who to call? Our Renovations and Maintenance team can send someone to make the repair! HendersonMaintenance.com or 704-970-4154

Garbage Disposal Doesn’t Work

• Nearly 95% of all reports we receive for “my garbage disposal doesn’t work” is due to a clogged disposal. We are certainly happy to make the repairs for you. For cost savings, you could make the repair directly in about three minutes by following a video found in an online search about unclogging disposals. Be sure to check the comments and the source to make sure it’s reliable.

 

This message has been brought to you by the Henderson Properties Renovations & Maintenance team, dedicated to keeping our clients operating at optimal efficiency.