It’s been ten months since extreme winter weather caught the entire state of Texas by surprise, wreaking havoc across eight of our properties. Having survived the extreme conditions while ensuring our residents were taken care of, our associates came away with lessons learned.
Loop recently caught up with leaders from our maintenance and training teams to give us insight on how they’re applying these lessons this coming winter. The consensus: be proactive!
Here are their top 5 tips for making the most of the winter months.
1. Keep an eye on the weather
Check the weather forecast regularly so you have an idea of what’s coming up in the future. By doing so, it will help you plan your schedule ahead of time. Partner and turn tech Jon Coontz points out why this is especially important in our northern markets.
“Always be ready for snow removal,” Jon said. “If you know ahead of time when you need to begin the snow removal process, you can exceed residents’ expectations for customer service while keeping them safe.”
2. Take inventory of materials
It’s critical to make sure you have the materials ready to handle any weather-related emergencies at your property. This includes snow removal, heat repairs and pipe breaks.
“Don’t wait until the last minute to execute our process just to find out you’re missing the tools you need to get it done,” said partner and regional service trainer Paul Fischer. “You want to make sure you can handle any emergencies that might come up at a moment’s notice.” For the snow-prone markets, this means testing your snow blowers and confirming you have plenty of salt on hand in the days leading up to an expected snowfall.
3. Walk vacant units regularly
The winter months are a critical time to keep an eye on your vacant apartments. If a broken pipe goes unnoticed, it can cause more damage than you were expecting. Partner and regional service trainer Tad Hunter likes to take time every week just to check out the empty units.
“If you’re doing a work order, double-check nearby units that could have similar problems,” he said. “Identifying a problem early on can lead to saving thousands of dollars in repairs, not to mention the time it takes to fix things.”
In addition to making sure the heat is on, partner and regional service trainer Dave Peacock also recommends shutting off water in vacant units to minimize risk of pipe breaks.
“I use the main water shutoff in the apartment,” Dave said. “This is good because if you do have a pipe break, it won’t flood nearly as bad, if at all.”
4. Check pool pump and riser rooms
If you have a pool or sprinkler system on your property, it’s important to check the heat in these rooms daily when you have sub-freezing temperatures for more than 2 to 3 days.
“These heaters go out at the worst times,” said partner and senior service trainer Rob Murray. “Regularly checking riser rooms and pool pump rooms can help you avoid an expensive clean-up you weren’t planning on.
5. Keep a spare change of clothes
A spare set of warm clothes, including socks and shoes, will go a long way during the winter months. Tad Hunter refers to it as a care package for when you need it most.
“I try to keep it in the shop so it will be room temperature,” said Tad. “The last place you want to pull it from is your car that’s been freezing in the parking lot all day.”
When we asked Paul Fischer if there was any truth to this strategy, he promptly replied, “Always keep a spare set. Trust me on that one!”
Regardless of how you manage your winter months, following the winter plan sent out by Paul Leber is the best way to guard against major issues.
By following our systems and remaining proactive, you’ll be better prepared to have a worry-free winter with great customer service results. If you have any questions, you can always reach out to any one of our experienced service trainers.