Snowbirds – Condo care while you’re away from home
Condominium living can be largely maintenance free, but when you go south for the winter, or are otherwise away, there are a few steps to peace of mind during your absence. The most important of these is to ensure the management office holds back up keys to your unit.
In the rare instance of flooding would see a plumber let into your suite by the property administrator or a member of the board and superintendent. The alternative is a locksmith or a battering ram to open the door, with attendant delays and costs for repair—your costs.
Some might fear that their privacy is in jeopardy with your unit keys in someone else’s hands. Rest assured that unit keys are locked away in the office and are only used in the case of an emergency.
To make a water leak less likely when you’re away, close shutoffs that serve your appliances, such as the laundry machine. In some units only the laundry and perhaps toilets are served by shutoffs, so there are other fixtures that you’ll have to ignore. It’s a good idea to have a friend drop in on your home every few days or week to look around for any issue that might be developing. Your insurance policy might require such visits anyway, so check your policy before you go.
When your friend is attending to your unit, there’s more to do than just water the plants. Every fixture should have some water run into it, so that the water “plug” in toilets and under sinks and tubs is refreshed. If that water evaporates entirely sewer gas will waft up into the unit. As well, windows should be checked, as an open window can let in snow or rain and contribute to ice build up causing unnecessary damage.
Lastly, remember to leave contact information with the Office. This info can be helpful if there’s an incident. In the rare event of an incident affecting your unit it’s better to know about it before you arrive home, luggage in hand and groggy from your long travels.