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Richlawn Property Management l Property Maintenance l Landscape Maintenance in Parry Sound, Muskoka & Georgian Bay

Author: Richard Taylor

Richlawn Property Management l Property Maintenance l Landscape Maintenance in Parry Sound, Muskoka & Georgian BayArticles by: Richard Taylor
21 Jun 2018
0 Comments By Richard Taylor Property Maintenance

Important Lawn Maintenance Projects for the Fall

These quick projects can make the difference between a “so-so” and a beautiful lawn in the fall and next spring.

Feed Your Lawn

The difference between a “so-so” lawn and a truly beautiful lawn both now and next spring is two fall feedings. Feeding in early September and again 6-8 weeks later, helps your lawn begin rebuilding grass roots that were damaged during the hot, dry summer.

Spruce Up Your Lawn by Reseeding

When kids play on a lawn that’s still hurting from summer heat and drought, it can get damaged. Spruce it up by reseeding with a quality grass seed mix for new grass. After that, just keep the seed and young grass watered – a light misting once or twice a day until the seedlings have reached a mowing height.

Mulch Your Leaves

Don’t let tree leaves smother your grass. Contrary to popular belief, fallen tree leaves will not insulate your lawn during winter. In fact, they can block vital sunlight and thin your grass. So, drop your rake and mulch your leaves to dime sized pieces with your lawn mower, and then apply your fall feeding.

Mow Your Lawn Shorter

In late fall, drop your mower down and cut your lawn 1-2 inches shorter than you have the rest of the growing season. Continue to mow shorter until your grass stops growing in early winter. You should cut your lawn slightly lower for the last cut.

 

Let us help you with your fall lawn care maintenance. Contact us today to inquire about our fall lawn care maintenance programs.

23 Oct 2015
2 Comments By Richard Taylor General

Top tips for closing up your cottage for another year

The long, lazy days of summer are almost over and that means it’s time to start thinking about closing up your cottage for the winter.

As summer starts to wind down some of you will be thinking about closing up your cottages for the winter. Other than the obvious chores, like getting rid of any food in the fridge and storing away outdoor furniture, there are other maintenance items you should take care of before calling it a season. Here are some things that should be on your checklist:

Wrap pipes

A winterized cottage will have a reliable heat source and insulation—as well as a vapour barrier to stop condensation from forming inside walls. Because it’s winterized you don’t have to worry about the pipes freezing as much, but if any pipes do pass through a cold zone, such as a crawlspace, garage or along an non-insulated wall, make sure they are properly wrapped with foam.

A non-winterized cottage will not be insulated, so the pipes can definitely freeze. Wrapping your pipes with foam is a good precaution, especially if you plan on visiting the cottage over the winter, or at the beginning of spring.

Shut off the water

Make sure you shut off the main water supply and drain all the pipes before you go. After shutting off the water, turn on one of the faucets to make sure no water is left in the pipes, otherwise it can freeze and cause a pipe to burst.

Turn the heating off, or down

Cottages across the country can have various heat sources. Depending on the system you have – make sure you turn it off safely and properly. And always turn off the gas before leaving.

If your cottage has a furnace you can either shut it off completely, so you’re not wasting energy, or you can set it to the lowest temperature – around 10 degrees Celsius – to help minimize frost build-up in your cottage over winter. If you have a water heater shut it off too. And if your cottage has space heaters turn off the power supply on the main panel.

Unplug

Unplug all major appliances. Some people might shut off the power to their cottage completely at the fuse box, but if your cottage has a sump pump it will eventually stop working too, which can lead to flooding. Exterior lighting and security systems won’t work either, so you might be better off unplugging individual appliances and/or turning off the power supply to these appliances at the electrical panel.

Septic tank checkup

Most cottages have a septic tank for sewage. Your septic tank should be on a service schedule. Typically, it should be serviced every five to eight years, in some cases every three to five years, depending on usage. If your septic tank is due for a checkup, get that done before winter so that it’s ready for next year.

Check the exterior

Walk around the exterior of your cottage and check for any openings critters can get in through. If there’s a chimney make sure it has a chimney cap or cover on it so critters can’t get in.

We also recommend checking the roof. Some cottages are in areas that get a lot of snow over the winter. And too much snow can cause roofs to buckle or cave in. Save yourself some grief by ensuring your roof is in good shape, otherwise there could be significant damage the next time you see it.

Keep the sump pump going

If there’s a power outage over the winter, the sump pump could stop working and that could lead to flooding in the basement. That’s why many sump pumps have a battery backup. Other models have a wireless alarm, which will notify you if the pump stops working.

Another option is having a generator backup for your sump pump. The generator can be hooked up to your electrical panel — you’ll need a licensed electrical contractor to do that — so if the power goes out it kicks in.

Clean the gutters

Clogged gutters can cause water to back up underneath shingles and get into the roof structure below. It could also lead to ice damming, which can damage the roof as well. It’s a good idea to wait until all the leaves fall to clean out the gutters to ensure they’re clear for winter.

Closing up the cottage properly before winter is key to making it last. Richlawn has been providing property maintenance services for 30 years. Let us help you with your fall lawn care maintenance. Contact us today to inquire about our fall lawn care maintenance programs.

22 Oct 2015
0 Comments By Richard Taylor Property Maintenance

How Property Management Can Help Your Property Retain Value

Property owners and landlords understand and appreciate the importance of property value.  Value is a function of how something is perceived by others, and tenants are willing to pay higher rent when they perceive property as valuable.  Sure, it’s easy to cut corners and ignore certain aspects of property management, but there is a hefty price to pay when the perceived value—and hence the actual value—of the property value declines.  Moreover, reliable and respectful tenant become more difficult to find and retain.  Eventually, you end up with lower-quality tenants, less rental income, and reduced market value for the property.  For these reasons, retaining your property’s value should be a top priority.

Perhaps you have an abundance of free time and expertise in all aspects of property management; if so, then you may be well positioned to handle the complex task of managing your property.  However, chances are that you don’t have the time and the years of in-field experience needed to address the wide variety of tasks, which include screening tenants, handling complaints, internal and external property maintenance, and collection of rent (including late payments and nonpayment), just to give you a partial list.  Putting these responsibilities in the hands of a capable property management company is not only a time saver, but it can have an enormously positive impact on the value of your property.

Something as seemingly basic as lawn maintenance can have a profound effect on property value.  Consider the fact that visitors, including prospective tenants, will see a property’s front lawn prior to stepping inside the premises.  If a lawn is brown or overgrown, this can cast a negative light on the property as well as the reputation of the owner.  These factors weigh heavily upon the perceived value of the property.

Retaining a property’s value depends on a very large number of factors.  Unless you have expertise in all of these factors, you’ll need a team on your side to make sure that your property can maintain—or better yet, enhance—its value.   You get the full range of services from our team at Access Property Management, so why not give us a call today at (705) 773-3029?