Now is the time to think about preparing your Portland area rental property for the cold, rainy and sometimes, freezing weather ahead. Winterizing will help keep energy bills low, reduce damage to your property and keep your tenants comfortable in their home. Portland Rental Properties can help prepare your rental property for wintery weather ahead. 

1. Clean out the Gutters. It rains a lot in Portland and making sure that water can flow freely through your gutters now will help prevent icicles and ice damns from forming later.

2. Flush the Water Heater. Flushing will help extend the life of the water heater and make it more energy efficient, thus keeping down costs of managing your rental property.

3. Protect Your Pipes. Every few years, Portland experiences a cold snap for a few days that can lead to burst pipes. Manage this risk by insulating any exposed pipes, exterior faucets and hose bibs. Make sure to disconnect any garden hoses, drip irrigation or other forms of water. 

4. Replace Batteries in Smoke Detectors. Ensure your smoke detectors are in good working order as space heaters and wood stoves are two of the main causes of home fires. 

5. Block the Cold. Caulk any gaps in windows, siding or doors to prevent cold air from entering home. Install covers to crawl space vents to keep cold air from entering under the house.

6. Change Furnace Filters. Regularly replacing filters can significantly improve efficiency and longevity of your heating system and keep down repair costs on your rental property. 

7. Consider a Programmable Thermostat. A programmable thermostat lets tenants customize heating so the system doesn't run when it's not needed, reducing heating costs. 

8. Trim Trees. Have any trees that are overhanging your rental property inspected and cut back as needed by a professional tree-trimming service. This will help reduce the risk of damage to your rental property when windy weather and storms hit Portland. 

To help ensure your rental property is ready for the winter weather, call Portland Rental Properties at 503-288-8330 or email Reed@PortlandRentalProperties.com