Winter maintenance for HOA communities can be challenging. Cold weather can potentially bring several issues. Proper maintenance helps ensure everything runs smoothly. Furthermore, it ensures that residents remain comfortable and safe all winter long. The HOA board should proactively prepare for winter and address essential tasks before the peak hits.
In this article:
Tips for Seamless HOA Winter Maintenance
Homeowners associations are responsible for maintaining their communities’ common areas, including ensuring proper winter preparation. Here are strategies for effective winter maintenance for HOA communities.
1. Arrange for Snow Removal Ahead of Time
The first step of winter preparation is to arrange for snow removal before the winter season even begins. Snow removal is critical, as leaving snow and ice on the ground can bring safety hazards. These hazards can further result in property damage, injury, and liability.
Board members should always make room in the budget for snow removal. Additionally, it is important to check weather forecasts frequently for better preparation. The HOA may need to budget for a higher snow removal cost if it’s a particularly snowy season. Remember that it’s better to have excess snow removal funding than inadequate funding.
2. Winterize Landscaping
Another essential part of HOA winter maintenance is winterizing landscaping. Tending to trees, shrubs, and other outdoor elements is best before heavy snow, ice, and frost. This includes cutting back branches to avoid them breaking off and trimming shrubs to ensure they clear walkways. If an HOA has a community garden, it’s also a good idea to winterize it to prepare it for spring.
3. Schedule an HVAC Inspection
Regarding HOA maintenance for winter, HVAC inspection should take the near-top spot. The HVAC system ensures indoor climate control during the cold months. Board members should arrange for an inspection ahead of time to ensure the HVAC system is fully functional by wintertime.
The inspection should examine all elements and components, including furnaces, filters, and compressors. These should be in good condition before the winter hits. Basically, anywhere there’s an HVAC system—the clubhouse, fitness center, and lobby—should be tended to.
4. Check Roofs and Exteriors
Winter weather, mainly snow and rain, can cause significant damage to buildings, especially if they are not properly maintained. As such, another critical step in winter preparation is a thorough inspection of roofs and building exteriors. Leaks or gaps in roofs and windows can quickly escalate into more serious issues. These issues include flooding and water damage.
To avoid such issues, consider hiring a general contractor to inspect the community’s rooftops and ensure all buildings are adequately sealed. Addressing minor problems now is much easier and cheaper than waiting for them to worsen, which would need repairs.
5. Prepare the Plumbing and Pipes
In areas where winter temperatures can drop below freezing, pipes and plumbing systems are particularly vulnerable. Water expands as it freezes, causing pipes to burst, which can ultimately lead to major damage and costly repairs.
Start by draining the water from the community’s sprinkler systems to prevent this. Since the lawn won’t be watered during winter, the sprinkler system should be turned off and drained to prevent any water from freezing inside the pipes. Outdoor faucets and showers should also be disabled.
Additionally, it is important to drain and seal outdoor pools. Frozen pools can become major headaches for HOA communities, as improper handling can incur significant costs.
If any exposed pipes are present, insulate them with thermal padding or tarps. Proper care is also necessary for indoor pipes with insufficient insulation. Make sure these spaces are well-heated to avoid pipe freezing and bursting.
6. Insulate Indoor Spaces
A big part of winter maintenance for homeowners associations is insulating indoor spaces. Common areas like fitness centers and clubhouses require proper insulation during the cold season. This prevents heating systems from overworking, which can cause electric bills to skyrocket. For proper HOA winter maintenance, ensure indoor spaces have no gaps or leaks.
7. Plan for Winter Storms
Winter storms can be unpredictable and dangerous. They can even result in power outages. Winter weather is the second-leading cause of power outages in the United States. While an HOA cannot predict when a storm will hit, it can certainly prepare for the possibility of one.
The board can acquire backup generators or battery-powered heaters for common areas if it’s within budget. Additionally, the board should prepare emergency kits with flashlights, blankets, first aid supplies, and hand or foot warmers. Make sure to store these kits in easily accessible areas.
Finally, the board should stock the community with essentials. These include batteries, bottled water, fire extinguishers, and candles. Antifreeze and generator fuel should also be kept on hand.
8. Secure Non-Winter Facilities
A handful of facilities may not operate during the winter season. These include outdoor pools and tennis courts. Board members should secure these places and lock them down. This will reduce the need for regular maintenance and lower the risk of accidents.
If the pool is closed for the winter, lock the gates and install guardrails around the area. Posting clear signs stating the pool is closed for the winter ensures residents know the facility is off-limits until spring.
9. Communicate With Residents
Finally, keeping residents informed of all winter maintenance activities is essential. Send updates about snowplow schedules, inspections, and emergency protocols ahead of storms. Regular communication helps residents prepare for their homes and prevents last-minute panic.
It’s also good to provide tips on how residents can winterize their homes. An email blast or including an article in the HOA’s newsletter or website can help a ton.
When to Start HOA Winter Maintenance Planning
Ideally, the HOA board should start planning well before the season’s first snowfall. For most communities, the perfect time to start winter preparation is the fall. This is when temperatures begin to drop, though they haven’t yet reached freezing. This gives the board plenty of time to implement all winterizing strategies.
Partner With a Trusted Winter Contractor
Homeowners associations should partner with trusted contractors for winter preparation. Having a contract with a snow removal company, for instance, instantly puts the community on the list when the need arises. This will prevent the board from having to scramble to find a snow removal contractor once the snow falls.
It’s also essential to have a contractor for other winter needs. This includes HVAC maintenance, a pool management company, plumbing companies, and repair contractors.
For the Betterment of the Community
Clearly, there is a lot of planning involved in HOA winter maintenance. However, when done right, the board can save itself a lot of headaches and the community a lot of money. It also ensures safety among residents.
Elite Management Services offers expert HOA management services to homeowners associations and condo communities. Call us today at (855) 238-8488 or contact us online to learn more!
RELATED ARTICLES:
- HOA Landscaping: Everything A Homeowner Should Know
- HOA Emergency Preparedness Plan: How To Plan For Emergencies
- Should The HOA Hire Licensed Contractors Only?
