It may sound a little crazy to hear that a home in the Texas Hill Country needs to be prepared for winter but it’s true. We may not (always) hit freezing weather, but we do face some pretty significant drops in temperature. And these drops are significant enough to cause damage to an unprepared home.
When it comes to a vacation rental property, the last thing an owner needs is to deal with damages that could have been prevented. Additionally, it’s important to keep your vacation rental property comfy and cozy for all of your winter guests. As experts in real estate and Texas Hill Country vacation rental property management, the owners and leadership team at Vacay Hill Country understand the importance of maintaining a home regardless of the busyness of the season, so we’ve compiled a few tips to help you keep your vacation rental property in perfect condition during the cooler Texas months.
• Include Heated Floor Mats for Outside Entry Ways
Icy walkways can be the difference between a relaxing winter vacation and a trip to the emergency room. One million Americans are injured due to slips and falls each year, with drastic increases during the winter seasons.
Make sure your guests and employees do not fall victim to a literal winter slump and line your entry walkways and stairs with heated floor mats to melt away lurking ice.
• Your Pipes Need Care Too
Damage done by frozen pipes can take a home out of service for an entire season. If not properly managed, homes can experience a lack of water flow and even pipe bursts that can cause thousands of dollars to repair and even more in overall damage.
Whether your home sits atop the Hill Country or right on the lake, abnormally low temperatures can affect your pipes. Pipes that are exposed on the outside of the home are more susceptible to the elements. Tubular pipe sleeves or foil insulation wraps can help to mitigate changes in weather conditions. Inside the Texas Hill Country vacation rental property, be sure to open cabinets in the kitchen and bathrooms to help increase the heat flow to the pipes, and leave your faucets on a low cold drip to ensure water is flowing.
• Relaxation Ready Fireplaces
Whether your fireplace is wood-burning, gas, or electric, it is a winter season staple that your guests will want to take full advantage of. In order to keep your fireplace user-friendly and guest-ready, you will want to make sure the fireplace has been cleaned and swept at least once a year. This should be done by a professional and during the warmer months for optimal safety.
Additionally, keep animals from calling your chimney home by installing a cap/screen that blocks entry but allows for smoke ventilation. Finally, provide your guests with tools for inserting and removing logs, and make sure that any rug or carpet directly in front of the fireplace is flame retardant. These simple steps will help ensure your fireplaces continue to warm the hearts (and feet) of your guests night after night.
• Provide Guest Extras
Weather conditions can change in the blink of an eye, and most property owners that are managing their own property cannot magically appear at the twitch of a nose for fixes and remedies.
Leave your guests extra snowmelt (you never know in Texas!), shovels, and space heaters to ensure they have everything they need should conditions require a little extra home care during their stay. Leaving extra supplies is simple, easy, and out-of-town guests can get pretty excited at the chance of shoveling snow for the first time. This also ensures that if you’re not there in a flash, your guests will be prepared.
Owning a Texas Hill Country vacation rental property is incredibly rewarding and a great investment in your future but can also take up a lot of your time. If the maintenance tasks become too much to handle, our next tip is to call our vacation rental experts at Vacay Hill Country!
The best way to ensure your home is up and running this season is to list with local professionals who make it their life’s work to take care of your vacation rental. At Vacay Hill Country, we’re locally owned and operated ensuring we are able to provide assistance and service 24/7. When you trust us with your Texas Hill Country vacation rental property, you’ll be working with real people who live in the area and are dedicated to the care of your home.
Vacation rental property management can be a lot to handle. Working with Vacay Hill Country means your home gets the care and attention it deserves, so you can rest easy this season and every season to come!
Contact us today to learn more!
