It's time to prepare your home or apartment for winter weather. Taking a few proactive steps and learning more about property maintenance issues can help prevent costly repairs and keep your home Safe and Sound this winter.
Common Property Maintenance Issues
The first step in preparing your home or apartment for winter weather is to be familiar with what's required in our property maintenance code. We have tips below on how to make repairs, or if you need to report a violation, you can call 3-1-1, use the 3-1-1 app, or make a report online.
Some common property maintenance issues include:
- Issues with heating, plumbing, electricity, lack of weather, and structural hazards. These issues are beyond housing that's old or outdated, and poses a risk to the health and physical well-being of occupants, neighbors, and visitors.
- Missing or non-functioning Carbon Monoxide detectors. Any structure that is used for residential purposes and uses gas or fuel-burning appliances (and/or has an attached garage that connects to the structure) are required to install and maintain carbon monoxide (CO) detectors.
View Common Code Violations Webpage
Winter Safety Concerns
Make sure you have a maintenance checklist to help prepare your home for winter. Here are some recommendations:
Appliances
Make sure your appliances are in working condition and that there are no exposed wires. Appliances such as HVAC systems or water heaters use gas, oil, or coal. Inspect these for leaks, and if you find one, open all windows for ventilation and have the appliance in question professionally inspected.
Heating
Ensure your heating system is operating properly. Your heating system must keep habitable spaces at least 68°F.
Home Exterior Check
Check your outer walls, windows, and roof for any damage or leaks that should be repaired before cold weather arrives. Also, take this time to look for signs of pests.
Smoke and CO Alarms
Ensure smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are installed and operating. If they are battery-operated, replace your batteries.
Trees
Remove dead limbs and check for any potential hazards above your home. This is also a good time to remove leaves and debris from your gutters. You can contact a certified arborist to help protect your trees' health.
Water
Check visible pipes for leaks and check water temperature. Ensure hot water is at least 110°F.
Winter weather also brings the risk of flooding from broken pipes. If your home is impacted by a flood, you will need to be prepared for hazards caused by flood damage. You can use the Structural Safety Checklist to prepare:
- Structural Safety Checklist (PDF)
- Lista De Verificación De Seguridade Structural (PDF)
- قائمةالتحققالخاصةبالسالمةالبنيوية (PDF)
- 구조안전성점검표 (PDF)
- Danh Sách Kiểm Tra Sự An Toàn Của Cấu Trúc (PDF)
- 结构安全检查清单. (PDF)
Emergency Repairs
Even when you prepare, your home may be impacted by winter weather. An emergency repair is an unexpected fix that needs to occur to prevent further damage or danger to a property or building. The Development Services Department will work with you to ensure any emergency repairs are completed safely. Permits and inspections may be required depending on the type of repair. Learn more about permitting emergency repairs on our webpage.