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May 16, 2019

Maintenance May- Look Up! Roof & Lighting

Part of surviving the month of May for a Self-Storage business means buckling down on the spring cleaning and maintenance. Keeping your facility in tip-top shape doesn’t just provide curb appeal to attract more tenants, it also prevents expensive damage to your facility and potentially to your tenants’ property. Two of the major components that help keep your facility safe and looking great are found by looking up…

The sky is falling!

A shoddy roof can instill a ‘chicken little’ mindset in no time, but it doesn’t have to get to a tattered state to cause expensive damage. One small leak can lead to flooded units if left unchecked. Be sure to set a regular schedule to check for damage and wear. One way to do this is to walk the roof to remove debris and identify problem areas. Depending on your facility you may want to seek a professional to show you the best way to walk the roof safely, the proper signs of damage, and the best way to maintain your roofs. For example, if you have a standing-seam roof you’ll want to stick to the purlins and avoid standing or stepping on ridge caps.

Some things to check:

  • Roof fasteners
  • Rust or drips
  • Missing or loose screws
  • Deterioration of rubber washers
  • Lap joint separation
  • Exposed sealants
  • Cracked or bubbled sealant

Roofing Recommendations

Metal roofing is optimal for self-storage facilities due to its durability and ease of cleaning, so more than likely you’ve already got one. Aside from regularly walking the roof, you will want to keep it clean. Here is a great article we found detailing the best way to clean your roof. Roof Maintenance should be minimal for metal roofing depending on what kind of metal is used.

Let there be light!

Lighting is one of the easiest areas to maintain at your facility so this one should be a no-brainer. Poorly lit walkways are dangerous and will likely be a source of complaint from tenants. Keep ahead of the problem by maintaining the lighting at your facility. 

Walking the halls of the facility to ensure that lights are updated to energy efficient bulbs and that all bulbs are working is one place to start. Having a system for tenants to report light fixture issues is another way you can ensure consistent maintenance.

Lighting Recommendations

Keeping your facility well-lit means providing the right kind of lighting when you need it. Here are some of our favorite tips on self-storage lighting:

  • LED lights are far more efficient than other options on the market. If possible, replace your current bulbs with LED to provide well-lit hallways and to save on energy usage!
  • Lighting Timers are a great way to save on energy. There are multiple ways to set your lights on a timer, from motion responsive to ambient light sensors, to app-enabled and always-on options, there are all kinds of choices for owners to use
  • Sometimes the daylight is the best light. Depending on where your located this, natural light may be an option. Skylights in the hallways can save on energy, just be careful that you’re not overheating your hallways in the summer!
  • LED Floodlights are ideal for facilities that don’t have hallways, especially if you include a daylight sensor to have a hands-off approach (no tenants accidentally leaving lights on, or managers forgetting to do rounds)

Lighting shouldn’t be a struggle, and should always be well maintained. 

Maintenance checklists

Below is a quick checklist to think about when maintaining your facility this month. We hope you find it beneficial to keep all things ‘looking up’

  • Roof walk – check all roofs for any debris or damage.
  • Lightbulbs – walk around with new bulbs and replace any that are out.
  • Unit Ceilings – check for signs of water damage on any vacant units.
  • Office Ceilings – check for damage or signs of mold or water in office or management space.
  • Hallway Ceilings – walk hallways to look for signs of damage and note accordingly.
  • Air Vents – use a shop vac to suck up any dust bunnies built up, use a hose with a brush to clean off the vent itself -or- schedule a professional vent cleaner to service your vents.
  • Gutters – Hire a professional to clean- all gutters. This should be done on a regular basis during stormy seasons. 

The best ‘maintenance’ for your Tenants

While you can’t tell your tenants what to do with their stuff you can always recommend they maintain their space by coming in occasionally to purge, organize, and clean their things. But no matter what you do, it’s always a good idea to offer Tenant Property Protection to keep your tenants property protected from ‘the unexpected’ in many of its forms! The cherry on top for you as the owner is it helps you make more profit while improving your facility’s reputation! See how much more you could earn by filling out our comparison form and get started with TPP today!