{"id":4172,"date":"2024-03-22T22:51:06","date_gmt":"2024-03-22T22:51:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/propertymeld.com\/?p=4172"},"modified":"2025-04-14T15:52:41","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T15:52:41","slug":"maintenance-survival-mode-in-the-summer-months","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/propertymeld.com\/blog\/maintenance-survival-mode-in-the-summer-months\/","title":{"rendered":"Maintenance Survival Mode in the Summer Months"},"content":{"rendered":"

To most, the onset of summer means a warm welcome to long, sun-filled days and late, lethargic nights.\u00a0But for property managers, juggling maintenance in the summer can be a strenuous task.<\/p>\n

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According to our data, during the summer months, maintenance issues increase by almost 60%, at the same time as around 80% of residents move in and out of properties.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Trying to juggle that level of resident turnover, simultaneously handling the coordination of maintenance repairs and keeping the rest of your business running smoothly is no easy feat and in many cases, it\u2019s nearly impossible. Sending businesses and employees into survival mode, where long-term goals are sacrificed for the sake of simply keeping one\u2019s head above water.<\/p>\n

But fear not. To help you avoid this fate, we\u2019ve put together a list of strategies to help you prepare for the heat.<\/p>\n

Consider Supplementing Your Staff<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Like life, business is all about finding the right balance and staffing is no different. If you\u2019re scrambling to keep up with the demands of turnover and maintenance, maybe it\u2019s time to reassess your staff levels and think about a summer staffing bump.<\/p>\n

Hiring temporary help during the summer months is a good strategy for maintaining a consistent level of service to residents and keeping the ball rolling on long-term management goals. If this is a route you decide to take, we have one bit of advice: plan ahead so your new employees are hired, processed and trained ahead of the influx.<\/p>\n

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And if you don\u2019t have the capital for more staff, another solution is to use Property Meld software<\/a> to help automate your maintenance processes, creating a more efficient workflow. As the saying goes, \u201cwork smarter, not harder.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Create Routine A\/C Unit Check-Ups <\/strong><\/h2>\n

The overwhelming majority of maintenance issues in the summer months are for HVAC \u2014 heating, ventilation and air conditioning \u2014 failures and repairs. According to our data, nearly 50% of HVAC service requests in the southern United States come in just a three-month span. But before you pick up the phone and silently scoff at another resident describing the issue as an \u201cemergency,\u201d consider how the speed of your response may affect your business.<\/p>\n

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Our data shows that the majority of negative reviews for HVAC repairs occur after just three days<\/strong> of inaction. Further, 46% of residents say maintenance was a factor in renewing a lease and 31% of residents say maintenance is the reason they moved to a new property.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

To sidestep poor reviews and the potential for maintenance issues to create an even greater resident turnover rate when you least need it, try these strategies:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n