A second home can be a great escape – a godsend, in a year like this – but it doesn’t come without its headaches. Among the biggest of those headaches is the prospect of maintaining two properties at once, especially when one of them is empty.
When it comes to tackling second-home maintenance in LI, you basically have three options:
- Ask a neighbor or local housekeeper – Paying a neighbor or local housekeeper to keep an eye on your property can be a viable approach for some homeowners – having someone around to turn on the faucets once a month or check for damage can bring you some degree of comfort. But what about other important maintenance tasks like changing furnace filters, clearing dryer vents, caulking windows, performing small repairs, fixing leaky faucets, or any of the other dozens of issues that might come up? Left unchecked, these small issues can turn into big (and costly) problems like mold, floods, or a furnace breakdown.
- Do it yourself – Keeping up with maintenance tasks for two homes can be a full-time job – do you have the time for that? Most people don’t (or do, but don’t want to!). Home maintenance tasks can take hours every week even when things are running smoothly – especially if your second home is a beach home, where issues with decay and severe weather can quickly arise. If you choose to take on this responsibility yourself, know the commitment you’re getting into – and make sure you know how to take care of the routine maintenance tasks unique needs of your property.
- Have a pro do it – Hiring a professional to look after a second home is a great option for many two-home owners. A pro can open and close the house, take care of plumbing and heating system maintenance, schedule fuel deliveries, and respond to emergencies.
In short, a professional will do whatever is needed to ensure that the home is in tip-top shape when you arrive, and that you have zero headaches along the way. They’ll also take care of these tasks in your primary home.
The bottom line
No one wants to spend their travel time thinking about home repair and maintenance – but you also don’t want to neglect your home when it’s vacant. With a little help from a trusted professional who can handle home maintenance proactively and take care of small issues before they become big problems, you can do both.
Protect your North Fork summer home with vacation home maintenance from the pros at Burt’s Reliable. Contact us today to learn more!