With the winter months nearly behind us, it’s time to reopen holiday homes and prepare for the next season. But what can you do to make sure everything is up and running before the sunshine arrives? Here, Nick Cowley, managing director at leading window and door manufacturer Euramax, gives his advice for ensuring your holiday home is ready to enjoy in the warmer months ahead.
Inspection and preparation tasks can sometimes put a dampener on returning to a holiday home. With eager anticipation for the summer months, carrying out important maintenance is sometimes put to the bottom of the pile. However, with an effective plan in place, you can soon be ready to enjoy your holiday home for another season.
External inspection
The exterior of your holiday home is directly exposed to the elements, so be sure to have a good check for any signs of weather damage. Inspect the panels thoroughly for any deformation to prevent draughts and damp seeping inside.
Rigorously check the windows and doors, searching for any cracks or splits in the glass or sealant that may have been caused by the cold weather. If your windows and doors are looking old or damaged, it’s a good idea to get them replaced for the year ahead.
Updating your windows and doors will improve the appearance of your holiday home, while boosting its energy efficiency. Ensure you choose a reliable, high quality window and door manufacturer such as Euramax, which boasts a wide range of designs made using innovative materials.
Spring clean
Even if you conducted a thorough clean before the winter, your holiday home will probably require a little work. However, a good freshen up will ensure a great start to the new season.
Begin by opening the windows to get some fresh air into your holiday home. Then give all of the surfaces a wipe over to remove any dust that has accumulated over the winter. Giving your holiday home a quick clean will also allow you to spot any problems along the way. If you find small areas of mildew or feel a lot of moisture in the air, consider cleaning with a mould-removing detergent and using a dehumidifier.
Water, gas and electricity
Now you will be spending time in your holiday home again, the water, gas and electricity need reconnecting. Turn on the water slowly by starting with a low pressure and one tap at a time. As you do this, keep watch for any leaks. If there are no problems, turn up the water pressure and give a final check for leaks.
Next, turn on the electricity and make sure all of your appliances and lights are working. You may have left the heating on a low setting during the winter to prevent pipes freezing over and bursting, so you’ll need to remember to turn it off if the weather is warm enough. If you have a gas hob, make sure all of the burners are working — you don’t want to find out they aren’t right after cracking your eggs for a fry up.
Make it secure
If you’re planning to rent out your holiday home during the summer season, you may want to consider a new security
system. Gone are the days of traditional keys and locks, as guest access can be made much easier with a smart locking system. With a digital locking system, guests receive a unique access code via their smartphone, which remains active for the duration of their stay.
This technology can also notify property owners when a guest checks in and out of the property, giving greater peace of mind for owners that aren’t based near their holiday home.
Once all the checks and maintenance is complete, it’s time for the fun part. Add those finishing touches that make you feel at home, whether that’s decorative cushions, family photos or a stack of your favourite magazines. Now for the final task — pop the kettle on and enjoy your fresh holiday home.
