The 10 Most Important Home Care Tips I’ve Learned from 15 years of Taking Care of Manhattan Homes
Managing private Manhattan homes for over 15 years, we’ve learned a thing or two. Owning a Manhattan home is different from owning a home almost anywhere else, and the last few years have made it even more challenging. We are often asked by new home buyers and friends of friends for advice based on our experiences maintaining and caring for our clients’ homes. Which led to this blog. Here we share the top 10 things our team has learned by caring for some of the finest homes in the city.
1. Even newly renovated homes need to be regularly maintained
When people buy a newly renovated home or do a major renovation, they expect it to be perfect. Many also think that nothing will go wrong, and the home will stay looking the same for many years. They think that they can go without a home maintenance plan for a couple of years. Wrong! Even a home with brand new appliances, roof, gutters, floors, etc. needs to be checked regularly. Things happen. But if your home maintenance or property management company knows what to look for, big repairs and tons of stress can be avoided.
2. Carefully choose and vet your vendors
Having consistent, properly licensed, and fully insured top-tier vendors for HVAC, Home Automation, Elevator etc. is critical. Finding a quality vendor is getting harder and harder (see below). Further, companies that specialize in building and installing are not always the best at servicing.
3. The pandemic affected the quality and quantity of service providers
Times have changed! There used to be a choice of ten or more providers of services in every trade staffed with great technicians. Unfortunately, the pandemic has put many of these companies out of business or has reduced their workforce. Today, the number of companies with experienced, exceptional technicians has fallen dramatically. We’re at the point in Manhattan where, in some industries, there are only a few companies left operating and often with not enough high-quality staff. We see examples every day of companies who are not properly insured, and who can’t handle can handle new customers. It has become even more important to be vigilant when interviewing potential vendors.
4. Ongoing/Preventive maintenance can save money in the long run
Pipes can burst, roofs can leak, doors can warp and systems can malfunction even when cared for. The key is to inspect a property regularly and put in place systems to monitor changes in conditions. For example, we install leak sensors in many of our clients’ homes. When a leak or abnormal water flow is detected, an alarm is triggered. At that point time is everything. A quick response by our staff can avert serious damage.
5. High tech systems require regular maintenance
Just like in cars, computers and technology have crept into every home system, piece of equipment, and appliance in your home. These technological advances are much more sensitive and fail more often than most legacy systems. Regular maintenance is even more important today because of this.
6. Vacant homes need care too
Even houses that are not lived in or used regularly will show signs of wear and tear or will have system failures due to non-use. Whether you’re leaving the house for the summer or even a month, keep your home at a consistent temperature, have someone come in to check the systems, and do routine preventative maintenance. This will help avoid potentially costly repairs. We’ve seen serious damage that could have easily been avoided if someone qualified was checking on the house.
7. Allow your home to breathe
This sounds strange, but it’s accurate. Houses are neither airtight nor fully sealed. This means a clogged gutter, debris on the roof, in the backyard or on a deck can cause a backup that will allow water to penetrate the home.
8. Check your filters, especially after a renovation
HVAC filters must be checked regularly, especially after work is done. Filters take particles out of the air and, when dirty, restrict airflow, which then puts more stress on the system which can cause expensive repairs.
9. New York’s rising water table is causing more backup and flooding
The water table in NYC has been rising over the past few years creating more backup and flooding in homes in certain areas in Manhattan. Increased rain has put more pressure on the city’s sewer system and in serious storms the system backs up because it can’t handle the capacity. Keeping sump pumps working and installing water runoff systems can help prevent major flooding in your home.
10. Everyone’s an expert (not)
When technical work is being done in your home it helps to have someone supervising that will not only protect your home, but knows the home and where everything is located. As good as your Nanny or housekeeper is, they are most often not trained on the systems which are in your house. They should not be supervising technical workers or repairmen.
We hope the information provided helps you better prepare for homeownership and think about the care of your home in a different way.
That’s what we do for our clients. We’re happy to do it for you.
Gary Mindlin is co-founder and owner of Top Hat Home Services, a full-service property care and management company. Top Hat services homes in Manhattan and are known as experts in every aspect of building management, maintenance and repair, as well as renovation and construction supervision.