“What is property maintenance?” is a question that all property owners and managers are concerned with.

If you are responsible for property and its upkeep then this short article will help you to deal with it.

Property maintenance starts at the outside and works its way to the inside. The problem is that as soon as a building – be it a house, an office block, a shopping centre, a hospital, or anything else – is built, the elements launch a sustained attack on it.

The sun beats down, even in temperate climates, and can cause shrinkage and discoloration not only of the exterior but of furnishings inside the building. The rain causes indirect damage because water finds its way into everywhere that isn’t proofed against it, and the resulting damp causes a myriad of problems if left unattended.

Wind damage is more rare, but can go unnoticed if the owner is not vigilant, because it can be manifested not only in fallen fences, an obvious event, but in the less obvious, such as missing roof tiles that can then let water enter the roof and cause damp problems.

Starting at the top, the roof is probably the most vital part of any building, and yet typically the least accessible. So how can you inspect its condition?

» Read more: What Is Property Maintenance – And How Do You Best Handle It?