Lori Percival | Point of View
Summer is here, and that brings special challenges for Arizona residents.
Below are a few tips I’ve learned during 25 years spent professionally managing communities:
- Make sure your AC is serviced and ready for triple-digit heat – summer is no time for a breakdown;
- Prepare for monsoon storms by clearing leaves and other debris from eaves and gutters, and make sure that necessary roof repairs are completed; and
- Trim any overhanging branches that may impact your home in the event they fall during a storm.
Snowbirds who will be away for multiple months face additional concerns. Most important is to avoid break-ins by ensuring your home appears occupied.
Remember to cancel newspaper and other deliveries so items don’t stack up, and purchase an automatic timer that switches on lights in the home during regular intervals in the evening. It’s also a good idea to have your irrigation checked periodically for leaks and needed repairs, and your landscaping serviced.
Condo and townhome-dwellers in HOA-governed communities can typically rest easy knowing their front landscape will be managed.
However, internal leaks can occur and, if gone unnoticed for an extended time, may cause extensive damage to your unit and others, as well. Be sure to shut off water if leaving for long periods, and notify your HOA in case issues arise that require your urgent attention. Some communities have private security, and the HOA may want to inform them of your absence so they can conduct extra patrols.
These tips and other best practices are commonly used by HOAs that are members of the Arizona Association of Community Managers. We live here, too, and are committed to the communities we live in and manage.
If you live in an HOA-led community, make sure it’s a member of AACM.
Editor’s Note: Lori Percival is president of Ogden West and chairwoman of the Arizona Association of Community Managers
