While we are blessed with almost year-round sunshine and temperatures consistently in the mid-seventies in Southern California, believe it or not, we do still experience our own winter weather and seasonal changes worth being prepared for. These changes might not be as dramatic as the ones our friends on the East-Coast experience, but it is important to know what to expect. Below is LYNX’s top five things to do to prepare for this winter in Southern California: 1. Heating Systems – Fortunately our warm climate makes our dependence on these minimal, which often results in dust and debris accumulating inside the unit over the warmer months of the year. Unfortunately this can cause an unpleasant burning smell when you fire it up for the first time in months, or, in rare cases, cause a unit to malfunction. We recommend that you clear your unit of dust and debris and give it a test. If you aren’t convinced it’s working as it should, give us a shout and we’ll have someone out to take a look for you. 2.Outdoor Lighting and Timers – This time of year sees the sun set much earlier in the evening and it will only get darker once the clocks go back an hour on November 6th. Make sure you have sufficient outdoor lighting provisions for your staff and customers. If you are concerned about your lighting provisions, need outdoor light-bulbs replacing or timers re-set, please reach out to your LYNX property manager. 3. Wind and Rain – Cooler temperatures and darker evenings aside, winter in Southern California can bring in strong winds and heavy rain to the region. If you are concerned about the condition of your roof or skylight and susceptibility to leaks, please let us know and we’d love to evaluate this for you. Rain and windy conditions can also create slippery surfaces and potential for falling debris – make sure you have adequate non-slip surfaces on your sales floors and entryways and ensure any fallen palm branches aren’t causing any obstructions to you, your staff or your customers. 4. Building Repairs and Maintenance – Help us help you by reporting maintenance requests to us through your tenant portal, no matter how small. What may seem small now can easily manifest itself into something far more serious once winter sets in. 5. Flooding – Due to the drought California is currently experiencing, storm-water does not soak into the ground in the way it once did, rather running across the surface until it converges and settles at a low point in the land – for the Santa Barbara area this is typically the ocean. During last winter’s rainstorms, water would quickly converge in the downtown area of Santa Barbara and flooded numerous businesses. We can help identify areas of risk for you but it may be a good idea to be prepared by purchasing some sandbags. While we hope you have a great winter and upcoming holiday season, we advise you take a few minutes to review our tips above and contact us if you have any areas of concern. Know that we are here for you! LYNX Management, Inc.
In recent years wildfires have become more prevalent and frequent in California – growing in size, intensity and destructiveness. While some have been proven to be caused by human error or negligence, a recurring yet not fully proven theory has attributed the causes of the Whittier Fire, Thomas Fire, Rey Fire to swaying power lines touching one-another and sparking during high wind weather events, igniting the parched brush beneath. In light of this and as a preemptive measure, Southern California Edison (SCE) have begun public information campaigns to alert the public that electrical utility providers statewide may elect to power down sections of the electrical grid during extreme weather events. This is a new policy designed to help mitigate the risk of wildfires. It remains to be seen how such a policy will play out in terms of the frequency and duration of outages. Tenants are encouraged to have a plan in place in the event that such electrical shut-downs do occur. It is important that you review your emergency systems/processes in place for your business, such as a computer battery back-up for times when power is not available to your premises. Alternative power solutions, such as back-up generators, may also be a good solution for some tenants. Outage information is often updated directly by Southern California Edison on their website . Additional information and planning resources can be found at www.prepareforpowerdown.com . LYNX Management, Inc.
Just short of two-years ago, LYNX made the switch to AppFolio Property Management software and has never looked back. AppFolio has been an invaluable tool in helping us manage our properties, communicate with our tenants and report financials and activity to property owners. We were delighted when AppFolio invited us to take part in their most recent advertising campaign. Check out the video below and let us know what you think!