A property nobody sees from October to May loses fabric — quietly. The damage is predictable because it is the same every year. Here is the list, and what regular inspection makes of it.
Mallorca's winter is mild but humid; closed houses without ventilation condense. Result: mould on north walls, in cupboards, behind beds, musty textiles, damp stains. Stone houses without a damp-proof course additionally draw moisture from below. Remedy: regular airing, dehumidifiers with monitoring, cupboards open — things someone on site has to do.
Hard water scales up boilers, taps and valves; standing water in pipes and traps corrodes and smells. The classic winter damage is the burst hose on the washing machine or boiler — which runs for weeks if nobody has closed the main valve. Rule: turn off water when away, boiler off, flush pipes on return.
Near the coast salt eats metal: railings, hinges, air-conditioning units, pool pumps. Autumn and winter storms loosen tiles, tear awnings and pergolas, block rainwater outlets on flat roofs — the backed-up water then finds its way into the house. After every storm the roof and terraces deserve a look.
Termites and woodworm in beams and furniture, processionary caterpillars in pines, rats and mice in outbuildings, wasps in shutter boxes, ants in summer. Early detection is the difference between a treatment and a new roof.
Empty houses are watched — full letterboxes, closed shutters, untended gardens signal absence. Alarm systems and cameras help but don't replace someone who drives out after an alarm, talks to the police and secures the door.
An untended pool turns green in days in summer; algae, blocked filters, failed pumps. Irrigation fails, plants die, palms get the weevil. Photovoltaics, batteries, well pumps and air-conditioning fail silently — you only notice on arrival. Inspection means testing technology, not just looking at it.
Spanish authorities and municipalities write by post, with short deadlines: IBI changes, fines, cadastre revisions, community invitations with resolutions on special levies. Whoever doesn't read the post misses appeal deadlines — and pays.
Airing, checking water and technology, screening post, checking roof and terraces after storms, managing pool and garden services, spotting pests early — with a photo report after every visit. That is exactly what our care packages are: from twice-monthly visits to twice-weekly inspection with monitoring. The emergency becomes the exception, not the rule.
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→Escritura, nota simple, cédula, energy certificate, community — what must be ready before the first viewer.
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