Much like houses, barns require frequent maintenance to ensure they are in optimal shape for both the animals that live inside and those who frequent them. Just like any other building on your land, barns too can affect the value of your property. This means ensuring frequent and proper maintenance can help boost your overall property value.

Summer is a great time to complete a barn maintenance walk-through. This process can be as simple as grabbing a piece of paper and a pen and heading to the barn. Ensure you take the time to walk through the whole of your barn. Be sure to check each room, from floor to ceiling, and write down any issues visible to the eye. This initial step is key in identifying any maintenance issues, while allowing you to evaluate which ones are of top priority. 

Even if there’s nothing visible to the eye, be sure to check off the following items from your summer barn maintenance list.

1. Hay supply

Even if your hay supply is full now, it may not be at the end of the summer. Thinking ahead will ensure you have access to freshly harvested hay - when you need it. Talk to your hay supplier or take this time to source out a new one. Pre-ordering your hay now will ensure your supply lasts you through the winter. Being stuck without hay is definitely not haylarious.

2. Feed room clean up

Summer means hot and humid weather which isn’t a great mix when it comes to feed. Ensuring you take the time to go through your feed, and throw out any expired or poor quality feed, will give you a better understanding of what you have and what you need to purchase. Think about organizing your feed in proper bins to ensure minimal spoilage.

3. Water pipes 

Ottawa winters can be cold and with the cold comes water issues. Taking the time to inspect the water access points in your barn will ensure you don’t run into bigger and more costly problems down the line. Be sure to check both the points outside and inside your barn. Should any issues arise, it’s best to call in an expert.

4. Electrical panel and system check

Your barn’s electrical system is being used year-round but the colder seasons can be exceptionally hard on the system. This process includes contacting a certified electrician to check out your barn’s electrical system. Although it may be an expense now, they will ensure all outlets and fuse boxes are safe and up to date.

5. Fences and locks 

This is especially important for those who have animals in and around their barn. Ensuring that the locks aren’t rusted and that the fence panels are all in good condition will ensure your animals stay in their designated areas. It also allows you to keep track of the fences on your property, to help you budget out any large fence expenses down the line. Note: this maintenance process can also include adding a new stain or perhaps freshening up the fence up with a nice coat of paint. 

Regardless of how big or small your barn is, it’s important to do routine maintenance checks especially at the beginning of each season.