If you are an investment homeowner in Clearwater, then you’ve put a great deal of time and effort in your rental property to ensure it is a safe and enjoyable place for the tenants to reside. However, if you do not practice proper fire prevention habits or instruct your tenants to do this, then the protection of both your house and your renters could be in question.
Practicing fire safety is easy for both tenants and homeowners year-round. Don’t wait for fire hazards to present themselves. Start reducing your property’s fire hazard risk today by checking out these tips from Real Property Management TradeWinds.
1. Check Fire Extinguishers Regularly
As an investment homeowner, as soon as you’ve prepared your rental property for tenants to move in and complied with property fire safety procedures such as including a fire extinguisher in the home, it can be easy to forget that the fire extinguisher is there. Your tenants may forget about the location of the fire extinguisher if not reminded. One of the best ways to ensure your fire extinguisher is ready if needed is to carry out a visual check annually.
While it seems easy, this annual check could be lifesaving. During a visual check, a landlord or homeowner should make sure the fire extinguisher is in its designated place, that it is not damaged, that nothing blocks or obstructs it, and that it’s completely operational. Moreover, you should check that the pressure gauge is within working range and that the pull trap is sealed and intact. The fire extinguisher may also have a tag on it, so be sure to indicate the date of this visual inspection when you perform it.
2. Fire Marshal Review
Homeowners and tenants alike suppose that you just call the fire department if there is an emergency. However, your local fire department offers a variety of free services to make certain that your property is safe from fire dangers. A thorough fire inspection should be done by a specialist, and your tenants should be present to answer questions and learn helpful fire prevention suggestions.
These home safety checks are all free, and worth every minute that they take. A fire marshal would rather give tenants and homeowners tools to prevent fires than put one out in your kitchen. The fire marshal will assess things like evacuation plans, the frequency of fireplace and furnace cleaning, safe storage of flammable materials, and whether a smoke alarm needs replacement, etc. Take advantage of this free service annually.
3. Appliance Fire Safety
As soon as you’ve prepared your Clearwater rental house as best you can to avoid a fire, you also must teach your tenants how to make fire-safe choices in their daily life. This includes asking them to move items that cover or surround appliances like water heaters and furnaces.
It’s best to indicate a place around those appliances with tape or another sort of marker to help renters remember to keep flammable things behind this line at all time.
Start making your Clearwater rental property a safer place to live today with these tips to reduce fire hazards. If you would like more information about Real Property Management TradeWinds and our services, then contact us online or call us at 727-400-4722.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
