It’s crucial for your tenants to feel secure and at home in their rental property as a Hoover property manager. Ensuring the safety of a tenant can reduce vacancies and increase a property’s cash flow. However, some potentially dangerous conditions can arise without your knowledge if you don’t take extra precautions. Let’s look at five of the most prevalent home dangers that, if ignored, could render your tenants gravely ill or even dead. To prevent your rental property from posing a hazard to your tenants, it is essential to be aware of these common household hazards and how to prevent them.
Toxic Mold
Mold grows in wet places where there is a food source, such as cardboard or paper. Mold usually emits a musty odor, which is typically the first sign that most people notice. Molds come in a variety of forms, the majority of which are unsightly but not especially harmful to people. On the other hand, Stachybotrys, or black mold, can be poisonous. It may result in allergic reactions, breathing difficulties, and in severe cases, anaphylactic shock.
The good news is that it’s not too difficult to stop mold from developing in a rental property. Mold can be avoided by simply installing a dehumidifier in the basement, running exhaust fans in steamy bathrooms, and airing out the house. Think about instructing your tenants on mold prevention and assisting them in comprehending the risks. Regularly looking for mold in your home is another thing you should do. If the worst-case scenario occurs and you discover black mold, it is imperative to immediately contact a professional who can remove it safely and fix the source of the moisture that caused the mold in the first place.
Asbestos
There is no question that asbestos is a serious issue, particularly for older rental properties. However, asbestos is comparatively safe as long as it is kept inside walls or other closed spaces and is not disturbed. Make sure your tenant is aware that they are not allowed to drill holes or make any other type of openings in the walls, not even to hammer in a nail, as long as your rental property’s walls contain asbestos. Even tiny gaps could allow asbestos to enter the house and lead to cancer such as mesothelioma.
Only trained experts with the appropriate licenses should remove asbestos. You shouldn’t attempt to remove it yourself or let a tenant do it in order to avoid harm and illnesses related to asbestos.
Lead Poisoning
Lead is another potentially dangerous substance that could be found in older rental properties. Before it was banned in 1978, lead paint was regularly used in older homes. Even if you have painted over the old paint, as homes age, paint can flake off and expose your tenants’ children, pets, and other family members to toxic lead. There are some locations where lead poisoning can also be caused by old pipes.
You should have the plumbing and water in your rental property thoroughly inspected for lead to prevent lead poisoning. Additionally, if your property was constructed prior to 1978, it would be wise to have the paint tested and removed by experts who are qualified to do so safely. While covering lead paint with new paint is a temporary workaround, the only way to ensure that your tenants are lead-safe is to completely remove the old paint from all impacted surfaces.
Fire
In the United States, house fires are an all-too-common occurrence. Additionally, home fires can, unfortunately, be fatal. More than 346,000 home fires occur annually on average, resulting in 2,620 civilian deaths. Oil and other ingredients cause cooking fires, whereas dryer lint is the leading cause of laundry room fires. Other significant causes of home fires include broken appliances, electrical problems, and unattended candles.
You should take a number of actions to keep your rental property free from fires. First, the dryer vent should be cleaned once a year, and you should do everything in your power to ensure that your rental property is electrically sound. Second, instruct your tenants about fire safety and furnish them with essentials like fire extinguishers and functional smoke detectors. You can significantly lower the likelihood that your rental property will catch fire by following these easy steps.
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is another typical household danger. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas produced by the combustion of fuels such as wood, propane, gasoline, and charcoal. Carbon monoxide can accumulate in a closed space and cause carbon monoxide poisoning when these fuels are used in appliances and engines. Mild carbon monoxide poisoning may induce nausea, confusion, headaches, and blurred vision. Carbon monoxide poisoning can, in severe cases, result in permanent tissue damage or even death.
Proper maintenance and tenant education can help to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s crucial to have your appliances and fireplaces serviced on a regular basis if they use any of the fuels mentioned above. Additionally, put carbon monoxide detectors all over your rental property to warn you and your tenants of any dangers. Help your tenants understand that they should never leave a car running or use a propane device in an enclosed space if your rental property has a garage or if they have a propane grill or heater on the premises. Your tenants might benefit from some basic safety education to prevent illness and worse.
Securing the health and safety of your tenants is a time-consuming and laborious task. Why not allow specialists to assist? At Real Property Management Victory, our comprehensive property management and tenant relations programs are designed to keep both your property and your tenants safe. To learn more about the services we offer, call us at 205-793-0700 or contact us online today!
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.
