It is essential, as a Lutz property manager, that your tenants feel safe and secure in their rental home. Ensuring a tenant’s safety can lower vacancies and increase the rental property’s cash flow. However, if you do not take special precautions, potentially hazardous conditions can develop without your knowledge. In this article, we’ll look at five of the most common home dangers that, if ignored, could cause serious health problems for your tenants or even result in death. To help ensure that your rental property does not pose a hazard to your tenants, it is essential to be aware of common household hazards and how to avoid them.
Toxic Mold
Molds grow in moist environments where food sources, such as cardboard or paper, are present. Mold often produces a musty odor, which is usually the first sign that most people notice. There are multiple sorts of mold, the majority of which are unsightly but generally harmless to humans. However, black mold, also known as Stachybotrys, can be toxic. It may result in allergic reactions, breathing difficulties, and in severe cases, anaphylactic shock.
The good news is that mold growth can be easily stopped in a rental property. Mold can be kept at bay by using an exhaust fan in steamy bathrooms, ventilating the home, and installing a dehumidifier in the basement. Teach your tenants about mold prevention and the dangers associated with mold growth. Regularly looking for mold in your home is another thing you should do. If the worst should happen and you discover black mold, it’s critical to call in a professional right away who can remove it safely and address the source of the moisture that initially caused the mold.
Asbestos
There is no doubt that asbestos is a significant problem, particularly in older rental properties. However, asbestos that is contained within walls or other closed spaces is generally safe as long as it isn’t disturbed. If your rental property’s walls contain asbestos, you must inform your tenant not to drill or otherwise create openings in the walls, even to hammer in a nail. Asbestos could enter the house through even tiny cracks, leading to mesothelioma cancer.
Only licensed professionals should perform asbestos removal. In order to avoid injury and asbestos-related illnesses, you should not remove asbestos yourself or allow a tenant to do so.
Lead Poisoning
Lead is another substance that could be dangerous and is often found in older rental homes. Before it was outlawed in 1978, lead paint was frequently used in older homes. Even if you have painted over the old paint, lead-based paint can flake off as the home ages, exposing your tenants, their children, and their pets to a toxic substance. In some places, 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. It’s also a good idea to have your paint tested and removed by experts trained to do so safely if your property was constructed prior to 1978. Painting over lead paint is a temporary workaround, but the only surefire way to ensure that your tenants are lead-safe is to completely strip the old paint from all impacted surfaces.
Fire
In the USA, house fires are a far too frequent occurrence. Household fires can unfortunately be fatal. 2,620 civilians perish in home fires each year, which total more than 346,000 annually. The main cause of fires that start in the laundry room is dryer lint, while oil and other ingredients contribute to cooking fires. Other major causes of home fires include faulty appliances, electrical problems, and unattended candles.
There are several steps you should take to prevent fires in your rental property. First, do all you can to ensure that your rental property is devoid of electrical issues, and have the dryer vent sanitized annually. Second, educate your tenants on fire safety and offer them fire extinguishers, working smoke detectors, and other essentials. You can significantly lower the likelihood that your rental property will catch fire by following these easy steps.
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is yet another usual household hazard. Burning wood, propane, gasoline, charcoal, and other fuels produce the colorless, odorless gas known as carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide can accumulate in a closed space and cause carbon monoxide poisoning when these fuels are used in appliances and engines. Headaches, nausea, blurred vision, and confusion are all potential symptoms of mild carbon monoxide poisoning. In severe cases, carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to permanent tissue damage or even death.
Through proper maintenance and tenant education, it is possible to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s crucial to have your fireplaces and other appliances that utilize any of the aforementioned fuels regularly serviced. In addition, install carbon monoxide detectors all across your rental property to warn you and your tenants of any potential dangers. It’s a good idea to explain to your tenants 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 your tenants have a propane grill or heater on the property. Fundamental education in safety could protect your tenants from illness and worse.
Guaranteeing the health and safety of your tenants is a difficult and time-consuming undertaking. Why not allow specialists to assist? At Real Property Management Freedom, our comprehensive property management and tenant relations programs are designed to keep your property and tenants safe. Call us at 813-867-2667 to learn more about our services, or contact us online today!
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