Like most Clarksville landlords, you want your tenants to feel safe in their rental home. However, unless you take special care to avoid them, potentially hazardous conditions can develop. Here are the three most common household hazards that could be very dangerous for your tenants if left unchecked. To ensure that your rental property is not a hazard to your tenants, you should know how to prevent these common household hazards.
Toxic Mold
Moisture and a food source, like cardboard or paper, are all it takes for mold to develop. Mold gives off a musty smell that is recognizable by most people. Many different kinds of molds look ugly but are not really harmful to people. Black mold, or Stachybotrys, on the other hand, has been known to cause allergic reactions to people who have a sensitivity to their spores. Toxic mold can cause problems ranging from respiratory distress to anaphylactic shock, in most extreme cases.
Preventing mold growth in your rental home is fairly easy. Simply running an exhaust fan in steamy bathrooms, airing out the house, or installing a dehumidifier in the basement can all keep mold away from your property. But if you do find black mold, call a professional who can immediately remove it the safe way as well as fix the source of moisture that caused the mold.
Asbestos
In older rental homes, asbestos is a big problem. However, asbestos is fairly harmless as long as it is not disturbed within the walls or other closed areas. If your rental property has asbestos in the walls, your tenants have to be made aware so they can be careful not to drill holes or pound nails into the walls. Even small openings can allow asbestos to enter the home and cause mesothelioma cancer.
For safe asbestos removal, you should ask a licensed professional to do it to prevent asbestos-related illnesses. Do not try to do it yourself or let anyone without the right equipment do so.
Fire
Household fires are very common in the United States. It is estimated that an average of seven people dies every day from house fires. Oil is the most common cause of cooking fires. Dryer lint, on the other hand, usually start laundry room fires. Faulty appliances, electrical issues, and unattended candles are the major culprits in household fires.
Here are some things you can do to prevent fires in your rental home. First of all, you must check to see that your rental home is free of any electrical issues, and have the dryer vent cleaned annually. Next, make sure your tenants are educated on fire safety and are adequately provided with fire extinguishers and working smoke detectors. By following these steps, you can greatly lower the chances of your rental property going up in flames.
Ensuring your tenants’ health and safety can be an enormous undertaking. Why not let the experts help? At Real Property Management Stellar, 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 706-864-5456 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.
