By RPM Central Valley

It’s November 2016 and with Thanksgiving, right around the corner, it’s also the perfect time for every owner to take a step back and focus on safety at their Central Valley Rental Property because more fires and accidents occur during the holidays and they could easily be prevented by following these 3 safety tips.

Tip #1 – Check Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector Batteries

Since most batteries typically only last for 6 months, you should check and replace the batteries in your smoke / carbon monoxide detectors at your Central Valley Rental property.

How many smoke detectors do you need?

The National Fire Protection Association recommends homes should have smoke alarms installed inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. So that means a 2 story, 3 bedroom house needs a minimum of five smoke alarms.

Tip #2 – Make Sure Your Rental Property Has a Working Fire Extinguisher

If your Central Valley Rental property doesn’t have a working fire extinguisher you should purchase one because it will give your tenant the ability to put out a small fire themselves if it erupts in the rental property.

Where to place the fire extinguisher:

1. Kitchen-65% of all fires start in the kitchen.

2. Master Bedroom-87% of all fire deaths happen at night.  A fire extinguisher can help you escape.

3. Garage or Workshop-Contents, such as paint, oil, or gas, stored in a garage or workshop can be extremely flammable. In a workshop, there is the added component of using tools that can give off sparks, which gives a higher likelihood of having a fire.

4. Laundry Room–Another significant cause of home fires is drying clothes. Clean out the lint trap after every dryer load.  Make sure to clean out the dryer exhaust tube every 6 months. It is pertinent to clean in and around the dryer as lint collects in these areas and is very flammable.

5. Grill/Patio-Because of grease and hot coals, it is common for the grill to accidentally start on fire. If a person is not careful, they can also start the house or deck on fire.

6. Fireplace/Wood-Burning Stove–Home heating is typically the second highest cause of home fires. Even though most heating-related fires are in the wood stove or furnace, chimney fires are also very common.

7. Utility Room-Because of the concentrations of appliances (e.g. hot water heater and furnace) and electrical panels, locating a fire extinguisher here is wise.

8. Each Occupied Bedroom–Fire extinguishers in bedrooms can be a tremendously helpful tool to aide occupants in escaping from a fire.

Tip #3 – Purchase a First Aid Kit for Your Rental Property

Last of all, but most important, you should purchase a first aid kit for your rental property because a first aid kit is very affordable and can easily save a life if the contents of the first aid kit are used properly

Besides following the tips mentioned in this article you should also use this time of year to reconnect with your tenants on a personal level and verify that their renter’s insurance policies are still active since some tenants may cancel their policies once you start renting to them.

Get Property Management for Your Central Valley Rental Property

Are you tired of managing your Central Valley Rental Property yourself? Contact RPM Central Valley by calling us at (209) 572-2222 or click here to connect with us online.