Holiday Safety Tips for Tenants
This year’s holiday season is well underway! From spending time with our loved ones, to sipping hot cocoa by the fire, and filling our homes with the holiday cheer, many of us will be quite busy over the next few weeks.
During this time of year it is easy to get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of the season, but it is important to remember that there are a few added risks associated with the holidays.
Here’s how you can help keep your rental safe this holiday season:
House fires
Did you know that 50% of house fires start in the kitchen? And the peak time for them is the holiday season!
Some tips to prevent them and be safe are:
- Test your smoke alarms before cooking to make sure they work
- Keep the stove top clean and away from flammable materials
- Don’t cook under the influence of alcohol or other
- Don’t leave the home while something is cooking in the oven
- Make sure the floor is clean so you don’t slip on any spilt liquid.
Another big part of being safe from house fires is to make wise decisions when it comes to decorations.
- Be mindful when using candles and make sure to keep them away from decorations
- Do an inspection of your heating system and leave decorations far from it.
- Check your holiday lights to ensure cords are in good condition and not frayed.
- When decorating outside, make sure the lights are outdoor-appropriate and that they are connected away from places where snow could make puddles.
Inspect the house exterior and interior
Winter weather can cause damage to your home, which can be dangerous to the people living in it. Some things to examine include:
- Removing dead branches or trees that could fall into the property
- Inspect and clean chimneys at least once a year
- Keep the gutters clean to make sure water and snow can drain out properly.
- Clean up the snow from walkways and parking spaces to avoid any accidents.
- Keep the temperature at a minimum of 55 degrees to keep pipes from freezing.
- Review emergency procedures to know what to do in case of an emergency.
Keeping the house safe when traveling
It’s important to keep an eye out for changing COVID-19 state guidelines to travel safe and keep yourself and your family safe, but also make sure your home is safe while you are away, some ways to do this are:
- Check all the property’s windows, doors and accesses have been secure before leaving.
- Make sure all appliances are disconnected to avoid a short-circuit from starting a fire.
- Let your landlord and neighbors know when you are leaving and for how long so they can take measures to ensure the property is secure and that nothing happens while you are away.
From all of us at Frontline Property Management, Inc. we wish you a happy and safe holiday season!
