There is a perfect reason why space heaters have a nasty reputation for causing deadly accidents. They should never be allowed in a rental home for sure. We’ve all heard the stories of how families go to bed on a cold winter night, their space heater keeping the freezing at bay – and they never wake up. The usual culprit is that the electric heater has malfunctioned and filled the home with toxic fumes or it has caused a spark and resulted in an electrical fire from which there is little hope of escape. Horror stories like these are all too familiar, and you do not want that risk on your Kingman rental property because the truth is it can happen to anybody, it can surely happen to you and your residents.
As a rule, electric heaters are regarded as the safer option for residential use than fuel-based models. But even electric heaters must be used under strict surveillance and should be by the recommended safety practices. Children and pets are particularly vulnerable to injury caused by space heaters, which puts any resident with a family or pet at risk. Also, there’s no guarantee that your residents will know or follow the recommended safety practices or use the space heater correctly, which may lead to disastrous results.
Banning space heaters is not only a wise safety standard but also an essential part of guarding yourself and your real estate investment. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has determined that over 25,000 residential fires are caused by space heaters each year. These fires result in more than 300 deaths and 6,000 emergency room visits annually. While some of these injuries are burns from touching a space heater unit, others are far more severe.
As the rental property owner, you bear a higher possibility of liability if you let your residents use space heaters. While your landlord’s insurance includes the damage to the rental home itself, if a space heater has caused any loss of life or serious injury, that may result in additional legal action against you. Lawsuits alleging negligence or worse could endanger not only your resources, but also your assets and, in some cases, your freedom.
Regular property evaluations are vital to protecting your property from the dangers presented by space heaters. At Real Property Management Northern Arizona, regular evaluations are a foundational piece of our property management program. We believe that the safety of your residents is a top priority, as is protecting you and your investment from the dangers of noncompliance. Contact us online or call us at 928-757-7368 to learn more about what we can do for you.
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