Living in a rental is quite different from living in a home you own yourself, and this sort of arrangement comes with its own set of rules. From the interior improvements the tenants are allowed to make to the responsibilities of the landlord, it’s all about an agreement between these parties – and that agreement should be made before the tenants actually start living in the said rental property. One of the things that need to be taken care of is disaster-proofing the entire property: this is something the landlords usually take care of, but the tenants play a certain role as well. Whether you’re in the first or the second group, there are certain things you need to learn about this problem, so here’s a quick guide that will teach you to do so.
Earthquake Protection
Protecting yourself and your family against earthquakes is one of the most difficult and challenging things in the world, but it’s still something you need to do, especially if you live in an area that has lots of earthquakes. Unfortunately, you can never know when you’ll be hit by one, so being prepared, protected, and safe is always better than being sorry, so do whatever you can to ensure your rental property is strong enough to survive an earthquake.
Being prepared for such a disaster – as well as other disasters – means thinking in advance and planning ahead. Landlords can invest in better walls and insulation that will surely make a difference in case of an earthquake, as well as in those anchor sill plates that make their property sturdier than it’s ever been. However, once an earthquake starts, it’s important to stay calm, rational, and reasonable, and get out of your home as soon as you can. Staying inside is among the most dangerous things you could do, so make sure you evacuate your living space immediately, bringing your emergency supply kit with you. In the end, all tenants and landlord should talk about covering the damage, and come up with a solution that allows everyone to go on with their lives as soon as possible.
Hurricane Protection
This is another natural disaster you can’t predict that easily, which means it can strike you when you least expect it. Luckily, hurricanes aren’t that frequent in all parts of the world, but definitely are more than dangerous during the hurricane season – usually in the summer and fall – and that’s when you need to be prepared. Again, it’s important to stay calm and have a contingency plan: knowing what you’re supposed to do and how you’re supposed to act could ultimately save your life and minimize casualties.
Start by sealing your rental and making sure your doors and windows don’t let any wind or rain in. This is quite important when trying to minimize your damages because even the slightest amount of wind can cause a major problem and destroy your home from within. Also, pay attention to the roof, and fix it if necessary, because an unprotected roof can become a major issue in case of a hurricane, harming both your family and your home.
Fire Protection
Unlike earthquakes and tornadoes, fires occur more frequently and present a serious risk to just about everyone. Just a few tiny mistakes can lead to a major fire in your home, and unless you’re being careful and paying attention to this issue, you too could experience such a problem. That’s why fireproofing your rental property really goes a long way and protects you against potential dangers.
First, inspect your entire electrical system – every cord, every outlet, every switch, and everything else – and make sure it works perfectly. After that, check if your rental has a fire extinguisher, because these make a huge difference in case of a fire, and could easily end up saving your life. In the end, check your kitchen appliances because these are a major liability, and replace them if necessary – get a new oven, a stove, and a microwave, as well as one of those protective fire ducts that will extract smoke from your kitchen while you’re cooking and minimize the chances of fire.
Flood Protection
Whether you live in an area that sees lots of hurricanes and tornadoes or not, all homes are susceptible to floods and water damage and can experience problems because of this issue. Floods are rather frequent in certain parts of the world, which is why both tenants and landlords from these areas need to pay close attention to them and protect their property. In the end, this isn’t as hard as it may sound, and if you get ready and know what to expect, you could probably save your home and your life in case of a flood – unless it’s something extraordinarily serious, of course.
Some of the ways to protect your home against flooding include focusing on your electrical equipment, making sure it’s elevated from the ground, modifying your water valves, installing an exterior backflow valve just in case, looking into ways the water flows around your house so that you know how to react in case of a flood, investing in a pricey insulation that could really mean quite a lot if something wrong happens, as well as cleaning your gutters and drains regularly. All of these things sound like quite a lot of work, but if you create a schedule and pay attention to them on a regular basis, you could handle them quite easily and prevent potential problems before they even get a chance to harm your home and your family.
Protecting your home against these environmental disasters is never easy, but it’s much harder to do that when you’re renting a property instead of owning it. However, landlords and tenants shouldn’t be afraid to talk about these things and help each other – the former should be ready to invest in the property and protect it as much as possible, while the latter need to be aware of potential dangers and react to them quickly and efficiently.
This article has been contributed by Kevin Jefferson.