Fire Prevention Tips For Park City Property Management
Fire prevention is something that everyone is concerned about but perhaps we don't take all the steps we can to avoid a fire. A single fire can cause from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage, not to mention the potential for loss of life. Today I would like to discuss some statistics on residential fires in the United States and some useful prevention methods that can be applied to Park City property management.
Fire In The United States
First let's dive into the statistics then talk about prevention for Park City property management.
- In the year 2011 there were 370,000 home structure fires that U.S. fire departments responded to. "Home" is classified as a dwelling, duplex, apartment, townhouse or manufactured home.
- These fires caused 13,910 injuries, 2,520 deaths, and $6.9 billion in damage.
- Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. and the kitchen is the origin point for 42% of fires and 37% of injuries. Home fires also peak between the hours of 5:00 and 8:00 pm, dinner time for most people.
- While only 7% of fires started in the bedroom, and 4% started in the living room, family room or den these fires 25% and 24% of home fire deaths respectively.
- Smoking is the leading cause of home fire deaths.
- 62% of home fire deaths resulted from homes with either no smoke alarms or smoke alarms that are not working.
This may be a lot to digest so let's focus on a few of the high points. While fire related deaths have generally declined the cost of repair may continue to rise. Fire damage can be a significant expense even if the majority of a property is not damaged. The kitchen is the most dangerous place for a fire to start due to cooking. Replacing appliances, cabinets, walls and flooring, not to mention smoke damage, can happen in even the smallest of kitchen fires. Even while cooking may be the leading cause of fires smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths. Working smoke detectors are the best way to prevent significant fire damage.
Fire Prevention
For Park City property management a tenant plays a large role in the prevention of a fire. This can unfortunately leave a landlord in a less than secure position. There are some steps that a landlord can take to reduce their exposure and maximize the chance for a tenant to make the right decision.
- As mentioned above a working smoke detector is the best step in preventing a significant loss from a structure fire. Check detectors annually and replace the batteries. If it has been a while since you've checked your detectors consider replacing them entirely.
- Place a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and make sure the tenants are aware of its location.
- Make sure your property is in compliance with local fire codes. You can contact your local fire department to schedule an inspector. They will help you determine potential fire hazards and make recommendations on fixing the problem.
- Provide tenants with information from the National Fire Protection Association.
All of the statistics used in this blog can be found on the Nation Fire Protection Associations website, nfpa.org. You can go directly to the statistics page by clicking here. This website has a wealth of statistics and information that will help any Park City property management participant get educated on fire prevention.
If you would like more information about Park City property management download our free white page "5 Questions Every Landlord Should Ask Themselves".
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