Are Your Residents’ Electric Heaters Safe?
For most of the country, winter means temperatures are dropping. And colder temperatures mean more heating. What can community managers do to prepare for residents reaching for the electric heaters?
Fewer residents are moving home in winter, but that doesn't mean a community manager can put their feet up. The colder months bring challenges, not just to maintenance but to managing residents' behavior and habits. In most states (yes, even Florida), temperatures drop in winter, meaning residents will spend more time indoors and use more heating.
Not coincidentally, incidents involving residential fires and carbon monoxide poisoning also peak in cold winter months. Residential fires peak from December to February and are the biggest cause of fatalities and injuries among residents and damage to properties. The Electrical Safety Foundation (ESF) says cooking, heating and electrical problems are the biggest causes of residential fires. Around 51,000 electrical home structure fires happen in the US every year, according to the ESF.
Prevention
As part of ongoing improvements and maintenance, community managers should ensure all properties are fitted with smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. The ESF also says two out of three residential fires happen in homes with no alarms fitted. They're a no-brainer. So make sure they're all working property as part of your regular maintenance schedule. Also, check out the electrics in your properties, as demand will increase in winter, notably if residents use plug-in electric heaters.
Rules
Every property will have different rules that property managers have to enforce. Many property management companies will prohibit using portable electric heaters in apartments, but if your blocks permit them, try liaising with renters to ensure they're modern and up to safety standards. Also, make sure residents know how to use them safely: for example, by plugging them directly into a wall outlet, not a power strip. An electric heater's extra load and increased current can cause a strip to overload and start a fire.
Communication
As the months turn colder, reach out to residents to remind them of the rules or give them guidelines for safe winter use of electric heaters with an email, mailout or handout. If residents intend to use electric heaters, try to get them to show you the equipment so you can check that it's an approved, certified model. Check for any frayed or damaged cables. The basics might seem like common sense to you, but they're worth reiterating each winter to residents: don't leave heaters unattended, position them sensibly (away from busy routes and away from anything flammable, like drapes), don't let children or pets too close, don't put anything on top (like wet laundry, blankets or cups of coffee!) and check the operating instructions.
Although many challenges come with winter, when it comes to safety, heating is right up there. National Fire Protection Association reports that space heaters are involved with 44% of fires involving heating equipment in the home, so make sure your residents know the rules and are well-informed about portable electric heaters.