safety mgmt: smoke/carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers

[Jason A.]

Hi all – I am curious to learn some of your best practices with respect to:

• Smoke detectors
• Carbon Monoxide detectors
• Fire extinguishers
• HVAC filter cleaning
• Lock changes between tenants

I currently have property management in place for each of my properties and was considering asking for confirmation that smoke & carbon monoxide detectors are in working order. Would you view it as appropriate to request my PM to inspect and confirm on a regular basis – i.e. annually or semi-annually; replace batteries as needed, etc.?

Do any of you provide fire extinguishers in your units?

Also, in particular for my properties in Texas where heavy use of the AC is experienced, I want to clarify for myself (and PM/ tenant) who’s responsible for cleaning / replacing the HVAC filters. Do any of you have a system in place for this?

Lastly, how do you think about changing the locks after a tenant moves out? I was going to reach out to my PMs to discuss this, but thought I’d seek advice here initially.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts & feedback. Cheers, Jason 

[Stephen E.]

@Jason A. 

Here smoke alarms are required on each level and outside sleeping areas. I have taken to installing smoke alarms inside each bedroom in addition to outside sleeping areas. I have started installing only sealed ten year lithium battery smoke alarms as are required now I believe in California and certain other places. They are more expensive at the outset but reduce maintenance costs and increase the odds that a smoke alarm will work properly when needed. Landlords here have been fined $1,500+ per non working smoke alarm so it is a false economy to put in the cheapest model. They also do sealed ten year lithium battery powered combined smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. I have moved to install these on every level of the home so that there should be no chance of carbon monoxide problems developing without an alarm going off. These battery powered models have turned out to be better than plug in ones. I have had tenants take plug in carbon monoxide detectors when they move. I have also had tenants move them and plug them in stuffed behind sofas, not very sensible when the whole point is that the alarm needs to be exposed to an odorless gas. They then forget where they put them; in one unit I had to search for the carbon monoxide alarm on one level, with the tenant protesting that there had not been one there. That is when moving the sofa revealed the nature of the problem. You can't get around stupid tenant tricks.

When I buy a unit now the first thing I do is take down all the smoke alarms and replace with ten year battery models.

In Ontario the fire code requires that smoke alarms be tested by the landlord once a year and at every change of tenant. The only testing required is pushing the test button. You can test with burning string or something else to create actual smoke, but pushing the test button is what is specified. Similarly carbon monoxide detectors have to be tested by pushing the test button. I do annual inspections for this purpose; it is my understanding that the corporate landlords inspect smoke alarms every six months.

I also use Kwikset Smartkey locks so that you can change the locks to a new key when needed. But I have tended only to go to this trouble if the previous tenant presented concerns. Locks must be changed over in certain other jurisdictions in between every tenant.

Furnace filters I could do more on. My lease says that furnace filters and light bulbs are the responsibility of the tenant. Twice a year, spring and fall, I send out a reminder that furnace filters should be replaced at least quarterly. How many do this I do not know, but I am not going to go out to all of my units every quarter to check up on this. 

Hope this helps.