Blog Post

How to Make Your Rental Safer for Tenants who Decorate with Lights?

Dustin Edwards • Nov 19, 2022

Safety Is Always A Primary Concern For Your Rental Property

The holidays are around the corner and many tenants like to decorate with lights, whether projectors shining designs onto the home, or more traditional holiday lights. Although not every tenant is looking to make their decorations be as festive as possible, it's best practice to maintain safety for those who will.


Below are some tips, upgrades and safety features you can provide your tenant to make their holiday season a bit safer when decorating.


Safety

It's a good idea to remember that not every tenant is a handyman, and many of them may not understand the risks involved with electricity outdoors. Every year there are countless accidents from people falling off ladders hanging holiday lights to accidently stepping on a Christmas tree ornament. By making sure outlets are safe and accessible without the need of ladders you can reduce your tenants risk of injury. 


Exterior Outlets

You can't have lights without electricity. Providing exterior outlets to the home in easy to reach locations can reduce the usage of extension cords, extension cords can pose some risks as the more wire is used the more chances of damage can take place. Additionally extension cords are rarely used properly. A 16-gauge extension cord is most commonly used when powering on outdoor lights; however, it should only be used if the lights length is under 25 feet. For anything over 25 feet you would require a heavier duty 14- gauge extension cord. Moreover when multiple extension cords are used, it can cause them to overheat and potentially cause a fire.


The ideal outlets should not only be outdoor rated but also have a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). In fact, according to the California electrical code, every outdoor outlet needs to be protected by a GFCI. What a GFCI does is protect people from electric shocks by detecting ground faults which is typically caused when someone begins to receive a shock. GFCI’s are often installed outdoors or where water can make contact with the outlets such as in bathrooms and kitchens.


Weather Protected Boxes

When installing outlets outdoors you’re not only required to have the be GFCI protected, but the outlets also need to be protected from the weather. Outdoor covers come in a variety of options including individual self-closing covers like Commercial Electric’s weatherproof outlet cover to large plastic domes like TAYMAC’s Polycarbonate clear covers which can protect connections from weather even when plugged in.


When doing electrical upgrades, you can add additional outdoor boxes on the property's landscape, gardens or fencing to allow for rope lights or other lighting fixtures to give your Long Beach rental property a warm inviting atmosphere after the sun sets.


Mounting Points

Although many tenants may not notice these at first, if they ever decide to hang lights for the holidays or for decoration, having mounting points around the rental property will be appreciated. By providing mounting points such as hooks around the perimeter of the exterior walls, you may also be preventing damage caused by your tenant. If they want to add lights themselves they’ll need to mount them to something and a careless tenant can damage exterior walls if not using proper tools and techniques to mount them. Having mounting also reduces the amount of time a tenant would be on a ladder, which can reduce the chance of them falling and injuring themselves.


Additional hooks or loops to hang rope or string lights around porches, patios, and outdoor living spaces can also help them decorate if they so choose. Happy tenants tend to be long term tenants, and a gesture as small as a few hooks around the property can satisfy the tenant's need to decorate for the holidays.


With the holidays quickly approaching, many people are looking to decorate with lights. By reducing your tenant’s risk of injury and making decorating simpler for them you’ll be closer to having a happy long term tenant. If you need help finding trusty electricians to install outdoor outlet or if you’re looking for a high quality
full service property management company and you require more information on the services they provide call us at (562) 888-0247 or feel free to fill out our free rental analysis to see what your rental could yield today.


Share this post

By Dustin Edwards 01 May, 2024
Everyone wants to feel safe in their homes. As an investment property owner, it's up to you to decide whether or not to include security measures in your property. Many of the costs associated with the security measures can be included in the rent, meaning not only can you keep your property safe, but you can earn more income in the long run. However, you would still want your tenants to have renters insurance to protect their assets. Today, we’ll discuss the top five security measures you can add to your property and why they're beneficial to you and your tenant. Security Cameras Cameras are probably one of the first security measures people think about when asked about security. Cameras provide more benefits than just surveillance. They provide an extra level of security for the safety of the tenants and their belongings. Additionally, security cameras can be useful when repairs are required. Cameras can aid in supervising repairs and maintenance to ensure you’re receiving the agreed-upon work. During vacancies when the property is empty, security cameras can help keep the property safe from potential intruders. Doorbell cameras are incredibly popular now. They provide the aforementioned safety of a camera that can be accessed remotely, as well as the ability to communicate with visitors. Although one must be careful never to say you're not home, just say you're unavailable to strangers. Security Lights Security lights with motion detectors are another effective tool when adding security measures to your property. These lights brightly if a potential intruder attempts to get near your home. They can provide enough illumination to see the intruder or, at the very least, scare them off. Nowadays, you can find a combination of security cameras and motion-activated security lights, such as the floodlight cam wired plus from Ring . Additionally, because these lights only turn on when motion is detected, they’re more cost-effective than traditional lights with a switch. Illuminate the Property Light generally deters intruders as it's more difficult to hide. Adding lighting to the landscaping can increase the security of the property while creating a relaxing atmosphere. Lights can also be used in other areas of the property to accent features such as trees, benches, or artwork. This can help your property stand out while giving your tenants an additional feeling of safety. Keyless Entry Keyless entry is seen as both a convenience feature and a security feature. They usually use an electronic passcode, biometric data, or grant access through a smartphone app. Physical keys can be lost, stolen, or duplicated. You reduce the risk of unauthorized entry by eliminating the need for a physical key to enter the property. Many keyless entry systems include several features, such as remote locking and monitoring. Although keyless entry is a great new technology for keeping your tenants and properties safe, they’re best used with other security systems. Security Company Nothing beats having an extra pair of eyes on your property for security. This is where security companies like ADT and SimpliSafe come in. While companies may deal with security in varying ways, they aim to protect your investment. While safety is the primary role of a security company, remember that many tenants may be willing to pay more for a premium amenity like a home security company. Keeping your property and tenants safe is incredibly important to the longevity of an investment property. If you’re looking to improve the security of your Long Beach rental property or need help managing your beach city rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or fill out our Owner Application online .
By Dustin Edwards 19 Apr, 2024
Communication is key to maintaining good relationships with clients. However, there are several ways to communicate, so we intend to give you the best methods we've explored.
By Dustin Edwards 10 Apr, 2024
If you're thinking about how much different managing condos are from single-family homes, look at these top 5 reasons.
Show More
Share by: