As a landlord, you have big decisions to make about what you’ll allow and what you won’t with your tenant’s rights in the property. One of those decisions comes about every summer on gas grill regulations. Your tenants are ready to enjoy summer cook outs and want to grill out right by your rental property. It’s just another harmless summer activity, right?
In fact, gas grilling causes tenants and landlords issues if they are not used and stored properly. Because of this, landlords should have strict rules on their use or consider restricting them altogether, but with the risk of deterring potential tenants. Here is a look at regulations to have in place if you allow gas grills.
While gas grills are a fun and economical way to prepare food outdoors, over 8,000 homes catch on fire every year from misuse. It’s a fun and festive way to cook and 3 out of 5 homes in the US own a grill but is it worth the fire hazard? Gas grills actually cause more fires than charcoal grills do. Gas grills are sending people to the hospital and damaging properties, which is where the landlord needs to understand the risk.
Since people usually believe a gas grill is safe since it’s being used outside, the risk increases as people are naive to the danger behind it. They are some of the most dangerous appliances on a property because of risks like vent explosions, ignition explosions, carbon monoxide poisoning and a ruptured tank or valve.
When the ignition isn’t working properly, excess gas can build up under the hood and when the light ignites the gas, it explodes into a fireball. You could burn off your eyebrows or skin of anyone nearby. Watch out for vent explosions or weak valves and hoses that can allow gas to lea out which causes fire explosions. Along with these obvious dangers, the invisible carbon monoxide poisoning in the air is deadly and you won’t even smell or see it.
If you as a landlord decide to ban gas grills, make sure it’s stated in the lease agreement. If you allow them, have regulations in place to state a distance from the structure (i.e. 10 feet away) that they are allowed to be used, information on how to properly store them (i.e. never inside or close to it) and what the consequences of doing so are. Provide your tenants with local or state fire code regulation information on grilling.
Keep these in mind when determining when or not to allow grills.