Purchasing a rental property is a significant investment, and it’s an investment you want to protect for the long haul. When renovating your PadSplit, there are particular security features you’ll want to include in your scope of work.
Read more about the 6 required and recommended security features for your PadSplit property.
6 Security Features for Your PadSplit Rental Property
Fire extinguishers
The kitchen is a very popular place when you have multiple residents living in a PadSplit co-living property. According to the National Fire Protection Association, cooking was the leading cause of reported home fires and home fire injuries in 2015-2019.
Fire extinguishers are a small but mighty part of your PadSplit’s security plan. They can save lives and protect your property from further damage by putting out a small fire or suppressing it until the fire department arrives. Instead of storing a fire extinguisher in a hidden location, like an under-the-sink cabinet, we recommend mounting it near the stove, so it’s visible for Members in the unlikely case of an emergency.
The average lifespan of a fire extinguisher is 10-12 years, so it’s essential to keep an eye on your device for signs of damage or corrosion. We recommend a visual check during your quality assurance walkthroughs to ensure your extinguisher doesn’t need replacement sooner.
Firestops
Firestops are different than traditional fire extinguishers. They are cooking fire suppression devices mounted above a residential four-burner stove. When exposed to direct, sustained contact with flame, the firestop canister releases a powder than suppresses the cooking fire. They aren’t a replacement for fire extinguishers in your PadSplit, but an enhancement. We recommend having a visible and easily-accessible fire extinguisher in addition to a firestop installed above your stovetop.
Our PadSplit team knows of a few instances where firestops have activated and prevented larger issues in properties. In those instances, PadSplit Hosts have echoed their gratitude for the devices for preventing a more dangerous and expensive fire and protecting their Members.
Smoke detectors
For many years National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code 72 has required that smoke alarms be installed inside every sleeping room in addition to requiring them outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home.
Each PadSplit bedroom and the kitchen should have a smoke detector with a 10-year lithium battery, and these should be tested at regular intervals to ensure they are in working order. During your final property walkthrough, our team will look for the presence of smoke detectors in your PadSplit, and your property will not be activated if it is missing.
Carbon monoxide detectors
Smoke detectors are required in every PadSplit property. However, if your property uses gas for heating, cooking, or other utilities throughout the home, PadSplit also requires installing carbon monoxide detectors. Work with your general contractor to determine if your property needs carbon monoxide detectors.
Locks
Locks are, of course, a no-brainer for any property you own. In PadSplit co-living properties, access to the home and individual rooms is critical for Members. While most Hosts install a smart lock on the exterior access door, there’s a lock needed on each bedroom door, too.
While PadSplit Members must pass a background screening, where available, and employment verification process, living with strangers can still be an adjustment for some Members. We see Members search for rooms that have a two-way lock for added security, so it’s something to consider when renovating and choosing your lock system. PadSplit Hosts can choose between privacy locks or two-way locks such as punch locks. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Punch locks allow Members to lock their rooms as they leave, but it requires updating codes on your Host dashboard in the event of a room turn.
Proper bedroom egress
PadSplit’s award-winning co-living model involved converting underutilized space into additional bedrooms to maximize your returns and provide more much-needed affordable housing for our communities. However, when adding additional bedrooms, it’s essential to ensure that each bedroom has two modes of egress. These can either be two doors or a door and an egress window. If one mode of escape is a window, it must have a minimum height of 24” and minimum width of 20”, and it should be no more than 44” from the floor for access.
Final Thoughts on PadSplit Security Features
Not only will these 6 security features protect your property, but they’ll also ensure your residents – in this case, PadSplit Members – are protected, too.
Want to take the headache out of the renovation process altogether? Our new service, PadSplit Turnkey, allows you to hand the PadSplit Host journey process over to our team of professionals. We’ll handle the entire process — from property selection to renovation — so you don’t have to worry about it. You’ll maintain ownership of the home and expect higher returns, less manual work, and full support from the PadSplit Turnkey team of professionals.
