Tips for Keeping Safe in Your Apartment
If you’re renting an apartment, there’s a chance that you may be wondering about your and your family’s safety. Apartment safety concerns are real and completely valid. Landlords don’t have full control and they must keep up with updated regulations or face fines and other major penalties. This can even include the safety of apartment elevators, whether or not there are smoke detectors, and even right down to the possibility of mold.
Just like owning a house can be stressful, renting an apartment can be just as stressful as well. Living in such close quarters to other tenants not only means that there is going to be high volumes of foot traffic but it also means you have less control.
You can’t control who comes in and goes out of the apartment and you can’t control how safe or lack of safety awareness some tenants have. This can really put you and your family at higher risk for danger. These are some safety tips for renters who want to maintain safety in any way they can in their apartments.
Always keep the doors locked
Just like it can be helpful to install magnetic screen doors, it’s even better just to have your doors and windows closed and locked as often as possible. This also includes making sure that all of your locks are working the way they should be.
Good window locks will keep intruders out and avoid them from accessing your home, the same can be said for locked doors. You may be surprised but even if you live on a high floor, such as the 12 floors of an apartment, you’re still not automatically guaranteed that intruders won’t try to break in through your windows.
Always lock your door after getting inside
Depending on your apartment and the style of door, you may immediately get locked in the second that you close your door. However, it’s still best, even then to ensure that the door is locked behind you. Always make sure that your doors and windows are locked before leaving your home, and also make sure that you immediately lock your door the second that you get inside your apartment. It’s unfortunate to say, but you never know who may be lurking behind you.
Always be mindful of common areas
Unlike houses, both dorms and apartments will have common areas. This could include a lobby, a gym, a pool, or even a laundry room for residents to use. You should always ensure that entering the apartment and any standard room, in general, can only be accessed by residents who own a key or fob. You should also see if there are any loiters during the day in these common areas as well and what time during the day they’re present.
Check to see how safe the parking lot is
Most apartments will have their own parking facility for the residents. You will want to make sure that this parking area is lit well, and has security cameras as well. Depending on the location you live in, it may be best to always carry protection with you, such as pepper spray (as long as it’s legal), so you can protect yourself. You may be surprised to know that many muggings happen in parking lots.
