When we talk about condo living, we usually equate it with independent living. And with independent living, all aspects of our day-to-day lives depend on nobody else but ourselves. This includes the safety of our home, and in this case, our condo unit.
While condo units are often marketed to be expertly engineered so you should not worry about structural integrity amidst natural hazards, it won’t hurt to be critical in ensuring the safety not only of your condo unit but also of the entire condominium.
Of course, the condominium’s property management personnel are in charge of maintaining condo safety as well as the security of the building and of the common areas. But for your condo unit, you really are the one who’s mainly responsible for keeping it safe. To help you out, here is a guide on how to check out the safety of a condo unit:
Table of contents
1. Be critical of security measures taken by the property management
The largest factor affecting the safety of a condo unit is the security measures implemented by the building itself. This includes having security guards manning the entrance to the property, as well as the presence of security cameras.
Aside from safety from thieves and other perpetrators, there should also be alarms for fire and earthquake, and there should be measures taken by the building to prevent or at least minimize the impact of untoward incidents such as fires, earthquakes, and typhoons. Discuss with your building manager what kind of security measures are in place.
2. Lock your unit all the time
Condominiums have strict security protocols in place, ensuring that only residents and their registered guests are allowed access to the premises. Contractors and deliveries are also properly registered to prevent the entrance of perpetrators.
However, it doesn’t hurt to be extra careful and ensure that you lock your door all the time – whether you are in the unit or not. Keep your keys in your person, and don’t place emergency keys in areas where other people can gain access to them. Also, make sure that the locks of your condo unit doors are strong enough to prevent authorized entry. This should be done even if you are inside your unit, or just doing a quick chore such as throwing out the trash.
3. Decorate your condo unit with hazards in mind
As you decorate your condo make sure that you keep security devices untampered. Make sure that smoke and fire detectors, as well as sprinklers, are not covered. When you put items on shelves, also make sure that you properly store items and that they are fixed in place even if there’s an earthquake.
4. Participate in drills
To make sure that you are aware of what to do during calamities and other untoward incidents, make sure that you participate in safety drills, such as those made for fire and earthquakes. Don’t treat these drills as unnecessary as knowing what to do can help save your life in case such incidents occur.
Drills will teach you not only what steps you should take when such incidents happen, but you will also likely be made aware of where the nearest exit is, as well the location of helpful items such as fire extinguishers or fire hoses.
5. Keep security numbers accessible
While it’s impossible to predict when an emergency situation will happen, make sure that you keep emergency numbers such as the condo’s security team, and police and fire departments. Addressing incidents as early is key to preventing huge damage and losses.
Keep your condo unit and yourself safe
Condo living is hard as you will have to take responsibility for keeping your own place safe. Condos have safety and security measures in place, but heeding these 5 steps above will help make you keep your condo unit safer so that you yourself will feel safe too.