In case you hadn’t noticed, the number of people using E-Cigarettes and vapes has been increasing exponentially in the last few years. Those who use them are pretty easy to spot, all you have to do is look for the massive clouds of vapor they seem to enjoy creating whether they are out in public or in one of your rental units.
One of the biggest selling points of E-cigs has been that they are thought to be harmless. However, this is not exactly true as these massive clouds of flavored water vapor can leave behind deposits of potentially hazardous substances. Someone has to clean up this mess when your tenants move out. The film could possibly cause damage to your rental property and because of this more property management companies are advising property owners to not allow the use of E-cigs in their single-family rentals in much the same way as you would the use of cigarettes or any form of smoked tobacco products.
The film left behind by the vapor covers walls, windows, mirrors, doors, carpets, cupboards, appliances, and just about everything else. Since it covers everything just like the nicotine and tar from cigarettes, it has to be removed before you can rent the property out to the next tenant. This type of cleanup is something best handled by a professional cleaning service with experience in this area. All this does, is add to your expenses and make it take even longer before your rental will be ready to rent out again.
No matter how much you hear and read about how safe the vapors are, there are dangers that no one seems to take any notice of. In a recent study published by the FDA, their analysis shows E-cigs contain many hazardous ingredients. Among these are; nicotine, diethylene glycol, and nitrosamines. Other studies found formaldehyde, benzene, and others that are known carcinogens.
There have been a number of recorded instances of car fires and home fires resulting from the use of an E-cigarette battery charger. This does not bode well for those who choose to allow their tenants to use E-cigarettes in their rental units, it is just another risk of fire in what is already a long enough list.
In fact, there have been many recorded incidents of fires caused by the lithium-ion batteries while they are being charged. Bear in mind though that these batteries are used in cell phones, tablets, laptops, and many other devices.
In the end, it is up to you and the property owner to decide what your smoking policy is with regard to tobacco products and E-Cigarettes. However, no matter what you decide to do, be sure to incorporate it into your lease and make sure each of your tenants is fully informed of the rules. This will save you from problems in the future.
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