Three Tips For Renting An Apartment

Renting your first apartment can be an exciting and intimidating experience. However, it can be easy for first-time renters to make some oversights that can lead to problems during the time that they live in their unit. To help you avoid some routine issues apartment dwellers may experience, you should keep the following few tips in mind during the time that you live in your unit.

Keep An Active Renter's Insurance Policy

There is a common misconception among some individuals that a renter's insurance policy is only to protect their personal possessions. While it is true that these policies will offer some protection for your personal assets, they will also cover you in the event that you inadvertently cause damage to the building or adjacent units. For example, your renter's insurance policy will help to protect you from the financial liability of a fire starting in your unit, the plumbing malfunctioning and flooding adjacent units, or someone being injured in your unit. Without an active renter's insurance policy, you would be personally liable for the costs of these damages.

Place Rugs Over High-Traffic Areas

Ensuring that you get your deposit back at the end of your lease will require you to make an effort to take preventive care of your unit. In particular, the floors can be prone to suffering intense wear and tear, which can cause sufficient damage to your carpeting or hardwood floors to cost you the deposit. In order to avoid this problem, you should place rugs in these areas as this can greatly reduce the amount of damage that the flooring will sustain from normal use. If you have numerous high-traffic areas in your apartment, you should consider rotating the rugs in the unit. This will help to spruce up the appearance of your unit's interior while also helping the rugs to last longer.

Avoid Chemical Plumbing Products

Over the time that you live in your unit, it is likely that you will have some plumbing problems. In particular, clogs can be a common issue to arise, but you should always avoid the use of harsh commercial clog removers. The chemicals in these solutions can be powerful enough to weaken the plumbing pipes, which can lead to leaks developing. When you notice a drain is starting to slow, you should first attempt to use boiling water to loosen the clog. When this fails to remove the clog, a drain snake may be the safest option for removing the large clog from the pipes.