Please Help Landlord with Deaf Tenant

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kwyant

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Although I've been a landlord for over a decade, I just rented to a deaf person for the first time, and I clearly need to learn a few things. They are completely deaf, no hearing whatsoever. My concerns:

1) Smoke alarms and CO alarms. I have found some that have a light, but they seem to be designed to light up the way in the dark in the event of a power failure. Seems like there should be some with very bright strobes that could wake a person up who is sleeping.

2) Doorbells. This is a security building. The tenant can easily come and go with their key, but guests can not alert the tenant to their presence. Due to the distance from the front door, wireless systems are not working reliably. The impact/door knock systems also won't work since the guest can not get to the tenant's door. I can easily disconnect the existing bell or jumper off of it to add a strobe, but I am having difficulty finding a 12v dc strobe designed for this except by buying 1000 pieces at once from China. Does anybody have any good links or suggestions?

3) What else am I forgetting?

Thanks in advance for any help.
 
You can get a flasher that will work with anything such as the door bell or a phone hookup, in line, with the electricity. Honestly, this stuff isn't that bad and shouldn't cost an arm or leg.

Check out harris communication smoke detector, etc:

Smoke Detectors for deaf and hard of hearing

This place should have what you need.

Use text and email for communication or even relay, perhaps you can get a deduction for phone cost too.

It's nice of you to think of this: You're a good person.
 
I am a landlord myself, and I know what you are going through. You are looking in the wrong places. You looked in the big box stores like lowes/home depot. The alarms you looked at wouldnt even meet the ADA laws. You need to order the one with REAL strobe lights. If you already have hard wired alarms, you just need to add the strobe in parallel to alarm you already have.. Its all on harris communication website. Again on harris website for the CO alarms. You will need to contact the doorbell manuafacter and ask if they already have a retrofit strobe or flashing light for your doorbell system. If they dont have one, then you need to know the voltage at the buzzer in deaf's apt. is it AC? DC? this will heelp you to design a light flasher.
 
Good for you, for checking in to make sure you're getting all bases covered. Sounds like you're a good landlord...
 
kwyant said:
Although I've been a landlord for over a decade, I just rented to a deaf person for the first time, and I clearly need to learn a few things. They are completely deaf, no hearing whatsoever. My concerns:

1) Smoke alarms and CO alarms. I have found some that have a light, but they seem to be designed to light up the way in the dark in the event of a power failure. Seems like there should be some with very bright strobes that could wake a person up who is sleeping.

2) Doorbells. This is a security building. The tenant can easily come and go with their key, but guests can not alert the tenant to their presence. Due to the distance from the front door, wireless systems are not working reliably. The impact/door knock systems also won't work since the guest can not get to the tenant's door. I can easily disconnect the existing bell or jumper off of it to add a strobe, but I am having difficulty finding a 12v dc strobe designed for this except by buying 1000 pieces at once from China. Does anybody have any good links or suggestions?

3) What else am I forgetting?

Thanks in advance for any help.
Click to expand...

I wonder if you are my landlord :hmm:
 
sound good help better identify more easy understand reason landlord good :)
 
Hmm.

Did you ask them if they needed anything? You could write a note to ask.

A wireless flashing doorbell, a flashing fire alarm and co2 detector - that's a given. I have my own and take them with me. Those may be the basics. Still, it's nice to ask.


You are very thoughtful. So good of you to think of that kind of thing!
 
kwyant said:
Although I've been a landlord for over a decade, I just rented to a deaf person for the first time, and I clearly need to learn a few things. They are completely deaf, no hearing whatsoever. My concerns:

1) Smoke alarms and CO alarms. I have found some that have a light, but they seem to be designed to light up the way in the dark in the event of a power failure. Seems like there should be some with very bright strobes that could wake a person up who is sleeping.

2) Doorbells. This is a security building. The tenant can easily come and go with their key, but guests can not alert the tenant to their presence. Due to the distance from the front door, wireless systems are not working reliably. The impact/door knock systems also won't work since the guest can not get to the tenant's door. I can easily disconnect the existing bell or jumper off of it to add a strobe, but I am having difficulty finding a 12v dc strobe designed for this except by buying 1000 pieces at once from China. Does anybody have any good links or suggestions?

3) What else am I forgetting?

Thanks in advance for any help.
Click to expand...

Bring the tenant a ham or turkey during holidays and you would be perfect. :lol:
 
I am glad that you are being so proactive in doing what your deaf tenant needs.
 
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