General Safety
Know your vacation home’s address.
The address is located on your lease, your check-in packet, and on signage outside the home. If your home has an elevator, the address will be posted inside the elevator car as well.
Children should never be left unattended near elevators and must always be accompanied by an adult when on elevators.
If your home provides an elevator, it’s important everyone in your vacation group understand that children cannot use the elevator unattended. Do not press elevator buttons on different levels at the same time, and always firmly shut interior and exterior elevator doors after exiting the elevator car.
Remember to lock your vehicles and secure your vacation home.
Our vacation home keyless locks do not lock automatically. To lock your home’s keyless lock from the outside, touch the keypad portion of the lock with the back of your hand, which causes the locking mechanism to activate.
Do not over-occupy the home.
Please note that extra bedding isn’t allowed (such as air mattresses or cots). Only the maximum allowable number of occupants can use the home during your stay, including you, your family, all children, and guests who may be visiting you during the day even if they are not sleeping at the house.
No Carolina Designs Realty homes are ADA compliant.
If you have questions about your home’s entrance/exit widths, elevator dimensions, or any advertised “special access” amenities in your property’s description on our website, please contact our reservationists.
Fire Safety
When you check in, locate the home’s fire extinguishers, familiarize yourself with the home’s exits, and discuss an evacuation plan with your vacation group.
Fire extinguishers will be mounted on the wall in plain view or stored in clearly labeled cabinets.
Grilling cannot take place on decks and are not to be moved.
To mitigate fire risk, Carolina Designs Realty prohibits grilling on decks and places grills away from structures.
Smoking/vaping is not allowed inside any Carolina Designs Realty vacation home or outside on any decks. Please be sure to dispose of cigarette butts properly and safely.
Advertised fireplaces are only available October 1st – March 31st and are not to be used while the air conditioner is running.
Many fireplaces are not available for guest use. Please check your home’s property page before attempting to use your home’s fireplace(s) between October and March.
Please note that firepits are not allowed unless provided by the homeowner.
Many communities on the Outer Banks prohibit the use of firepits at homes and on the beach.
You must secure a permit to have a fire on the beach in Nags Head. Beach fires are prohibited in the towns of Corolla, Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, and Kill Devil Hills.
To have a beach fire in Nags Head, obtain a permit for a nonrefundable fee from the Nags Head Fire Department website between 5:30PM and midnight on the same day you intend to have the fire. Rules and restrictions include:
1. A picture ID, address of the applicant and address or location of the requested fire must be provided to the Nags Head Fire Department.
2. If winds are 11.5 miles per hour or more, you cannot have a fire.
3. The fire cannot be built within 50 feet of combustible materials, including sea grass.
4. The pit for the fire must be no larger than 3 feet in diameter and no less than 1 foot deep.
5. At all times, the fire must be attended by a competent person 14 years or older. The emailed permit must stay with this person and the fire at all times if it active or hot. It is this person’s responsibility to attend the fire and ensure it is completely extinguished with water prior to leaving the site. All trash should be removed, and all holes should be filled in.
6. Only leaves, branches, or other plant growth can be burned. Burning trash, lumber scraps, and anything other than plant growth is illegal.
7. Note that special conditions may exist that could prevent the fire department from issuing beach fire permits in addition to wind speed, such as state-issued fire bans.
Most fireworks (and sky lanterns) are illegal on the Outer Banks.
Fireworks that leave the ground or make a loud sound (bottle rockets, mortars, roman candles, aerial fireworks, firecrackers, M80s, etc.) are illegal in North Carolina, as well as the release of sky lanterns. Pyrotechnics that do not leave the ground and emit sparks/smoke from a stationary position (such as caps, snakes, fountains, and sparklers) can be used in the towns of Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills, but are prohibited in the other towns on the Outer Banks. Never allow children to light these devices, and only use them outside on a level area away from ignitable materials. Always have water ready and available in case of fire. Thoroughly soak devices in water prior to disposal.
Pool & Hot Tub Safety
If your home provides a private pool or community pool, please abide by all additional posted onsite rules.
1. Never leave children unattended in the pool area.
2. As required by the NC Pool Safety Act, all private pools are either fully fenced in with a self-latching gate, have an audible pool alarm, or have high handles on doors with direct access to the pool area. Please report any broken latches or alarms to our maintenance department right away.
3. If your entire private pool is cloudy and you can’t see the main drain, discontinue use and contact our maintenance department. (Note that sand in the pool is very common in our area due to high winds and shifting dunes, and does not alter the chemical balance of the water.)
4. If anyone in your vacation group has an implanted device sensitive to electricity, please contact our office for further information.
5. Be extra careful on wet, potentially slippery surfaces.
6. If your home’s pool is heated, note that the maximum pool heat temperature is 85 degrees Fahrenheit. (Many pool heaters are heat pumps that require an ambient air temperature of 60 degrees or higher to heat the pool, meaning that if the temperature drops below 60 degrees, the pump will not continue to heat.)
If a hot tub is provided at your home, please follow these rules:
1. Never leave children unattended in the hot tub area.
2. Children under 12, elderly persons, and those with health issues should not use the hot tub. (Please note that children have an increased risk of skin irritation from hot tub use.)
3. Always have someone with you while using the hot tub, but don’t overcrowd it. Water can spill over the sides and damage the motor.
4. The temperature should not exceed 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Lower temperatures are recommended for extended use exceeding 10-15 minutes.
5. Do not stay in the hot tub for more than 30 minutes. Do not use the blowers and high jet settings for more than 30 minutes as it can cause overheating and motor damage.
6. Shower before and after using the hot tub.
7. Do not remove the chlorine floater. Note that the hot tub’s water may appear cloudy until chemicals have properly dispersed after it is serviced on check-in/check-out day. The hot tub will be checked mid-week by the vendor.
8. Leave the hot tub on low jet settings and replace the cover when not in use. Please use care when removing and replacing the fragile hot tub cover, and never sit on it. If the hot tub cover is found damaged, please contact our maintenance office.
9. Be extra careful on wet, potentially slippery surfaces.
Beach Safety
Love The Beach, Respect The Ocean: Be safe while having fun!
1. Never swim alone or leave children unattended by an adult.
2. Always swim with flotation.
3. Know Before You Go: The National Weather Service provides a beach forecast which includes rip current risk. Note that low risk does not mean no risk.
4. Sign up for daily Outer Banks beach and ocean condition text alerts from Dare County by texting OBXBEACHCONDITIONS to 77295. (It’s easy to unsubscribe after your stay, simply text STOP to the same number.)
5. Do not get in the water when red “No Swimming” flags are flying.
6. Be extremely cautious and consider staying out of the water when yellow “Dangerous Current” flags are flying.
7. Learn about rip currents and backwash. If caught in a rip current, remain calm, yell for help, stay afloat, and swim parallel to the shore rather than fight to swim straight back to shore.
8. Do not swim when a storm is near, or at night. Vacate the beach if you hear thunder.
9. Do not dig holes in the sand deeper than knee-to-thigh deep due to collapse risk, and always fill them in afterward for safety.
Protect yourself from the sun.
Use sunscreen (don’t forget to frequently re-apply!), UV-protective clothing, find shade, take breaks, drink water, and avoid the hottest part of the day when possible (10:00 AM-4:00 PM). Always keep a pair of flip flops or shoes handy while you’re at the beach. Remember, if it’s too hot for you to go barefoot, it’s too hot for dog paws too. It can take less than one minute for dog paws to blister. If it’s 77 degrees outside, asphalt and sand is 125 degrees. If it’s 87 degrees outside, asphalt and sand is 143 degrees. Never leave children, pets, or anyone else in a locked car due to the risk of heatstroke. Vehicle temperatures can rise rapidly.
Stay hydrated – dogs, too!
Whether you’re spending time in the hot tub, at the beach, or by a pool, always keep water handy. Be sure to make fresh water available to the four-legged friends in your group.
Remove all of your beach gear each evening. Fill in holes, and knock down sandcastles.
Any beach gear (including beach chairs and canopies) must be removed each day, or the town may dispose of the items. The beach must be left clear of obstructions, holes, and debris to help emergency vehicles and protect fragile wildlife.
