Keeping your home and your family safe is one of the most important priorities you have. Your home can pose some serious risks to your health and safety if not looked after correctly. Follow our tips below to ensure you’re keeping your property and loved ones out of harm’s way.
Update Your Electrics
Incorrect wiring systems can cause huge damage to your home if you’re not careful. Check that you don’t have a hazardous system such as federal breakers. If you do, engage a professional to update your circuits immediately. Defective electrics cause a considerable risk of fires, putting you and your family in danger.
Invest In Home Automation
Turning your home into an AV playground can be pretty pricey, but if you have the cash to spare, it’s a worthwhile investment for your safety. Having your lights, blinds, and curtains working at the touch of a button or the swipe of an app can make a big difference to home security. If you’re out for extended periods, you can have them set up on timers or access them remotely to make it look as though you’re inside – perfect for putting off intruders. Plus, you’ll feel like you’re living in the future!
Check Your Smoke Alarms
On the chance that your home suffers a fire, your smoke alarms must be working and up to date as they could save your life. Make sure yours are fully working and you have one on each floor of your home plus one in each bedroom as it can take a while for an alarm to detect smoke if the doors are closed. Your alarms should all be linked so that if one sounds, each one around your home will go off. You should test your fire alarms at least once a month. It may be the difference between life and death.
Ditto Your Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Suppose you have any gas appliances in your home such as a stovetop or fireplace. In that case, you will need a carbon monoxide detector. In the USA last year there were 430 accidental deaths caused by carbon monoxide. This figure could be dramatically reduced if all homes had a detector and alarm system.
Beef Up Your Locks
Having a simple lock on your front door just isn’t enough these days. Add extra bolts on your exterior doors, along with sliding chains that allow for the door to open only slightly when answering the door to unexpected guests. Add deadbolts onto each door and window and ensure your window keys are left in different areas around your home, not in the window locks.
Get Rid Of Mold
Though it doesn’t seem like a physical threat, mold in your home can be a silent killer. Mould creates allergens that can irritate your eyes, nose, and throat. In severe cases severely impact the lungs, causing chronic illnesses. If you or your family have asthma, your mold will need to be dealt with as it can cause asthma attacks.
Get A Safe
Keeping your home as safe as possible from thieves is important, but so is protecting valuables if someone gets in. Purchase the best quality safe you can afford and lock away large amounts of cash, any jewelry, and sentimental items. That way if someone enters your home, they won’t be able to walk away with your prized possessions.
Get Involved With Your Neighbourhood Watch
Looking out for others and sharing the burden of safety with your street will help not only you but your community. Share concerns in your area and keep abreast of any dangerous situations that may be happening locally.
Install A Security System
Having a good quality alarm system along with cameras is a great deterrent to intruders. Make sure you can record footage 24/7 and connect it to your smartphone so that you’ll have a running visual at any time. On the chance that someone does break in you’ll be able to help police catch the criminal and the footage may help with your insurance company. If you’re unable to afford a full-blown CCTV operation then at least purchase a video recording doorbell.
Add Child Safety Catches
If you have a house with young children, make sure that all cupboards are equipped with catches to stop little hands from opening them and getting their fingers caught. They’ll also stop toddlers from getting into the cupboard’s contents and accessing harmful items such as toxic cleaning products or poisons. Add them to drawers to stop children from opening the drawer and turning it into a falling object. A knife drawer being yanked out and landing on your precious baby is a nightmarish scenario that can be easily avoided.
Keep Your Garage Door Closed And Locked
It’s easy to forget to close the garage door properly but keeping it open means easy access for an intruder. Even if they can’t get into the main house, they will be able to take anything you may have inside the garage, including expensive tools, bikes, and your car itself. Plus, if they have access to your tools, you’re giving them the equipment they need to break in!
Keep Your Keyfobs Out Of Your Car
Suppose you keep your car on your driveway but keep the fobs to unlock your automatic garage door or the safety gate into your home. In that case, you’re basically welcoming in any potential intruders. Keep unlocking devices away from outside areas and take them into your home with you.
Fence Up Outdoor Water Areas
If you’re lucky enough to have a swimming pool or a water feature, make sure you add a fence to keep children (and adults) safe. It varies from state to state, but some places actually have laws around fencing in pool areas. A simple four-sided fence can dramatically reduce the risk of you or your loved ones drowning. It will also keep any unwanted animals out. You don’t want to look outside and find a family of bears hosting a pool party!
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