How can you enjoy your home with complete confidence? When you know it is safe to relax. One of the biggest reasons people enjoy returning to their homes is the sense of safety and security they feel. Summit Way Realty put together the best home safety tips to keep you and your family safe in the following article.
“Safety doesn’t happen by accident.” There are many variables in the outside world, so control what you can control when it comes to your home’s safety. Whether you own a property or are renting one, follow the top 6 home safety tips below.
6 Home Safety Tips You Need to Follow
1. Home Inspections are Key
Buying a home is a big responsibility and a significant financial investment. At the same time, signing a lease to rent ties you to the property for an extended period, making you responsible for certain things. Either way, you are primarily responsible for your safety. Hence the reason for safety tips and doing the necessary inspections before signing anywhere.
What type of inspections should you be doing? An excellent place to start is with the wiring of the house. Faulty or old wiring can quickly lead to a big problem. You should also check for possible issues like mold build-up, especially against the ceiling. And finally, do you have measures in place if a fire should break out? For example, do you have extinguishers in easy-to-reach areas? Are the exits of the home always open and clear?
Preparation is the key to staying safe. And whatever you do, never give a small problem the chance to turn into something damaging. When you notice something is wrong with the wiring, for instance, immediately call a professional to inspect and fix the issue.
2. Home Safety Tips with Children
As much as you want to keep an eye on your children 24-hours a day, this is simply not possible. But once again, you can make up for this lack of supervision by adequately preparing your home. First, you have to take into consideration the age of your children. For parents with young infants who are just discovering the excitement of exploring every inch of their surroundings, it is better to be safe than sorry. In other words, babyproof where necessary and pay special attention to sharp-edged furniture. And do not forget about covering electrical outlets, which tends to become a big point of interest to growing minds.
What about older kids that slip into the backyard unattended? Most importantly, if you have a pool, triple your levels of safety. A gate will not be enough to stop a toddler’s curiosity, so add other measures as well. For example, if you can cover the pool when nobody is using it, do it. And if you can put a lock on the gate, why not? At the same time, you want to ensure dangerous garden equipment is locked away and out of reach from children.
3. Safety Tips When Your Elderly Guests Stop By
The last thing you want to worry about if you have senior citizens visiting often (or possibly staying with you) is their safety in and around your home. Small things like slippery floors, steps, and inclines can potentially lead to permanent injuries. But this is where you have to think ahead.
Instead of breaking out slippery tiles and installing an elevator, take the practical approach of fitting guardrails. And if slippery tiles are still a problem, why not use a carpet to cover them?
4. You Go on Vacation
The importance of safety at home is not only when you are there but also when you aren’t home. Have you ever gone on vacation with the fear that you left on an appliance? Forgetting to turn off appliances such as a curling iron or clothing iron happens to many people, and it shouldn’t. Not when you are supposed to be enjoying yourself away from home. The best way to avoid these paranoid feelings is by being prepared.
Your best bet is to make a checklist of everything in the house that requires regulating. For instance, you probably want the fridge to stay on to keep your food fresh, but is the thermostat necessary for heating? And what about unplugging all other electrical appliances? When you have a checklist you go through before leaving on your vacation; you will enjoy your time so much more.
5. Security and Burglary Prevention
Nobody wants to think about it, but burglaries happen. Of course, this does not mean you should turn your home into a prison. However, it does help to cover some basics in terms of securing your property against intruders. For example, how old are the locks on the doors? Can the windows be locked, and how sturdy are they? Your property could have several weak spots that intruders are likely to target.
Stay one step ahead by trying to break into your own home a couple of times. Pay attention to those weak areas and install the proper security measures. For the most part, when intruders notice that a property has adequate security in place, they move on.
6. Home Safety Tips for the Exterior
Safety tips for homeowners include the exterior of the home as well. The exterior of your home is not just a potentially dangerous area for your kids or grandparents. Even you can find yourself getting hurt when you step outside during the night. Plus, if you have an unexpected visitor on your property, such as a wild animal or burglar, you want to be able to see them before stepping outside.
As mentioned earlier, garden equipment should be kept in safe storage. Otherwise, you could end up stepping on something sharp and dirty as you navigate the yard. But to add to this basic rule, install exterior lights and carve out a designated walking area. And if you are worried about using too much energy, opt for solar or sensor-based lights.
Making and keeping a home safe is a rather big responsibility, especially when you have a family. Keeping your home and your loved ones safe is worth every penny. Investing in safety should be a top priority. Summit Way Realty hopes the above home safety tips help you get started and help you feel at peace in your home.
