Home is where you should always feel secure. After all, it’s your safe haven that offers security, privacy and refuge.
Basic safety precautions can enhance the safety of your home significantly. These include being cautious about what you share online, taking medications with safety, shifting from burning candles to LED ones, having a removal tree service and locking windows and doors properly.
For a more secure home this 2022, check out our general home safety tips.
Check the Insurance for Homeowners or Renters
Renters or homeowners insurance can’t prevent losses, yet they can put limitations in terms of financial consequences. Make sure to work with your insurance company to get sufficient coverage. Review your coverage and check if it matches your present situation and protects you against future damage in your area.
Always Lock Your Doors
A break-in will less likely happen if you make it harder for burglars to invade your safe space—your home. The moment you decide to keep your home locked up, you are doing your best to protect yourself and your family, as well as your valuables. Make sure to visit the nearest locksmiths in your area to get more trusted and secure locks, as well as key brand recommendations.
Invest in Home Security Systems
Purchasing a home security system can do more than just detect intruders as it can also detect carbon monoxide, water leaks, fire and smoke. In case of home issues, a home security system can place an automated call to a central monitoring service, occupant or frontliners of the home.
This can be installed professionally or you can do it yourself. Today’s innovation allows companies to include some innovative features like the ability to control thermostats, locks, lights, voice commands and smoke detection. If you don’t want a full home security system, you may want to consider buying some devices like CCTV cameras to cover some areas in your house, especially the points of entry and exit.
Inspect Water Feed Lines
These are flexible water lines that link your washing machine, dishwasher and toilets to the main water feed lines in your home, and they require regular inspection. Replace them every five years with braided stainless steel hoses rather than cheap plastic ones—these won’t last long. Make sure not to over tighten them to avoid possible cracks and leaks. There is no way for you to shut off the water if one of your water supply lines is leaking. Moreover, burst water supply lines are one of the largest causes of home insurance losses.
Your main water supply valve should also be inspected. A valve that has not been used for long will no longer work properly, and this isn’t uncommon.
Keep Hazardous Materials Safely
You may have some unsafe substances kept around your home, which could pose a potential threat. However, it’s more than gasoline or paint thinner. For example, laundry pods or dishwashing liquid pods can be deadly if ingested. Additionally, antifreeze may taste sweet to your pets, but it could harm them or even kill them. Therefore, make sure to store every container with hazardous substances properly.
In addition, you should be cognizant of the signs in children or pets that have been poisoned, such as gastrointestinal distress—reflux, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Go to the nearest emergency room or vet if this happens.
Put Away Unused or Expired Medications Properly
Unintentional poisoning is something we all want to avoid. It is an accident that involves swallowing prescription medications. Children are most susceptible to poisoning due to their lower body weight. Also, they tend to put anything into their mouths out of curiosity about what it tastes like. However, the risk isn’t limited to prescription medications. This also includes over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol and aspirin.
Keep the Lights On
Another simple yet effective way to scare burglars away is to improve the lighting around your home. The brighter it is, the more discouraging it is from an intruder’s standpoint. You can also automate your exterior lights in your yard to switch them on when they detect a person’s size, but ignore small animals. You can also tie up your lighting into your security system so that it automatically turns on when detecting an intruder.
Furthermore, you can program your security system to turn on the interior lights in a pattern or randomly to give an impression that the house is occupied. Connect cameras to these lights to know what triggered them. Plus, having better lighting can prevent you and your family from injury or accident. That being said, motion sensor lights are a great investment.
Get Involved With Your Neighbours
Interacting with other people in your area can potentially make you safer. Neighbours who are connected with one another will also be watching out for each other’s backs. In case your alarm goes off, they will be able to see what’s causing it. They can meet with authorities in response to your alarm if you’re not home.
Not just that, your neighbours are likely to notice if there’s something wrong at your home. For example, they may notice first if there’s a fire or someone is outside your home. They can be your security company’s call list because they can check your home before authorities arrive. Nearby eyes can sometimes be the best security despite the latest security systems available.
Repair or Replace Damaged Electrical Cords
Having damaged electrical cords inside your home poses a serious risk. They can cause potential electrocution and fires. That’s why all extension and power cords must be checked at all times for signs of cracking and unravelling. Otherwise, they should be replaced or repaired immediately.
All your power cords should not be pinned into place or under pieces of furniture and rugs. Cords placed under rugs are prone to overheat, while furniture can press the insulation and can damage the wires.
If you use extension cords daily, this means that you don’t have sufficient outlets to fit your electrical needs. Make sure to contact a qualified electrician to install additional outlets in rooms or areas in your home where you use extension cords often.
Unplug Unused Appliances
Remember to unplug any appliance when not in use. Very simple yet one of the easiest to be overlooked. Unplugging unused appliances protects them from power surges or overheating, apart from saving you power by decreasing phantom drain. With other things in mind, this simple tip can be easily forgotten. Nevertheless, new smart plugs allow you to set power schedules for every outlet in your home.
Takeaway
With these helpful tips, you can surely improve your home safety this year. From unplugging unused appliances to investing in home security systems, nothing is more important than putting you and your family’s security as a top priority.
Get your blog in number one position on Home Improvement Submit Guest Post Category.
If you have helpful information about the kitchen then do Kitchen Write For Us.