We’re sure your home isn’t a health and safety nightmare, but if you have a family to look after, it is essential to check where improvements can be made. By adhering to these few safety tips, you will protect the health and wellbeing of everybody and have greater peace of mind when your kids are running amok around your home. But, of course, we aren’t only talking about safety hazards here as there are other aspects of safety to consider as well.
If you’re not sure where to start on home safety, we have some ideas for you. So, consider each of our suggestions and perhaps add them to a checklist of “things to do” if anything we say applies to your home situation.
Minimize outdoor hazards
The more opportunities your kids get to play outside, the better, especially in nicer weather. It will get them away from their screens for one thing, and they will also benefit from the fresh air and sunshine. However, there can be all kinds of hazards when playing outside, from the threat of the open road if there are any exit points to dangers that exist within your home confines.
Consider these safety tips for the outdoors:
- Secure holes in your fencing where younger children and pets could escape through
- Make sure your gates are securely locked
- Cover your outdoor pool and pond areas, and erect fencing to prevent younger children from gaining access
- Install rubber tiles around your children’s play area
- Remove clutter to avoid any falling hazards
- Remove or block access to any toxic plants in your outdoor area
Of course, the other thing to do is to keep an eye on your kids when they are playing. Especially for younger members of your family who have no idea about stranger danger, you should make sure their play is supervised by yourself or other responsible family members.
Toss away hazardous materials
The health of your children and pets could be at risk if they touch or ingest certain items, so these should be removed or contained in areas that are unreachable to them.
For everyone’s safety, remove the following items:
- Medications
- Nicotine products
- Cleaning products
- Lead paint
- Batteries
- Toxic houseplants
- Pesticides and weed killers
- Contaminated foods
Of course, some of these items are dangerous to you, except for medications taken wisely. However, you have the common sense not to mishandle such things, whereas animals and children in your home may not.
When it comes to your cleaning products, you can make life easier and safer by using non-toxic products. First, take a look in your local store and search for safer options. Alternatively, make your own cleaning products using ingredients that don’t pose any dangers.
Basic home maintenance
One obvious safety tip is maintaining a safer home, so don’t postpone your home repairs. Instead, check each room of your home for signs of damage and make the necessary repairs yourself or hire a professional. These should be a priority when there is a risk to your families’ health, such as gaps in doors and windows that are letting in cold air or mold and dampness in rooms that are regularly inhabited.
It’s essential to check your roof, too, for the leaks that could cause water damage and any loose tiles that could blow off and hit somebody when there is a strong wind.
Secure your home
It doesn’t matter if you live in a high-crime area or not. However, it is always important to secure your home as you never know when somebody might attempt to gain entry to steal your items. Consider these safety tips to make your home more secure:
- Invest in a home alarm system
- Install motion detectors around your home exterior, especially near entry points
- Remove or cut back anything from the exterior that the burglar could hide behind, such as trees and other shrubberies.
- Consider adopting a guard dog
- Ensure valuable items aren’t on show, perhaps by buying thicker curtains or window blinds
- Don’t share alarm codes with anybody you can’t fully trust
- Put stronger locks on your doors and windows
- Stop hiding your key under the doormat
If there is a neighborhood watch in your area, you should also contact them for support. And if you go away with your family for an extended period, you should also let trusted people know. This way, they will be able to keep an eye on your home for you and create the illusion that somebody might be home, perhaps by collecting your mail.
Fire hazard protection
According to fire statistics, there is an average of 358,300 home-based fires every year. Such fires result in property damage, injury, and loss of life, so you will understand the need to protect your home from such a catastrophe. Fires are often caused by electrical issues, cooking errors, heating problems, and smoking accidents, but other factors can also be.
To protect your home from fire hazards, there are several safety tips. These include the following proactive steps.
- Monitor your kitchen items, such as cooking tops and pans when they are in use
- Keep towels and other flammable items away from your stoves
- Check for outdated electrical sockets and replace them when necessary
- Arrange for repairs to your electrical appliances when they prove faulty
- Ask an electrician to check your home’s wiring
- Never leave open flames unattended, such as from a cigarette or candle
- Maintain your fireplace via the services of a professional
- Install smoke detectors and check them regularly
- Clean your dryer vent as this is a common cause of house fires
You should also purchase fire extinguishers, replace flammable pieces of furniture, and give your children lessons on fire safety, like other steps towards keeping everybody safe.
Conclusion on Safety Tips
There’s quite a lot to consider here, we know, but for the safety of your family, you shouldn’t overlook any potential hazards. Add anything to your “to-do list” that hasn’t been covered by you already and consider any other safety issues in your home that we haven’t had the space to mention here.
