10 Things You Should Know About Home Safety*

Home sweet home! Yes, everyone knows this. However, it is your duty to keep your home safe and secure to prevent any unforeseen and unfortunate incidents form occurring. This is especially applicable in cases when you have small children in your home. Here are 10 things you should be aware of in order to keep your home safe.

– If you have a home with a septic tank, keep an eye on it’s level. OMDI has a great guide on signs that your septic tank if full and why it’s important you keep an eye on this to keep your home and family safe. The sludge that is in your septic tank can become a bio hazard and needs to be disposed of correctly.

– In the kitchen, always make sure that there is a considerable distance between sources of fire such as ovens, cooking ranges, heaters, etc. and flammable materials like plastics, papers, and curtains. Additionally, never leave any sharp objects unattended and maintain an adequate ventilation space for appliances like microwave ovens and refrigerators.

– In bedrooms, hallways, and living rooms, always ensure that there are no fire sources present. You must make sure that there are no cables and wires lying around that might cause someone to trip and fall. If there are, tidy them up, bundle them neatly, and secure them in a safe place with appropriate cable covers. Furthermore, you should use a flame-retardant mattress for your bed.

– All the bathrooms of your home should have non-slip rugs and mats to prevent accidental falls. Never store any electrical appliances in the bathroom and even if you have to, wrap them in a water-proof case and store them away from sources of water.

– Always store your tools and heavy equipment such as power drills and saws in the garage in an organised manner. Make sure that poisonous substances, chemicals, and liquids like antifreeze, lacquer, sprays, paint thinners, etc. are stored in a cabinet, which is well out of reach of pets and children.

– The stairway of your house should be clean and dry as often as possible to prevent any falls or slips. Furthermore, you should install a sturdy railing along both sides of the stairs and make sure that the distance between the rails is not more than 4 inches.

– Use your home’s lighting system and ensure that all the major areas are well-lit. For example, stairways and hallways should have adequate lights or motion detecting lights, especially if you have older people living with you.

– Your home yard should be surrounded by a durable fence to keep unexpected visitors at bay. It can also help to keep kids and pets from wandering outside without supervision.

– To protect your home against the hazards of a fire, install high quality smoke detectors in all the rooms and replace their batteries once a year. Purchase a fire extinguisher and place it in an easy to remember and accessible place. Never overload any sockets or extension cords; instead, use a separate one for each appliance or device.

– To protect your home from intruders and burglars, install a home security system from a reputed company. Furthermore, get all the locks changed occasionally from a good locksmith.