Maintaining a safe home is quite a bit like becoming a healthier person. While exercise equipment or a gym pass will help, those who want to enact long-term changes are going to need to actually create new habits as the dynamics in their home change. Here is a look at a few great ways to improve the safety of your home and your family starting today.
Create a Monthly and Yearly Safety Checklist
One of the first steps that every family should take is to create monthly and yearly safety checklists. These checklists generally need to be nothing more than a 10 or 15 items that should be checked every 30 days or 12 months such as signs of water damage in the basement, carbon monoxide detector batteries, smoke detector batteries, and expiration dates for medicine and fire extinguishers.
You can also set up emergency plans for your family, discussing various contingencies such as how to escape the house if it’s on fire, where to meet up if your family was split up for some reason, and how to survive an earthquake and other natural hazards. All family members should keep lists of critical phone numbers of home service providers and the like in case guardians and heads of the home are incapacitated.
Become a Better Neighbor
One simple and free way to improve your family’s safety and the safety of your possessions is to do nothing more than become a friendly neighbor. When a neighbor has a general idea about your habits, who should be visiting your home, and any medical concerns, they can notify the authorities when something is amiss such as a suspicious individual on your property.
If something concerning has happened on your property, like you suspect someone has stolen goods from you, inform your neighbors and offer to watch out for their homes as well. Contact the police early to establish a paperwork timeline so you can have a higher chance of pressing charges and profiling suspects should the events continue.
Install an Automated Security System
Modern security systems are comprised of high-tech devices that require little or no maintenance from homeowners. Most will find that they need to only set their preferences once and these systems will do the rest. Touchscreen and wireless controls can be used to lock doors, check in on security cameras, or be notified when motion sensors are tripped. Northstar Alarm reviews and those of similar companies can give you a glimpse into the strengths and weaknesses of various systems.
Be Safe with Renovations
Homes that were made before the 1980s may have a number of toxins in the paint, insulation, and even the pipes. When any home renovations are carried out, owners of older homes should first have an inspector check on these materials to ensure that there are no dangerous chemicals such as lead. If chemicals are found, the family may need to relocate while professionals remove these materials permanently.
Remove Toxins and Allergens
Parents may be surprised to hear that, pound-for-pound, children breathe nearly 50 percent more air than adults. This means that they are especially susceptible to toxins and allergens that are lingering in the home. HVAC filters should be changed as often as possible with a full inspection of the ducts at least once a year. Parents should also consider professional air quality testing if their family has been experiencing chronic respiratory problems.
Comprehensive safety and security in the home requires much more than a few locked doors and occasionally checking smoke detectors. Every family should take a fresh look at the safety devices throughout their home at least a few times a year to ensure that they are working properly and do not need to be upgraded.