There are many international events that may have made you particularly anxious about the safety of your family. The most severe safety hazards, on the other hand, are extremely near to home.
According to the National Safety Council, the major causes of unintentional mortality in the United States are Motor vehicle accidents, accidental poisoning falls, drowning, and choking.
You can take some precautions to keep your family safe and your home secure. That’s why we will talk about the few preventive measures you can take to ensure the safety and security of your home and family in this article.
10 Things You Can Do To Keep Your Home And Family Safe
Decorating your new home is indeed a fun activity that all of us want to indulge into. However, you should also think about the safety and security of your home and family members if you want the fun of decoration to last longer. Let’s check out the 10 things you can do to ensure your family’s safety;
1: Install Security Cameras
You’ve probably read news about CCTV camera video thwarting robbers and porch pirates. This is one home security option that serves as the safest way to protect your home. You may purchase security cameras as part of a comprehensive home security system or purchase stand-alone cameras.
We recommend combining a security camera with a smartphone app, which allows you to see footage in real-time and save it if you need to go to the police. Protect your cameras from hackers by taking preventative steps as well. The Smith Thompson Company ensures you CCTV cameras at the best price. Just check https://smiththompson.com/.
2: Lock Doors And Windows
According to the Bureau of Justice, an estimated 3.7 million residential burglaries occurred annually on average from 2013 to 2017, with a household member present in around 28% of these burglaries. According to the same poll, the criminal gained entrance through an unlocked door or window in about 40% of the burglaries.
That’s why you must keep your windows and doors always closed even when you are present at home. If you can make this practice a habit, you will ensure the maximum safety and security of your family members and your home.
3: Watch Out For Fire Hazards
It is more difficult for children under the age of five to escape a domestic fire on their own. Therefore, keeping your house fire-proof is another thing you can do to ensure your family’s safety. You can install a smoke alarm on each floor, including the basement and outside and inside each bedroom.
Remember to test these alarms regularly. You should have one multifunctional fire extinguisher for every 600 square feet of a residential area. When utilizing a fire extinguisher, you must remove the pin, aim towards the fire’s base, squeeze the handle to activate and sweep the fire’s base sideways until it extinguishes.
4: Avoid Irritants And Allergens
Children breathe more air than adults, which makes them more exposed to the impacts of environmental contaminants. You can stop these contamination risks by utilizing exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathrooms.
You can also install a dehumidifier in the basement to keep humidity levels low. You should also remove any water-damaged furniture and carpet ASAP. When painting, cleaning, or putting up a new carpet, open windows and doors and change the furnace filters.
It will keep the dust off the carpet outside the room, which will ensure that none of your family members suffer from a dust allergy.
5: Ban The Bugs
Cockroaches, mice, ants, and other pests can be bothersome, but the chemicals you use to get rid of them are even more hazardous. Pesticides poison the air you and your kids breathe in and the floor they play on.
Thus, it increases the risk of evolving neurological disorders and even cancer. Therefore, you must always keep your kitchen clean and free of food particles by sealing crevices on your floors and walls.
You can also seal gaps in your walls and floors and use weather-stripping windows and doors. If you absolutely must apply pesticides, get the fewest quantity possible and go for gels rather than sprays.
6: Light Up Your Yard
Burglars, robbers, and other thieves dislike being in the spotlight. But, with enough outside lights, you can keep them at bay. That’s why you should always light up your front and back yards, along paths, and near garages and other outdoor structures.
Thus, you’ll not only make intruders scared, but you’ll also reduce your chances of tripping on your front stairs. You can even use motion sensor lights and solar-powered lights to save money on electricity. Using smart light bulbs and outdoor lights on a timer with a smart outlet are also good ideas to keep your home safe.
7: Lock Your Garage
Criminals always try to use the garage entrance point to access your house. But, even if they can’t get into your home, there’s a high possibility you have plenty of valuables in the garage. So make it a habit to lock all garage doors, both inside and outside.
You might want to keep your garage door opener in the home as well. That way, a thief won’t be able to take it from your car itself. Also, if you use a security code to unlock the garage, keep it hidden and never give it out to anyone else.
You can also replace your old garage door opener with a smart garage door opener. To keep the goods inside your garage intact, you should cover the windows. You can use extra locks to secure garage doors and install a driveway security system.
8: Prevent Falls
Children are almost as likely as seniors to fall and get hurt, but there are things you can do to keep both of them safe. You can avoid tripping hazards, like electrical cords and toys on the floor.
Provide railings on both sides of your staircase. At the top and bottom of the steps, install light switches. In the bathtub and shower, use non-slippery mats. You should also install grab bars next to the bathtub or shower.
Use the safety straps on strollers and high chairs, and don’t leave a baby alone on a changing table or bed. These are a few home upgrades that pay off well in both the short and long term.
9: Get Rid Off The Hiding Places
Trees and shrubs provide beauty to your home, but they can provide a hiding spot for criminals. Therefore, you must prune the trees and plants near your home that criminals use as covers. Instead, you can use smaller blooms and plants.
You should also remove any trees close to windows so that nobody can climb out on those. Not only trees, but you should also put away any stools and ladders that criminals may use. Always lock the sheds and gates, and never leave any valuables in the yard to lure burglars.
10: Use Smart Home Technology
If you have a dilemma to convert your conventional house into a smart home, you should do it because it provides the utmost security to your family members. You can control door locks, CCTV cameras, smoke alarms, and lights remotely with home automation.
You can even receive real-time notifications regarding questionable activity, allowing you to react swiftly and deter burglars. Even when you’re on vacation, you can schedule the lights (to turn on and off).
You can use a smart doorbell to scare away porch pirates. When someone walks up to your driveway, you’ll get a direct video feed. You can check on a smoke alarm from your smartphone and deactivate false alerts.
Wrap Up
If you have gone through this article, you may have already figured out how to keep your home safe and secure. We are not saying that you should follow all these tips at once. You can take your time and do one thing at a time. Identify which risks seem more viable to you, and take precautions accordingly. The earlier you take, the safer your family will be, so don’t delay this process unnecessarily.