Home is the place where we feel safe and secure – a haven from the outside world. But no home is automatically safe. There are things that we need to do to ensure our families remain safe and protected from common hazards and threats. Unfortunately, many of us are unaware of the measures and precautions we should be taking.
Not sure what steps you should be taking to keep your family safe at home? These tips will point you in the right direction.
Be gas safe
Any home that is supplied with gas, should have its appliances serviced and safety-checked annually. When a Gas Safe engineer carries out a boiler service, they will check the flue and make sure there are no leaks or faults that could prove dangerous. Getting parts checked and replaced early, can prevent critical problems occurring later on. It should also keep you safe from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Check alarms
If you have a gas boiler, fire or other appliance, it’s wise to get a carbon monoxide detector and test it regularly. Whether you have a gas supply to your home or not, you should certainly have a smoke alarm. Ideally, you should have at least one on each floor. This should also be tested about once a month.
Should you already have detectors and alarms fitted, you might be feeling smug right now. But did you know that they have an expiry date? Most units need replacing after a decade, yet few people realise this. So, to ensure your alarms and detectors are protecting you as much as you think, get them changed every 10 years.
Boost home security
For our homes to be safe, day and night, they need to be secure. It’s probable that you already have the basics covered, such as locks on your doors and windows. But there are other beneficial steps you can take to boost your security. A system combining alarms, cameras and security lights is usually the best and most comprehensive way to protect your home but there are other effective measures such as strong fences and timer switches for your lights that can also boost security.
Be smart about technology
While some technology, such as a smart security system, might be good at keeping your family safe, some modern tech can put them at risk.
Make sure the software for smart and connected devices is kept up-to-date and install anti-virus software on computers, laptops and smartphones. Use secure passwords and implement two-step authentication where necessary. Although it might seem unfair, don’t be afraid to monitor and restrict access to the internet and streaming channels when it comes to the younger members of your family.
Think about fire safety
Aside from fitting smoke alarms, we rarely think about fire safety in the home. But we should. There are two free things that you can do to improve the fire safety in your home and protect your family.
The first is to get into the routine of checking over your house before you go to bed each night. Ensuring that cookers, heaters and other electricals are turned off and that doors are closed will help as it will minimise the risk of fires igniting and spreading.
The second thing to do is to have a fire escape plan. This includes making sure everyone knows where door and window keys are kept and that they’re positioned somewhere handy. You should also be mindful to keep the path to doors free from obstacles and the sills of any escape windows free from clutter.
Don’t ignore electrical safety
Did you know that around 4,000 fires a year are caused by faulty electrics? So, another step you can take to keep your family safe at home is to get your wiring checked every 10 years and to take care with electricals. Stop using anything that seems to be getting too hot or has loose wiring. And never use a socket that has scorch marks.
Don’t try to run lots of appliances from one socket either. Using adaptors and extensions to turn one socket into four can seem like a good move when a room doesn’t have enough wall sockets available. But it’s a fire risk. Instead, contact an electrician and ask them to upgrade your electrical points.
Keep up with home maintenance
Finally, you should keep up with general household maintenance if you want to keep your family safe at home. Poorly maintained steps, stairs and handrails are hazardous to everyone and loose flooring and cables are a trip hazard. Inadequate lighting both inside and out, can also increase the risk of falls.
But it’s not just trips and slips that you need to be mindful of. For instance, poorly maintained roofs and gutters and a lack of ventilation can cause dampness and encourage black mould to grow. So, maintenance is important for our wider health too.
Draw up a schedule for your home maintenance, to help you stay on top of the jobs. And if you think you’re falling behind, consider using a local handyperson to get you back on track.
