Home is supposed to be a safe and secure place. It is where we can retreat to at the end of the day and know that we are protected against the world around us. And yet, safety in the home is not guaranteed. Things go wrong. Accidents happen and crimes are committed. It is enough to make anyone question just how safe the home is.
Do you know how safe your home really is? There is a good chance many of us do not. We tend to take safety for granted based on the misconception that bad things only happen to other people. Yet we subconsciously know that this is not true. Are we really just biding our time until something actually happens to us?
Fire Safety at Home
Conducting a thorough inspection of your home can reveal safety issues that previously went unnoticed. In terms of fire safety, a home inspection might reveal problems like frayed or broken electrical cords, flammable materials stored inappropriately, and other sorts of fire hazards.
Of course, every home should be fitted with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. In most states, they are mandated in all rental properties. Some states even require homeowners to install them in their primary residences even though such homes are not rentals. It makes sense. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors save lives.
Defense Against Property Crimes
Another potential safety issue at home is the ever-present threat of property crime. Burglaries continue to occur across the country on a daily basis. So do car break-ins, home invasions, and even simple vandalism. Is your house vulnerable? If so, do you know how to protect your property and family against criminals?
One of the easiest things you can do is install a home security system. Monitored security, from a company like Vivint Smart Home, is your best option. You can also install heavy-duty deadbolt locks and motion-sensitive lighting, and work on improving the view of your home from the street. Anything you can do to make it harder for criminals to do what they do will increase your safety.
Preventing Household Accidents
Perhaps the biggest danger we take for granted is that posed by typical household accidents. Did you know that 75% of the more than 160,000 accident-related deaths in the U.S. each year are directly attributed to household accidents? CDC data says the top five deadliest household accidents are:
- poisoning
- falling
- choking
- drowning
- fire (burns).
Having accidents at home is pretty common. It is safe to say that most of us have experienced at least one or two in our lifetimes. We also know that most household accidents do not result in serious injury or death. But the opportunity always exists. So why take the risk?
Take a good look around your home. Is it cluttered with things that could lead to tripping and falling? How about home cleaning products and other chemicals? They really should be kept out of the reach of kids and pets. The point is to say that the first step in making your home safe is to look around for things that make it unsafe.
Being safe at home is mostly a choice. Though there are some things over which we have little or no control, most of the things that make us unsafe at home can be corrected fairly easily. It is really just a matter of looking around and being honest about what you see.
Do you know how safe your home really is? If not, today is as good a day as any other to take a good look.
