How To Know Your Home Is Safe

There are many safety procedures that you need to take to ensure that your home is as safe as possible.  You will want to make sure your home is fire safe first of all.  Make sure you keep any combustible materials at least three feet away from any open flame.  Also, make sure that you test your smoke detectors at least once a month.  You can do this by pressing the test button until it beeps.  To test to see if your detector is smoke sensitive, stand near your smoke detector and light a match, then blow out the flame.  Next, hold the smoking match close to the detector.  It should go off.  You need to change the batteries in your detector at least twice a year.  The easiest way to remember this is to change them when the time changes.  Make sure you have a good fire escape plan.  Practice it regularly so that everyone in the home knows what to do and where to go.

You will want to purchase an ABC approved fire extinguisher for your kitchen.  It can put out all three levels of fires.  Also, it is a smart idea to have at least one fire extinguisher on each level of your home.  You don't want to have to run downstairs to get the extinguisher for a fire upstairs.  You will also need to strategically place your smoke detectors.  You will want to put one in the kitchen, but not too close to the oven or a ceiling fan because they can set off false alarms.  Place one either in each bedroom or centrally located in a hall near more than one bedroom.  It is a good idea to place one in your garage.  This is generally where people will store their paint, chemicals, and gasoline.  Also, putting one in the basement where your water heater and furnace are located is a good idea for safety.

Something else you will want to make sure your house is safe from are burglars.  You will first want to check out your windows and doors where burglars could possibly enter your home.  You should install a deadbolt on the door that leads from your garage into your home, but if you don't want to do that, then you may want to install a door reinforcer.  A door reinforcer is less expensive and can help prevent someone from kicking in your door.  Also, a peephole will make you feel more secure.  This way you can see who is on the other side of the door without having to open it.  If you have a sliding door, you can lay a broomstick in the track of it to prevent it from sliding open.  You could also install a pin lock that will hold your sliding door in place and prevent it from being lifted off its track.

To protect your windows, you may want to install keyed sash locks.  They give you better protection than standard sash locks.  Just remember to tell all your family members where the keys are located.  If you are going away on vacation, you should install timers that will turn your lights, radio, and TV on to give the illusion that someone is at home.  If you install motion sensor lights, they will come on when someone approaches your home.  This will give you added security.  All of these things will make you feel safer and more secure in your home and give you a little peace of mind.

WARNING: Make sure to use and follow all safety precautions when dealing with tools, power tools, or chemicals to prevent injuries or illnesses.  Also make sure to wear the proper safety clothing to prevent injuries.