According to the calendar, Spring has arrived in Clear Lake and the surrounding areas, but it is struggling to break free from winter’s hold. As you still may have a bit of time spent indoors, we would like to provide you with a few suggestions to improve your family’s safety. Yes, we know – you are thinking about home remodeling, getting the garden cleaned out, and even prepping the barbeque. But, these suggestions could save your life.
Improving Your Home’s Safety in Three Steps
To make it easy for you to get started, there are three key areas to focus on. We have seen far too many homes suffer extensive damage from what could have been a much smaller loss – we want to help you avoid the same.
Focus on Fire
Fire threats are very real in our community. Older homes, for example, often increase the odds of a fire. There are lightning storms to consider as well. We want you to have the tools you need to react to a fire quickly to minimize the threat to life and home.
- Start with installing the right smoke alarms throughout your home. Choose a unit that detect both heat and smoke. You’ll want to position them in your home near fire-related risks such as the kitchen. Also, place one near your home’s bedrooms.
- Upgrade existing alarms – this is very important to do if you have a model that was included in the recent Kidde recall. We also recommend looking into a connected smoke alarm system. These systems communicate with each other, triggering all alarms to sound if there is smoke detected at any unit.
- Test them each month, be sure they are working. Change out the batteries at least one time every year. And, replace any units more than ten years old.
Focus on Carbon Monoxide
Many of us still have our homes closed up pretty good as the temperatures are still a bit chilly. That means there’s a risk of carbon monoxide building up in your home. This is a life-threatening gas that has no scent or color. Take the time to learn more about how to prevent it at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Be sure to have all appliances in your home inspected by a licensed professional. They need to vent outside properly.
- Install CO2 alarms in your home. Place them on each floor, and close to all bedrooms.
- Check them on a routine basis, at least once per month.
Invest in Fire Extinguishers
If a fire occurs, you and every member of the family need to know how to react. Beyond being alerted to the fire by a detector, having a fire extinguisher on hand is the next most important thing to be prepared for.
- Purchase the correct fire extinguisher for the risk in your home – such as rubbish, plastics, electrical, and fuel risks. The OSHA.gov website offers instructions on how to choose the right type of fire extinguisher.
- Then, ensure everyone knows how to use the fire extinguisher. You can learn that from OSHA as well. Even kids can learn how to use it properly.
- Place fire extinguishers in your home near fire risk areas such as the fireplace, kitchen, and grill area. And, be sure to check it annually for proper pressure. And finally, be sure your fire extinguisher is not affected by the Kidde recall.
That’s all you have to do to start making your home a bit more safe.
