As the old saying goes, home is where the heart is. Your home is likely the single biggest investment you’ll make during your lifetime, and it’s where you’ll make most of your most precious memories. Most people consider their home to be the safest place for them to be, but unfortunately, our homes are only as safe as we can make them. Fortunately, there’s plenty you can do to make your home safer. Here’s how you can make your home safer.
Re-Examine Your Front Door
Your front door is the gateway in and out of your home, and it’s important for you to re-examine it for potential weaknesses. A lightweight or hollow door may not bode well in the long-term and can be easily compromised. For instance, the wrong door could be easily kicked down by an intruder. Your door should be metal or solid hardwood with deadbolt screws and fixtures. You can also invest in doorway reinforcement kits to help strengthen your door.
Enhance Your Bathroom
Although your bathroom is the smallest space in the house, it can be one of the least safest spaces. While you may not realize it, there are plenty of potential safety hazards in the bathroom. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that roughly 235,000 people over age 15 visit emergency rooms every year because of injuries suffered in the bathroom. Of those, nearly 15% are hospitalized, and one-third of those injuries occured in while bathing and showering.
With this in mind, it’s important to think about how you can proof your bathroom for optimal safety—particularly if you have seniors or children in your home. Non-slip rugs and slip-resistant flooring can go a long way. Protective faucet spouts, grab bars, secure shelving, and bath mats all contribute towards a much safer space.
Sanitize Your Space
Although “cleaning” isn’t usually associated with “safety,” during the uncertain times of COVID-19, it’s more important than ever for you to sanitize your home and maintain cleanliness. Sanitize surfaces and items that you use often, like doorknobs, remote controls, and light switches. Check out this article on how to improve digital security during the coronavirus.
Protect Your Home When You’re Away
Studies have shown that the majority of apartment owners have thefts during the daytime when they’re at work or at school, and burglars are more likely to target homes during evening hours when it appears that no one is home. There are a few ways that you can make your home look more “occupied” than it is, which can potentially thwart luring robbers.
One of the best ways to do so is by investing in security timers. Security timers turn on lights periodically to create the illusion that someone is present on the property. You can even take your efforts a bit further by investing in a fake TV. A fake TV is a great burglar deterrent because even though they don’t have real picture, the screen replicates the flickering lights and movement that a real television produces.
On the same token, when you are away, the last thing you want to do is give away signs that you aren’t present. Packages at the door and full mailboxes don’t aid your efforts to appear at home, so be sure you have a friendly neighbor or family member who can collect your items regularly.
Assert Your Security
It’s important for every homeowner to assert their security efforts by clearly displaying the measures they’ve taken to protect their home. For instance, it’s not enough to have security cameras around your home—you should also have signs up that demonstrate this to potential burglars, too. Signs and decals can help keep malicious individuals away.
Double Check Your Fire Safety
A report from the National Fire Protection Association report found that dead batteries caused nearly a quarter of smoke alarm failures. Furthermore, 21% of deaths caused by a fire occurred in a home whose fire alarm was not working. The last thing you want to do is rely on the previous homeowner to ensure your fire safety is up to standards. Proper fire alarm installation and precaution can prevent disastrous consequences.
According to Fortune Business Insights™, the global household cleaning products market size was USD 163.98 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 312.49 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.97 % during forecast period.
