Winter is an important time home maintenance and upkeep to ensure our homes are safe and cozy during the coldest month of the year. While we often spend lots of time dedicated to making our homes look beautiful and feel comforting, it only seems logical to consider the safety of our homes at the same time. Here are some simple tips to make your home safer. *This post contains affiliate links.
Service Your HVAC Unit
If you have children or elderly or disabled relatives at home then it is imperative you have an air-conditioner and a heater that works properly. Be sure to check over your HVAC Compressor or schedule a maintenance check up with a local HVAC technician to make sure that you aren’t left in the cold with a unit that freezes up or quits all together when the temperatures drop.
Consider Smart Home Security
Technology can be an amazing tool, and nowadays we have many options for smart home security. Using a smart home security system is a convenient way to monitor your house even while you are away. Smart home security systems can allow you to turn lights on and off, close and open blinds and even lock or unlock doors from your mobile phone. Video doorbells are also useful because you can see anybody that walks past the front of the door.
CCTV
Placing cameras inside and outside the house is a high-security tool to keep your house in check. It also helps you see what your household members are doing, especially the elderly, when you’re away from home. It is easier to check out on them, and you can even connect the CCTV to your phone and see what is happening at the moment. Although, at some point, you can bring them to a home health care service so they can have better monitoring.
Change Or Repair the Locks
Moving into a new home is exciting but one of the very first things you should do is change the locks. Though it is unlikely that anyone would keep a key and then use it to break in later, it is just a standard safety precaution. Be sure tomake sure your locks stay in proper working order and make any changes or repairs that may be needed over the years due to wear and use. You might even consider updating with a keyless lock system. You may also want to consider hiring a locksmith to change the locks.
Install Exterior Smart Lighting
Install exterior garden lights or motion detectors around your home and property. Use a type of light that comes with a motion sensor or simply place a light strategically so that when you switch it on, it illuminates everything. You can even use solar powered lights for convenience.
If you have a garden, you can even make it more attractive and safe at the same time by putting out garden lights.
Assistance for the Elderly or Disabled
Whether you have disabled family members, older relatives who require aspects of your home to be more accessible when they come to stay, or you are planning ahead to ensure that your home is comfortable for your own future, there comes a time when a few changes may need to be made. If you have stairs you will want to make sure you have a sturdy handrail or banister to help those who need a little extra assistance when they need to come up or down the stairs. To go one stop further, you can enjoy the full use of your home with Stannah, by installing a stylish and sophisticated stairlift. Stairlifts now come in very minimalistic designs and can include custom furnishings to complement the accent of your home.
To go one stop further, you can enjoy the full use of your home with Stannah, by installing a stylish and sophisticated stairlift. Stairlifts now come in very minimalistic designs and can include custom furnishings to complement the accent of your home.
You might also consider installing safety handrails in the shower. Contact your local bathroom contractors for help.
Control your lights and appliances from a remote or make them motion activated
Turning on and off appliances and lights, especially those that require bending down for, can become more difficult as we age and some get left on all night which costs a lot of money. A simple way to make the process of switching off appliances and lights easier is to connect them to remote control plug sockets so that at a push of a button you can turn them on or off from anywhere in your home, even while lying in bed or sitting on the sofa.
Fire Safety
It is common knowledge that to check your fire alarm regularly to make sure that the battery still works. This is important because electricity may be cut off during a fire leaving only the battery to sound the alarm. Checking is very simple and all you need to do is press the button to hear a sample of the alarm. Change the batteries on a regular basis as well. TIP: Schedule a reminder on your phone or on a calendar every couple of months to remind you to check your alarm.
Join Or Start A local Neighborhood Watch
One of the most important things you can do when you move into a new community or even if you have lived there a while is to get to know your neighbors. Once you know who is around and who you might turn to if things go wrong at home, you will be a lot more comfortable. Be sure to build up your network of neighbors and community members who are part of the local neighbor hood watch.
If your neighborhood does not have a watch system in place, then take initiative and start one! You can even be introduced to people living a little further away who want to make your whole community safer. If you have a neighborhood or building association, this could also be a good chance to get to know more people and be more involved in your community. Tip: Start a Facebook or email neighborhood group. This is a great way for neighbors to quickly and easily stay in touch.
A Few Extra Tips:
After the security system has been installed it’s crucial that you work with a reputable security company to improve your knowledge and increase the security of your home. If you are interested in other ways to make your home feel safe and comfortable check out my post below:
Creating A Safe And Comfortable Home
Spring is here and summer is on the way! After a long winter, it is time to enjoy the carefree days ahead. By using the simple tips provided here today, you can make those days even less stressful without worry about home safety.
Amber
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