Home Safety Tips

A house becomes a home when it is a space that allows the residents to relax, grow and lead a carefree life. One of the most important aspects of an ideal home is the safety that it provides to the occupants. A home with danger lurking around every corner in the form of unwanted intruders, fear of accidents etc is of no comfort to the occupants. One must ensure that the home that they live in is safe for occupants and guests and continues to be so at different stages of their lives. Here are top 10 home safety tips that you can use to make sure that your home is a safe haven for you and your family.

1. Safety from unwanted intruders:

Safety from unwanted intruders is one of the most important home safety tips to keep in mind. Burglary is the most common threat that we face. With our changing lifestyle, we are more reliant on unreliable people visiting our homes. From the courier boy delivering goods, to delivery boys bringing in the food we ordered- we have a lot of unknown faces knocking on our doors. One must be very cautious about monitoring the visits of such people. Not just that, there may be people who will come knocking at your door under the guise of such people. There have been instances where robbers have lurked around homes pretending to be delivery personals, mechanics, servicemen etc. The entry to your home should be safe and secure to keep such menace away. Install sturdy and reliable locks at your main entrance along with door chains, peepholes and deadbolts to provide the residents inside with enough opportunity to safeguard themselves.

2. Securing alternate entry points:

The main door is not the only entry point to a home. Make your home safer for your family by securing alternate entry points. Using strong safety grills for windows, balconies or for balcony doors is very important to ensure that your home is safe in more ways than one.

3. Digital security:

We now live in times when we can add another layer of security to our homes. It has become important to monitor the activities around our homes at all times as more and more families are away from their homes throughout the day. A working couple might be away at work, leaving the home vulnerable to any unwanted visitor. Adding security cameras, alarms etc is important. They come with a lot of features and one can monitor them from their mobile phones too. It is also an important layer of security if you have children around the house while you may be away. Adding cameras is also useful if you are on a holiday or travel frequently. It is also advisable to post signage outside the house warning miscreants of them being watched.

4. Safety against pests:

While the aforementioned points ensure that your home is safe against unwanted intruders, safety against unwanted pests is just as important. Making your home safe for you and your family members against pests is extremely important. They carry germs and potential to spread hazardous infections. Use mesh for your windows and balcony doors from where these possible pests might enter. Keep your home free of mosquitoes, rodents etc to make sure that your family is living in a clean and hygienic environment. If you have a garden or a balcony or terrace garden, make sure that your garden is well taken care of, does not have stagnant water etc. Dispose garbage in a timely manner, and if you or your fellow neighbours practice composting keep your immediate surrounding clean.

5. Safety against heavy objects:

If you have children at home, make your home a safe place for them by ensuring that any accidents are avoided. Heavy objects falling on a person can be very dangerous and such accidents are best avoided. Open shelves with heavy objects, heavy sculptures etc can be a threat to the safety of young ones. Free standing cabinets that can be pulled down are just as dangerous. Try to install wall mounted units as widely as possible and keep heavy objects out of reach of children. Opt for closed cabinets if you intend to keep heavy objects in them.

6. Safety against sharp objects:

Another threat that is constantly looming over our family is the danger of sharp objects. If you have children at home, or someone with fragile mental health- keep sharp objects out of their reach. There are many options to use child safe locks for cabinets, safety gates to barricade spaces etc. Since the kitchen is the most vulnerable space, one could even have a door installed so that it can be kept locked when not in use. Try to use unbreakable items as tableware, and replace fragile, breakable home decor with something sturdy and unbreakable- ideally without sharp edges. Furniture like tables etc can also be hazardous, but one can use edge protectors for the same.

7. Safe indoors and outdoors:

Install ample lighting in your garden or balcony to prevent any accidents. Automatic lights for porches, motion sensitive lights for entrances or staircases are a good way to ensure that there is enough light to make a space safe. Taking a fall, lurking animals or even unwanted intruders can be a real threat in the darkness. If you have staircases at home, ensure that there are no sharp edges and the nosing is done to make the edges blunt. The grills used should be sturdy and the height should be good enough to provide safety to all residents using the space. If you have balconies at home, installs safety grill to make sure that it can be used safely by you and your family.

8. Slippery and wet surfaces:

Another common concern is falling due to wet and slippery surfaces. Make sure that your bathrooms have anti-skid tiles to prevent accidents due to falling. Apart from this, it is advisable to opt for slightly rough flooring option for kitchens as well. Balconies and gardens should also have flooring/paving that is not slippery. If you are using doormats make sure that they are heavy and prevent slipping when stepped on them. Using heavier rugs is also advisable as very flimsy rugs can also cause one to slip on them.

9. Safety and home decor:

There are varied elements in your home decor that should be taken care of. Some have already been discussed at length above. Prevent using sheer curtains at places where one can easily look into your home. If you do use them, combine them with thicker curtains to ensure safety and privacy. If you are using candles at home, keep them out of reach of children and blow them out when not in use as it can be extremely hazardous. Invest in a fire extinguisher to ensure that any incidents due to fire can be taken care of immediately.

If you have a green thumb and have integrated plants into your space, make sure that you pick the right ones. Avoid poisonous plants, prickly plants etc that can be dangerous for your kids or pets. If you do have cacti or prickly plants, keep them away from where they can be reached by children or pets.

10. A pet-friendly home:

If you have pets, the safety of your pet is just as important as the safety of any other family member. Precautions should be taken to make sure that your pet is at ease in your home. Precautions similar to that of those taken while a toddler is around would be essential here.

These 10 safety tips will help you make your home a much safer place for you and your family. Enjoy your time at home without worrying about any dangers that might put your mind at distress.