How to Make Your Home Safety Checklist

Making your home more secure from intruders protects both your valuables and your piece of mind. An accident or injury can occur in any part of your home. Some safety hazards are obvious such as a toy truck left lying at the top of the stairs. A house is an exciting place for infants and small children, who love to explore but aren't aware of the potential dangers.

Many of these accidents could be banned. Changes in equipment arrangement, tidiness, doors & windows, electrical Systems, cooking equipment, firefighting, alarm systems and many other things will help reduce your risk of falling at home. Use this checklist as a guide. Some simple steps to make your home more secure.

Secure all doors and windows:

Make sure your doors are solid and have at least one dead bolt (that can be opened easily from the inside) safety chains, and peep holes. Windows that have a fire escape attached should have safety bars or pins that can be opened easily from the inside. Secure sliding doors by placing a piece of wood in the track or pins through the frames on the inside. If you have a skylight that can be opened, make sure it locks from the inside.

Consider an alarm:

Alarms can be a good investment, especially if you have many valuables in your home, or live in an isolated area or one with a history of break-ins. Other alternatives (that cost less, but can also be effective) include motion-detectors and sound-detectors that turn on lights or make noise if the area is disturbed.

Bedrooms:

*Lamps and light switches should be placed close to each bed.
* Sleep on a bed that is easy to obtain into and out of.  
* Keep a telephone near your bed.
* Turn off heating pads before going to sleep.  
* Place a lamp and flashlight near your bed.

Electricity:

While electricity makes our life easier, it also comes with certain dangers, namely, electrocution and fire. The tips below can not only help you avoid these dangers they can also help you avoid high electric bills. Plugs should fit securely into outlets. Never force a plug into an outlet if it doesn't fit or remove one of the prongs to make it fit. This could cause an electrical shock.

Living areas:

*Install smoke detectors on each floor and change batteries each year.

*Clean chimneys annually.

*Place small stoves and heaters where they cannot be knocked over, and away from furnishings and flammable materials.

*Remove low coffee tables, magazine racks, footrests, and plants from pathways in rooms.