Your home is your sanctuary from the rest of the world. When you’re there, you can forget about the other issues going on. That’s why you want to keep it safe from disaster. Here are several tips that can help you protect it from various things that could greatly damage or even destroy it:
Have Your Fire Protection System Regularly Inspected
It’s great to have fire protection systems. They can be invaluable when it comes to keeping any fire from spreading. You just need to make sure that it’ll be working when you need it. The NFPA25 Code concurs, saying that you’re required to have it professionally inspected and tested. There are various things that need to be checked, and the intervals can range from once a month to once every five to 10 years. Consult your owner’s manual to see when you should schedule these inspections.
Protect Your Floors
Hardwood floors are extremely durable. According to From The Forest, they can last anywhere between 25 and 100 years. Of course, being made of wood, they are also extremely flammable. Protect them from something like a fireplace by getting a fireplace rug, and also don’t make it too hot. Always make sure that the fire is out at night and that there are no embers.
Pay Attention to Electrical Outlets
Electricity is another major cause of house fires. That’s because there’s a lot of wiring running through a place, and if there’s an issue, like frayed wires or loose outlets, then this can cause a fire, which can be swiftly destructive. There are things to look out for, like sparks from outlets or warm walls. Have an electrician come inspect your place if you’re noticing things like that.
Have Power Back-Ups
There are many different reasons for power outages. They can range from your own circuit breaker to ones that can affect an entire swath of a city or even the country. According to Bankrate, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) said in 2015 that there were more than 3,500 power outages lasting around 49 minutes.
If you’re not prepared, and it turns out to be an extended outage, then it can be a real disaster. This means that you could have spoiled food, among other things. The best bet is for you to have a power back-up that immediately kicks in when there’s an outage. There are ones that can last nearly indefinitely, depending on the fuel source. This way, you can keep living normally even when others don’t have power.
Preparation Is the Key to Being Safe
Be always aware of certain things around your place and if it looks like something is going wrong with them. Also, have a bag ready to go if there’s a disaster. It can include important documents, any medication that you or your children need, and emergency contacts programmed into your phone. Have an escape route ready and practice it so that it will be second nature if some issue should arise. This way, you’ll minimize the chances of being caught off-guard.
Doing this isn’t overthinking or being paranoid. Instead, it shows that you’re aware of the possibilities, even if your place is brand new, and you’re in a great neighborhood. Disasters can still happen, no matter the location. You owe it to your family and yourself to be as cautious as possible. It’s a matter of their safety.
Even despite your best efforts, things can happen. The key is that if you follow all of the above tips, you’ll give yourself a better chance of being able to prevent a disaster from becoming a true tragedy for yourself and your family. That’s all that you can ask for.
