Home Safety Essentials for Homeowners
Home safety essentials are necessary supplies that help your family in an emergency situation. Read on to learn about five important items needed for home safety.
1. First-Aid Kits for Accidents
Most families have bandages and ointments for the occasional bruise or scrape. However, many homeowners don’t have a complete first-aid kit in their homes. These kits contain items like tweezers, scissors, disposable gloves, cleansing wipes, tape, painkillers, and antihistamines. With a stocked first-aid kit, people know exactly where to find items in case of an injury or emergency.
2. Fire Extinguishers are Home Safety Essentials
Every home should have at least one working fire extinguisher that is easily accessible. Check the pressure of your fire extinguishers once a month and make sure the components are in good condition. Most fire extinguishers expire within 5-15 years, so also check the tag and replace as needed.
Different fire extinguishers work to put out different fires. Make sure you have the correct type of extinguisher should a fire break out in your home. Multipurpose fire extinguishers labeled A-B-C are the most versatile and best for household use.
3. Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors
Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are important devices in every home. These detectors alert families to the first sign of a carbon monoxide leak or fire. Carbon monoxide detectors are especially important as odorless CO gas is otherwise undetectable. With these devices in place, families have an increased chance of escaping the house in an emergency situation.
4. Home Safety Essentials Include Escape Ladders
Every home should have an alternate escape route in case the primary exit is blocked during a fire. For many homes, this escape route is a window. Purchase escape ladders if your family lives in a multi-level home. As home safety essentials, these ladders allow for an easy and safe exit from an upper-level window. Most fire-escape ladders are collapsible and are hung on the window for use.
5. Disaster Kits
Disaster kits help families survive in the days and weeks after a flood, hurricane, and other severe weather events. Make sure there’s enough water and non-perishable food items for each person in the house to last three days, extra batteries and flashlights, personal hygiene items, whistles, medications, copies of documents, solar-powered chargers, matches, cash, pet supplies, and a battery-powered radio.
While homeowners may not need the home safety essentials in their disaster kit often or ever, it’s important to be prepared in an emergency situation. With a kit stowed safely away in the house, families will be prepared in case of a natural disaster.
Stock up on home safety items so that your house and family stay safe and secure. Outfit your home with these five safety essentials and you’ll be better equipped in an emergency.
Peconic Home Inspections provides home inspection services to the east end of Long Island, Suffolk County, and surrounding areas. Contact us to schedule an inspection.