Make Home Safety a Top Priority With This Handy Checklist

Most people know about the more obvious home safety measures, such as having working smoke detectors. But there are plenty of safety issues you may have overlooked. Here’s a handy guide for you.

• Have your heating system serviced annually. With age, the heat exchanger in your furnace may crack, allowing carbon monoxide, a deadly odorless gas, into your home.

• Add carbon monoxide detectors. On top of smoke detectors, every home should have carbon monoxide detectors as well. (See above.)

• Fire escape ladders for upstairs bedrooms. For about $70 CAD/$40 USD each, buy roll up fire escape ladders for the upstairs bedrooms. Some models are meant to be stored in bedroom closets while others can be mounted in cases underneath windows. When needed, hook ladders onto window frames, unroll and climb safely to the ground.

• Window treatment cords. If you have young children, consider cordless window treatments or at least have the cords raised high enough so youngsters cannot reach them and potentially wrap them around their necks.

• Rugs on hard surface floors.  Small rugs on hard surface floors can slide easily so place rubber mats underneath.

• Water heater temperature.  To avoid scalding incidents, adjust the temperature on the water heater thermostat to no more than 50 degrees celsius/120 degrees fahrenheit.

• Nice doggie!  One of the most common liability claims against homeowners insurance is dog bites. If you have a high-strung dog, take extra precautions when guests are in your home. There are some breeds for which insurance companies will decline coverage.

• Cooking fires. The No. 1 source of fire in the home is from cooking accidents. Keep a small fire extinguisher in a cabinet for emergencies. Use timers to remind you when you have something simmering on the stove. If you have little ones, cook on the back burners and always turn pot handles toward the back wall where little hands can’t reach up and grab them.

• Don’t overload power strips. Do you have those inexpensive plastic power strips? Don’t trust them. They could overheat.  Most likely this would trip a circuit breaker before a fire could start, but it’s not worth the risk.

• Tripping hazards. Tripping accidents are another leading cause of home injuries. Keep hoses rolled up and put away. The same goes for yard tools. Keep stairs clear of clutter.