No one wants to think about the worst-case scenarios, but in order to make sure our families our safe as well as our belongings from time to time we need to consider how safe and secure our homes are.
We’re not just talking about the physical deterrents to keep burglars at bay but also safety from faulty wiring and making sure we’re adequately covered by insurance.
In this short guide, we bring you a checklist on how to make sure you’re up to date and giving your family the protection they need against accident and injury.
Home Security
Let’s start here, with a check on what you can do to make sure your home is as safe as houses. First take a look around at the physical condition of your entry points. Are your window frames in good condition? Plastic PVC can deteriorate every bit as wood can and once they use their structural integrity, can be an easy access point to a determined burglar. Make sure that locks too are working correctly. Track down those missing keys and make sure the locks aren’t jammed up and that you can easily lock and unlock the mechanism.
Doors too need a glance over. Do you always remember to lock up at night? Is your current system of locks adequate in preventing a break-in?
Not every home has a security alarm, but they are a great deterrent and modern systems can be programmed around areas that are vulnerable and won’t be triggered by your pet.
Insurance
Having both content and building insurance is a sure-fire way to protect your home against accidental damage and theft. You wouldn’t start a business without legal advice from someone like Hupy and Abraham, so make sure you shop around and get some quotes for the best coverage that offers you some extras. For example, some insurance will help you out with finding and paying for temporary accommodation in the event of environmental damage to your roof.
If you live in an area of the world likely to be affected by environmental concerns, make sure your insurance adequately meets your needs.
No one likes talking about it too much but consider life assurance in the case of a partner’s death and of course you should always make a Will. Talk to a solicitor about how to go about this and make sure your loved ones know how to access it in the event of death.
Fire Safety
You’ll also want to give your home a once over for fire safety issues. A rule of thumb is that you should have a smoke and/or heat detector on every floor of your home. Of course, if you have an expansive floor space you might consider two, to make sure all your area is adequately protected.
But having a smoke alarm is just half the job. To properly make sure you’re ready in case of a fire, you should test your alarm at least once a month to make sure the batteries are still working or have one that’s wired into your electrical system.
Keep them clean and free from dust by vacuuming the outside regularly and replace batteries regardless at least once every six months to stop old ones leaking and causing damage.
Have your family briefed on what to do in the event of a fire. Let them know what will happen and how they will exit the house and from which door. Show them how to do this calmly and quickly and not stopping to pick up toys or pets along the way. With younger children, you might also teach them an emergency number to call.
At the end of the day the safety of you and your family is of paramount importance. Being safe doesn’t necessarily mean spending out hundreds on the latest gadgets, equally as important is preparing your family for what to do in the case of a serious situation such as a fire.
Take a look around your home with a fresh pair of eyes and check over doors and windows, the fire alarms and security system to make sure you’re fully protected. Have your insurance documents up to date and consider scanning them and saving to Cloud storage to find quickly and easily in case they are damaged.
The worst-case scenario will probably never happen but if it does, you’re ready, you’re protected, and you know what to do. Relax and enjoy life together safe in the knowledge that you’ve got it covered.
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