These home safety tips can make a big difference. Sometimes, it's the little things that matter, especially when it comes to safety. Many Americans spend more time at home so that these safety tips may save lives. At a minimum, they'll save you time and money.
Kitchen - Increase the life of your dishwasher by cleaning its filter. Make sure the smoke detector works and change batteries when needed. Check for leaks under the sink. These are more common than you think. Replace old pipes or tubing when required,
Bathroom - Manually check for leaks or add an intelligent sensor to monitor them in real time. Receive alerts on a smartphone app. If anyone in the home is elderly or disabled, grab bars in the bath are necessary.
Bedroom/Home Office - With more time spent in home offices, consider replacing hot, energy-sucking bulbs with LEDs. Did you know they use 80% less energy? Plus, they're much more relaxed than incandescent bulbs, saving you on monthly cooling costs.
Laundry Room - Free your laundry sink from any clogging. Inspect the washer and dryer for cracked or brittle hoses, and be sure to clean the dryer vent and keep the filter free of lint. If you have tiny children, placing cleaning supplies overhead keeps them safe from harm.
Yard/Exterior - Drainage away from your home prevents all sorts of issues. Clear and repair any drains removing water from your home. Flush them out with a hose. Keep the gutters clean and properly draining. Ensure the yard is free of poisonous plants like poison oak and ivy. Remove dangerous debris, broken equipment, dilapidated sheds, and other unsafe items. Ben Franklin said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
A/C - Change or clean A/C filters once a month during the summer. Routine maintenance for A/C units is a must. An A/C can cause water damage and destroy walls, floors, and ceilings without proper care. Maintain pans and drains to prevent water damage and expensive repairs. Water damage also invites mold. This cannot be easy to eradicate in Florida without proper maintenance and remediation. Proper maintenance also increases the life expectancy of these expensive necessities.
Windows - Maintaining windows can extend their life for many years. Neglect them, and this expensive necessity can cost thousands of dollars in replacement. Keeping windows caulked and repaired also increases energy efficiency saving you money.
Pool - Keep the filter clean and the chemicals and salt at proper levels. Brush the surface of the pool to loosen algae and debris. Keep the deck area clean and algae/mold-free to prevent falls. Algae are slippery!
For more home safety tips, call Mona Leonard, Treasure Coast Insider Blogger, at 772-530-6131 mona@monaleonard.com