Home might be the safest and most comfortable place to be, but as a homeowner it’s up to you to keep it that way. There are a lot of issues that can occur within your four walls- and can be a hazard to your health, finances, even your life. Here are just a few of the ways you can defend your castle!
Protect Against Appliance Failure
A big appliance failing such as a washing machine, oven or boiler can cause serious stress to the average family. These are things that you can’t live without, but are expensive to replace. Many of us don’t have tonnes of cash on hand to be able to run out and replace these things, however if you purchase home insurance or even home warranty through a company like House Method you have peace of mind in case anything goes wrong.
For a small payment each month your covered against all kinds of issues, and so it can make a difficult situation feel much less stressful. Having savings is always a good idea, however savings can easily be spent and dipped into. If this happens before something breaks down and your savings account is empty then you’re back to square one. If you purchase a policy, you’re covered as long as you keep to your scheduled payments.
Protect From Burglars
From the dawn of time, if you have something worth taking- you have to protect from thieves! It’s everyone’s nightmare situation, you get home and see that someone has been inside your home and taken your possessions. We work hard for the things we have, we also have family and pets at home who we want to keep safe from intruders. Don’t get complacent, even if you live in a nice area you’re still at risks as thieves will think there’s more chance of you having high value items.
Invest in good CCTV that’s clear in both daylight and darkness. If you ever need to use the recordings as evidence, the police or courts wont accept grainy footage. A burglar alarm thats set every time you leave the house (even if it’s just for a few minutes) means that if anyone does try to get it, they won’t stick around and risk getting caught.
Install motion detector floodlights near the back and front door, and set these so they stay on for a number of minutes after being activated. Burglars like to work by the cover of darkness, and so decent lighting can send them away from your home. Smart home makes security easy these days too, you can turn lights in your home on and off remotely using an app on your phone, so you can give the impression that someone is in without you being there.
Protect Against Pests
It’s not just unpleasant humans who are looking to invade your home- all kinds of insects and rodents are interested in getting inside too! In search of food, warmth and shelter our homes often make the perfect spot- and once they begin to breed we can end up with a serious problem. Keep food in sealed containers– if you have a pantry where you store a lot of dry food, consider decanting everything into plastic or glass jars. You can always use a label maker to display what’s inside and its use by date.
Clean up food after use from floors and worktops, even a few crumbs can attract unwanted visitors. And keep your house clean- pests will target any home regardless of cleanliness but having a clear view makes them easier to spot. Droppings, dead insects, smears from rodents and more are all dead giveaways. But are harder to spot in a messy and cluttered home. Pests can spread disease, in some cases causing serious illness in humans. They can also cause respiratory issues, especially in those who are vulnerable or have allergies.
Protect Against Fire
Fire can destroy within minutes, and fire safety is something to take seriously. Fire alarms should be installed on every level of the home, and should be checked regularly to ensure they work. Your home should have a selection of fire extinguishers too, you can buy small ones for different purposes. For example, a fire blanket in the kitchen will put out fires from hot oil. C02 extinguishers are good for electrical fires, and water extinguishers are good for things like burning paper, material, furniture etc. Know what each can (and most importantly, cannot) be used on and be ready to grab them in an emergency.
