Everyone knows that it is far easier to make yew year’s resolutions than it is to keep them. In the case of your home, though, resolving to improve home safety is not just easier than most self-improvement resolutions, it is also incredibly beneficial in the long run. More often than not, making your home safer is merely a matter of taking simple steps to prevent the very worst from happening: compromising your family’s safety. Even if you already have an Orlando security system, such as SafeTouch, here are some simple and easy home security improvements you can make to resolve for a safer 2014.
SafeTouch Security Systems has locations in Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Tampa, and Orlando, Florida, and Savannah, Georgia.
Stay Safe Inside Your Home
First, in addition to installing Orlando home alarm systems, make sure to maintain safety in your everyday routine around your household. Whether you know yourself to be a bit of a klutz or are concerned about young children, here are several ways to improve home safety.
- Secure Your Television: Flat-screen televisions are a modern convenience, but average TVs still weigh enough to fatally injure children and adults if tipped over. Hang TVs on walls to not only prevent clumsy adults from knocking it over, but also keep them out of reach of children. Many different kinds of mounts are available, from placing the television flush against the wall to others that allow rotation, so be sure to find the one that works best for you.
- Know Your Smoke Detector: Most consumers only think about their smoke detectors when the batteries run low or a baking disaster sets them off, but it is important to maintain detectors. Make a regular schedule for changing the batteries, and, if your model is 8 to 10 years old, be sure to replace it. For homes with older furnaces or oil and kerosene space heaters, consider installing carbon monoxide detectors to alert you to the presence of this poisonous gas.
- Check Your Chimney: On the topic of fire and smoke, if you have a wood-burning fireplace, have the chimney cleaned once a year to remove any potentially dangerous buildup. Also, although a gas fireplace will not have a chimney, have a professional perform a vent inspection every once in a while.
- Take Care with Water: Water is a significant danger for children, among whom scald burns are especially common, so if you have kids in your home, be sure to use water carefully. Some preventive steps include setting your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, always testing bath water temperature before putting a child into it, and never leaving babies alone with water, as they may drown in even an inch of it. Accordingly, always drain bathwater as soon as possible, close toilet lids, and generally close bathroom doors.
Keep Your Home Secure
Beyond these simple steps for making your home safer for all household members, it is also important to pay attention to home security and Orlando home alarm systems in the new year. Here are some of the best ways to prevent a crime from occurring at your home.
- Landscape Your Yard: Trim overgrown trees, shrubs, and other plants, and replace them with well-maintained and manicured foliage. One of burglars many secrets is that they prefer to lurk in shadows, so make your yard less welcoming by keeping it tidy and adding strategically placed flood lights.
- Reinforce Doors and Windows: Most doors can be felled with a crowbar or a few swift kicks, so install screw-on door guard plates and door jam reinforcements to strengthen your doors. If replacing an older door, consider a solid steel security door. Since windows are the next most common entry point for burglars, add a smash-proof coating to prevent them from being broken. Not only are these films easy to install, but they will hold glass in place whether a thief hits a window with a brick or extreme weather rages outside.
- Secure Your Garage: Most homeowners keep their garage door opener in their cars, which can be easily stolen to gain entry to your home when cars are parked on the street. Add a WiFi-enabled garage door opener to your SafeTouch Orlando home alarm system that will allow you to check on, open, and close your garage door from anywhere with Internet access.
- Install Cameras: Since the latest generation of security cameras and equipment can be wireless, homeowners can now get a live feed of footage on their phone, tablet, or other device. This will make it easy to check on your Orlando home alarm system when you receive a call from the security company or a neighbor. You can even catch home invaders in the act, from petty thieves stealing packages from your door step to burglars attempting to get into your home. Motion-activated alarm systems will sense the sound or motion, alert your phone, and allow a quick response with no need to review any footage.
SafeTouch Security Systems has locations in Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Tampa, and Orlando, Florida, and Savannah, Georgia.