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Home safety is something we sometimes take for granted, right? I mean, I lock my doors at night and keep the batteries in our smoke alarms, but I don’t always think much more about it. We tend to worry a bit more about making sure our homes have a little wow factor, right? But the stuff that actually keeps your house from going up in flames or flooding the kitchen isn’t always obvious. It’s little chores that can easily be forgotten that can actually keep your home safe.
Here are a few simple things that are easily overlooked but actually make a big impact on your home’s safety:
Heavy Furniture that’s Waiting to Tip
If you have kids, especially smaller kids, dont’ neglect this one. After all, your furniture looks solid until a kid decides to climb on it or someone slams a door a bit too hard. While securing furniture sounds like a DIY project you’d rather put off, it takes all of five minutes and stops you from worrying about your TV stand collapsing.
What Are Your Vents Collecting?
Lint is a huge fire hazard. While I always fuss at my kids to clear the fluff trap in the dryer, that’s not where the real mess hides. Lint builds up in the vents, and when the machine overheats, it’s a dangerous situation. If you can’t do it yourself, you can look into a dryer vent cleaning service. Just keep those vents clean.
How Old is Your Water Heater?
I’ll be honest, I don’t think much about my water heater. I just turn on the tap and believe the hot water will flow. Until it doesn’t. And the thing is when they go out, you could have a lot more than cold showers to deal with: flooded basements and high repair costs, just to name a couple. So, keep those water heaters checked on a regular basis!
Everyday Clutter
Let’s face it: almost all of us have that corner. The one stacked with cardboard boxes, half-sorted donation bags, or the pile of papers you swear you’ll deal with “this weekend.” It looks harmless, but where is it? Is there an electrical socket nearby? Papers are flammable, y’all. Are they in the closet? Lack of ventilation could cause them to mold. And, there’s a reason they call us “packrats.” Rodents love to nest in clutter, so when we leave it out, we’re extending an open invitation for mice to make themselves at home.
Taking care of these simple things will create a safer and healthier home for you and your family.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links.