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Just
like getting a physical exam from your family doctor gives you piece
of mind that you have a healthy body, having a home inspection done
can assess potential safety issues and hazards. An alarming home
safety statistic is the number of unintentional deaths in the home
resulting from fire or burns. The reasons vary, from the construction
methods or heating systems used in houses to carelessness and lack
of a proper fire safety plan in the home.
Regular inspections of your home should include
a full assessment of smoke detectors and security alarm systems.
While an electric smoke detector is part of the household electrical
system, most of these devices have batteries that act as back
up for when the power fails. These need to be checked as part
of your inspection. An ionization smoke detector is most commonly
found in homes as it is the least expensive type on the market.
These usually run solely on battery power and need to be tested
regularly. Testing for effectiveness is a simple task and changing
the batteries regularly will help ascertain proper working conditions.
Also, it is necessary to recognize that detector units should
be replaced periodically.
If you are going to perform a do-it-yourself home
inspection, there are several other key elements in the home that
should be a part of any assessment of fire safety. These include
checking for frayed wiring, making sure all fire extinguishers
are in working order, and that the dryer exhaust vent is cleaned
annually. However, you may need to spend some money on the cost
of a home inspection since it’s a good idea to have a professional
give chimneys and furnaces a once over. You can find detailed
information about what should be checked in your home and the
companies that provide those services by searching online. When
you find something you like you may also make some home safety
equipment and information purchase on-line, to save yourself the
hassle of leaving home.
It is the responsibility of everyone in the home
to make sure they know what to do in the event of fire. If you
have small children, it is a good idea put up several fire safety
posters in your house to remind them what to do in an emergency.
Place one in their bedroom and another in the kitchen so they
see the posters each day. These are available for no cost through
various websites that provide information and resources to help
keep families safe. Find lots of safety videos for sale on the
Internet that can help make family safety education more engaging.
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