According to Harvard Health publications, accidents in the home are one of the leading causes of injury and death in the U.S. Not only are there steps you can take to keep your family safe, but there are ways to keep your home from being damaged by failure of systems in your home.
Home detection systems have been around for years, but many homeowners and residents are not investing in these life-saving devices. According to the CDC, most residential fire injuries and deaths are due to smoke and toxic gases, not burns. It's a fact that smoke detectors save lives. Make sure you have a working smoke detector on every floor of your home and ensure there are units installed near your sleeping area. The same is true of carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas that can be released by faulty gas-fired heating or cooking appliances, and the early symptoms of carbon monoxide can mimic the flu. There is no reason not to have both of these devices in your home. The cost range is between $10-$60 for a simple device that could save the lives of you and your family.
Another item to have around your home is a fire extinguisher. These devices can help you control a small fire quickly, but practicing with one of these is a good idea. First Alert has a new easy-to-use unit called Tundra; it operates like a can of hair spray. What I really like about this unit is that it is compact and very easy to use. You can place these on every level of your home, especially in the kitchen. The cost is only $20; you can learn more about these units at firstalert.com.
Night lights can certainly help you find your way in the dark at night, but you don't need to waste energy with a bulb that burns all night long. Philips has a new system called SpotOn: lights with motion detectors. These bright LED lights can be positioned and stuck to the walls to create a lighted path. At under $20, you can now safely go quietly into the night. You can purchase these at a and other retail outlets.
During the winter months it's important for many of us to make sure the heat is working properly in our homes and that we don't spring any leaks. Or maybe you are lucky enough to have a second home that you need to keep track of. The Freeze Alarm and Water Alarm are inexpensive ways to keep a mechanical eye on your home. You can purchase these alarms for around $70 at protectedhome.com, and many hardware stores across the country. They will monitor the temperature inside your home, and if it dips below a safe level, the units call up to three phone numbers that you program in to alert you that there's a problem. This gives you time to react and avoid costly repairs.
If you really want to keep an eye on your home, why not consider installing an inexpensive Internet-based camera system? These units start out at around $499 and can include four cameras, a DVR recorder and the ability to connect to the system via the Internet from any computer. While installing these units takes a little effort, once complete you can monitor and record the goings-on at your home 24/7. Go to costco.com.
Are you one of the many people who bought a new flat-screen TV to watch the big game? If so, what are you doing to protect it? While plug-in surge protectors are OK, I am sure you have more electronics in your home that are not protected. These days whole-house surge protection is part of many new homes, and you can retrofit these units into your own electrical system. You will need a licensed electrician, but once a unit like the Square D Whole House Surge Protector is installed, you'll know that any electrical disturbance will not harm any of the items that are plugged into your walls. The typical price is between $500-$1,000 to get this installed. You can see more about electrical safety at squared.com.
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