If you’re lucky enough to become a homeowner, you may feel like you’re sitting pretty. But with homeownership comes responsibilities. Making sure you keep on top of bills, loans and insurance costs will keep your investment financially safe. However, you should take steps to keep your home physically safe too. So, here’s how to make sure your home is safe in the long run.
Keep electrics up to date
One of the biggest dangers in any home is electricity. If you’ve previously lived in rented accommodation, it’s easy to overlook the importance of your power supply. But just like everything else in the home, it’s important to keep your wiring up to date. Electric shocks can be lethal and many house fires are caused by faulty electrics.
The easiest way to make sure your home is safe and up to date with its electrics, is to hire a qualified electrician to test them for you. They can highlight potential problems and recommend upgrades such as installing a new fuse box. If your wiring is damaged, incorrectly installed or more than 25 years old, you may even need a rewire. While the cost of a re-wire isn’t cheap, it will ensure your home is safe to live in now and saleable in the future.
Install locks and alarms
Making sure you have the right locks and alarms is another important aspect of keeping your home safe. To prevent theft, you need more than the simple latching lock fitted. A deadbolt is considered the most secure, but you’ll need a solid door for it to be useful. And don’t forget other entry points such as windows and garage doors. To be sure your home is properly protected, check with your insurance company to see what they recommend.
It’s not simply the right locks that make your home safe and secure, but a burglar alarm can too. An alarm adds another layer of security to your home, whether you live rurally or in an urban area. Homes in rural areas can be targeted by thieves as they’ve little chance of being seen or disturbed. So, an alarm that alerts you, the police or security firm could help protect your home while you’re away. Equally in urban areas, opportunist thieves looking for an easy target could be deterred by the sight or sound of a standard burglar alarm.
A smoke detector or fire alarm is something else that every home should have. Being quickly alerted to a fire could not only save your life but limit the damage done to your home. A carbon monoxide alarm is also worth considering. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer and one that could be present if your home has an open fire, wood-burning stove, or gas appliances.
Don’t skip maintenance tasks
Finally, don’t skip essential home maintenance tasks. Even the smallest problem can develop into a much bigger one if it’s ignored. For example, a simple blocked gutter or a slipped roof tile can allow rainwater to damage the structure of your home. And allowing trees and plants to grow unchecked could result in roots and branches growing into your walls and foundations. Or worse, a diseased tree could end up falling towards your home, endangering you and your family.
Inside your home is just as important to maintain. For instance, regular servicing of your heating system will keep it running safely and efficiently. So, create a seasonal maintenance checklist and make sure you keep on top of your tasks.
