Home and family go hand in hand. Your house is where your children play, grow, and find a safe haven. However, your home and property may not be as safe as you believe. Many homeowners are unaware that an alarming number of childhood accidents actually happen within the parameters of the standard American household. This is because within the house children are more likely to go unsupervised, but that can be fixed with contractor services. Below, we will go over a few things that you can do to make your home safer for your children, your family, and even yourself.
Most Common Household Dangers
Knowing where common dangers lie is the first step you can take toward a safer home environment. The 8 most common household accidents are as follows:
8. Poisoning
Children are particularly prone to poisoning. Colorful chemical substances like antifreeze and laundry pods are particularly alluring.
7. Choking
Marbles, candy, and other rounded objects are usually responsible for choking. Other choking hazards include small toys, pieces of toys, and flexible rubbery objects.
6. Burns
Burns from the stove top, oven, electrical sockets, and even light fixtures are common injuries within a home.
5. Cuts/Glass-related Injuries
Concrete can cause scrapes while broken glass pieces from mirrors or windows are usually the main culprits when it comes to cuts.
4. Drowning
While the first thing that comes to mind when you hear drowning may be the family pool, don’t forget that bathtubs and toilets are other danger zones.
3. Trips and Falls
Falling down the stairs, off of a bunk bed, from a trampoline, or even tripping on a loose rug, can cause a great deal of harm.
2. Outdoor Injuries on the Property
Children playing in the yard or driveway of a home tend to fall victim to injuries as well. The exterior of your home may leave children vulnerable to loose dogs, insect stings, vehicular accidents, and more.
1. Falling Objects
So what’s the most common household danger for children? Falling objects. Televisions, bookcases, wardrobes, and other large objects are a legitimate danger within your home.
Ways to Make Your Home Safer
So how can you mitigate these potential disasters? It’s easier than you may realize.
Here are a few things you can do to prevent injury and make your home safer.
Identify Problem Areas
You need to identify the problem areas specific to your home. Each household is different. Some common dangers to look out for are:
• Corners – Sharp corners can cause head injuries.
• Rugs – Loose rugs can cause tripping.
• Railings – Railings that are too short, wide, or lose, can lead to falls.
• Balconies – Balconies and other areas tend to draw rambunctious kids.
• Furniture – Large unanchored furniture can fall on children.
• Water – Pools, toilets, and full bathtubs are dangerous to toddlers and babies.
• Other – Look for other dangers that are specific to your home. Think critically so that you can stop accidents before they happen.
Install Preventative Hardware
Making your home safer doesn’t mean padding the rooms. You just have to take some extra precautions. These days, many impressive products are available to make things safer and easier.
• Child Safety Locks – These should be installed on cabinets containing anything dangerous that you don’t want your kids getting into.
• Outlet Covers – Today, new outlets are designed with child protective measures built-in. If you have older electrical outlets, consider upgrading them, or getting safety socket plugs.
• Corner Guards – Small pieces of rubber can be easily attached to sharp corners.
• Security Cameras – If you won’t be able to monitor your children all of the time, live security cameras are now available that can stream to a monitor or even your Smartphone via WiFi.
• Furniture Anchors – Taking the time to properly anchor tall cabinets, bookshelves, and your television to your walls can prevent some serious injuries.
• Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors – These are essential to the safety of your entire family.
• Door Alarms – Inexpensive door alarms will tell you when young children are entering unauthorized areas.
Repair Damages and Make Alterations
It may be wise to take the time to repair damages, make the necessary alterations, and renovate certain areas of your home. This is especially true for new parents, or parents moving into a new home that isn’t child safe.
ReBLDing Can Help
Sometimes, repairs and renovations can get overwhelming. This is especially true if you’re trying to make immediate time-sensitive safety adjustments to your home. If it’s time to call in the professionals, we want you to know that we are here to help. Whether you need a professional childproofing specialist, contractor services for repairs, or other industry experts, ReBLDing has you covered.
Here at ReBLDing, we’ll help you find the contractor services that you require. Not only that, but we will stick with you through repairs or renovations from start to finish! We provide secure communications, job progress updates, quote and estimate tracking, and much more. You have enough to worry about with keeping track of your children and protecting your family. That’s why ReBLDing takes the guesswork out of hiring contractors of any kind. With access to thousands of professionals with fully descriptive user profiles, ReBLDing can get you in touch with the people you need.