Home Security Is About More Than Robbery Prevention

People often view home security as an anti-burglary thing only. It’s actually a lot more than that. To have a secure home you need a place that’s safe from any kind of injury hazard as well. The following looks at some non burglar prevention steps you should take to ensure a secure home.

Keep areas like the stairs tidy

One of the easiest ways to create a dangerous atmosphere in the home is to leave things lying around. If there are things you can trip over anywhere, your home isn’t secure. If there are things you can trip over near the stairs, you’ve just knocked safety down another few notches. Anyone with kids knows stairs are hard to keep safe, but that just means the area needs that much extra attention.

Have working smoke detectors

Keeping the home safe from fire is another big must-do. Smoke detectors are one of the best ways to do this. There are a lot of things that can spark a fire and many of those things are unfortunately beyond your control, so devices like these are essential to have around. Beyond that, make sure everyone in the home knows what to do when they hear it go off.

Have an escape plan

An escape plan isn’t just important for homes where kids are around. An escape plan is an essential part of anyone’s home security, whatever the age and however many people live there. The plan shouldn’t just be for fire either. If there is ever a fear that there is an intruder in the house, people should know how to get out, who to call and where to go.

You need a fully wired phone

Cordless phones are great but they do you no good at all when the power goes out. You need a traditional phone and phone line so you can make calls in a case of power outage, because if an emergency should arise at those times you will need to be able to call for help. Granted, cell phones will often work in those situations, but they aren’t safe to rely on. What’s more, most landlines can tell 911 operators where you are, whereas cell phones aren’t quite as accurate.

Have a supply of non wired lights

To feel totally secure in the case of a power outage you should have a supply of battery operated lights on hand. These are just as effective, more efficient and safer than candles. Some of them are also made to look quite nice these days so having them around isn’t such an eyesore. Oh, and a flashlight in the closet won’t hurt either!

Keep your water heater set to a safe temperature

This is another big one for homes that have children living in them, but it also applies to adults as well. Water heaters can be set to scolding temperatures and if a person isn’t prepared for it or expecting it at all, it can lead to sever burns. A secure home is one that’s free from this type of problem.