Our home should be a haven for our families, and we would all like to sleep easy at night, believing our environment is not likely to cause the ones we love any harm. However, modern living brings with it a multitude of risk factors that can not only cause us problems, can prove to be deadly if not caught in time.
We’ve listed 3 things that we believe every homeowner should invest in to make their home that bit safer for all the residents. Take a look to find out what they are…
- Carbon monoxide detectors
Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is the cause of 50 deaths per year but can also cause significant issues if you’re exposed to lower levels of it for an extended period. CO is a poisonous gas that stops the blood from carrying oxygen to cells, tissues and organs, including the brain. It is created by fuels not burning properly such as wood, coal, gas and oil so can be caused by anything in your home that uses these such as clothes dryers, water heaters, ovens and fires. The most dangerous part about it is that it is entirely colourless and odourless, so the only way you can ascertain its presence is by using a proper detector. Invest in a couple in your home to protect your family.
- Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
This may sound a little involved, but in today’s modern world where we have devices to control our devices that all need charging too, it’s critical. Some people have this done before they purchase their home, but it would be worthwhile having them done regularly to ensure no further issues have arisen. It is a full test to check the integrity of the electrical wiring in the home including uncovering any frayed wiring, damaged sockets and the earthing of the electrical current. Most importantly, however, it checks for any areas which are threatened by electrical shock and any points which are at risk of extreme temperature, which could result in a fire. House fires are residential killers, and the amount of stress we place on our electrical systems these days is getting more and more intense. Speak to the experts at Hexo Electrical Testing to enquire about your EICR to ensure your electrics are safe.
- Smoke alarms
If you are in the unfortunate position of a fire starting in your home, being alerted to it as soon as possible is your best way of getting out of there with your lives intact. Ensure that you have several smoke alarms fitted across your home, preferably wired into the mains with a battery back up and test your batteries regularly to make sure they haven’t run out. If a house fire occurs in the night, you don’t want to be sleeping through all that smoke inhalation while your exits might be being cut off with the blaze.
There are many things you can do to protect your home; these are just 3 of the key ones we have chosen to highlight. Don’t underestimate the changing nature of our modern lives and the advent of technology as this could cause real problems if used on an electrical system in a state of disrepair. Get it checked along with your smoke alarms and CO detectors and you could hopefully ward off disaster.
