Have you taken the time to inspect your home for possible safety hazards? Often when you have toddlers and preschoolers you think about home safety and childproofing everything. As they grow up it is common to become more lax in these areas. However it is still important to make sure that your home is as safe as possible.
You may want to check your home for fire hazards every year. It is a good idea to make sure that someone didn’t decide to store something next to the furnace or the water heater. It is also a good idea to periodically check your basement to make sure that you do not have any leaks or other problems.
Another safety hazard that can often be overlooked when your children are older is where you store your medicine. You may have teenagers who you feel are capable of responsibly taking their own ibuprofen or acetaminophen, but are you storing this out of reach of your other children? Your younger children may decide because their older sibling is capable, then they are too.
You may want to check for tripping hazards throughout your home. This may be especially relevant if you have an older relative that will be staying with you for a visit. Children can also be injured when they trip, if they are running. You may also want to check for sharp corners and install corner guards.
One simple item to check is the temperature on the hot water heater. If you have children in your home it is recommended that you to set the thermostat no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This will help to prevent scalding in the bath and while washing your hands, plus it can save you money.
You can learn more about how to improve your home’s safety by visiting the Home Safety Council’s website. They have a customizable checklist for you to use to check the safety around your home.