If you have just bought a new home, you are well aware of the excitement that surrounds your purchase, as you have taken a big step in your life.
From setting up the purchase of a home to closing it down, moving and moving, there’s a lot to celebrate when you become a homeowner, but there’s also a lot of responsibility when you start taking care of your new home. This responsibility is to ensure that it is safe because there are several important areas to consider.
We’ve been helping people settle into a new home for over many years and we’ve picked up some of the important safety precautions you need to check when moving in. Follow this useful security checklist to make sure your new place is ready to go!
Electricity
When it comes to something electricity in your home, there is a simple rule to follow: if it doesn’t seem right, it’s best to have it checked out. It may be a cord or a damaged wire or a socket that doesn’t look right. It may seem like nothing, but these little details can potentially lead to a fire in the event of a problem.
If something goes wrong, call an electrician to make sure everything is working properly. Also get familiar with your home’s electrical cabinet and find the best way to turn off electricity in an emergency.
Water and pipes
Scan your new home and find out where the water cut is – this will be useful if there is a situation where you have to cut off the water quickly, such as a broken pipe or flood.
Go around the house and check for leaks, corrosion or rust in all areas with water or pipes so you can fix the problem and fix it before it becomes serious.
Smoke detectors and detectors
Make sure your new home has the right amount of smoke detectors and more importantly – make sure they work.
If they don’t work properly, install new batteries immediately. It’s not a bad idea to regularly test smoke alarms to make sure they are working properly, which will give you peace of mind by notifying you in the event of a fire.
Also – another detector that needs to be checked when installing is a carbon monoxide alarm, which should be located at each level of the house.
Home protection
It’s not so much an item on the checklist, but something to consider is to buy a home protection alarm system. It’s unfortunate, but burglaries and break and enters occur – installing a new alarm system in your home could make the difference to prevent any theft.
Also be sure to check the locks and bolts on all doors of the house.
Create an emergency plan
Just like the point above, it’s not so much an item on the checklist, but it’s a good idea to develop an emergency plan for you and the other members of your home. Talk about it and determine the best escape area in each part of the house and make sure everyone is on the same page with a designated meeting place outside.
Various emergency checklist items
- -Have a first aid kit readily available in your home.
- -Develop an emergency kit that is easily accessible in an emergency. Use this comprehensive guide to build one from the American Red Cross.
- -If there are elderly people living at home, consider the possibility of a medical alert system.
- -Note anything that is broken, damaged or not working properly when you move into your home so it can be repaired.