Even if there is still a chill in the air, the first official day of spring is March 20. Bring in the season by running through this safety checklist for your home. No matter where you live, you should always feel secure in your own home. Even if you feel your home is already a safe space, it never hurts to take a look around with fresh eyes and spring is the perfect time to do that.
- Store cleaning supplies carefully while spring cleaning. Instead of keeping your cleaning supplies under the sink, put them in a higher cabinet or buy locks for the cabinet doors. If someone in your home does consume a dangerous cleaning fluid, call poison control immediately, at 800-222-1222.
- Clean gutters will keep rainwater flowing freely away from your home. Water from spring rain that gets clogged up in the gutters may lead to a leaky roof or work its way right into the walls and ceilings of your home. Left unnoticed, this type of water damage can quickly lead to mold. Spring is a good time to clean and inspect all your gutters for damage.
- Develop an emergency escape plan and have the whole family test it out once during the daylight and once at night. Check to make sure windows are not nailed or painted shut and teach children who are old enough how to properly and safely open windows during an emergency situation. Be sure your plan identifies a safe meeting place outside your home for everyone to gather.
- Check all of your windows to make sure they are not a fall risk. Properly installed window guards are your best defense in preventing window falls as screens alone cannot support the weight of a child. Window stops allow you to enjoy the fresh spring breeze while ensuring windows won’t open wide enough to invite a fall.
- Smoke detectors and fire alarms help alert your family to fire and dangerous smoke while there is still time to evacuate. Carbon monoxide detectors alert you when there are dangerous levels of carbon monoxide in your home. To ensure proper function, test these devices at least once a month and replace the batteries twice a year. Replacing batteries on daylight saving days in the spring and fall makes it easy to keep track.
- Maintain your HVAC system by scheduling an inspection and changing out air filters. Systems with cracks, dirty air filters, and poor ventilation can cause poor air quality, higher energy bills, and carbon monoxide buildup.
- Finally, be sure you are enrolled in the Notify NYC alert system, which is New York City’s official source for information about emergency alerts and important city services. You can receive alerts through email, text, telephone, or social media. This will keep you informed about what is going on in your neighborhood.
At Sentry Window Guards we make it our mission to help keep families safe. We hope these tips will help you protect your family from at home injuries this spring. For more information regarding our window guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today!
