Planning Home Improvements? Consider These Home Safety Hazards

When people start to plan upgrades for the home, they often think about function and enjoyment. However, shoring up the home's safety can also be an excellent improvement that promotes safe living and a better resale value. These common safety improvements may help homeowners have a happier life.

1. Structural Support

Older homes and do-it-yourself projects often have one thing in common: They may not follow current building safety codes. People who buy a home that is decades old, or which has a number of improvements of questionable quality, should invest the time to research what they can do to make it safer. For example, a deck could be a common source of accidents that could even be fatal, if it is not properly built and supported. In some cases, the builder may have used the wrong types of fasteners, or placed the joists too far apart. Ensuring that every aspect would meet current building safety codes will help to promote relaxation, over fear that a structure could collapse.

2. Fire and Water Damage

Many years ago, fires could sweep through a house very quickly because the structures provided little protection against it. Water damage posed similar risks to the home and homeowners' possessions. These days, it is much easier to slow the progress of water or fire with a few simple upgrades. Homeowners should install smoke detectors in several parts of the home. Fire-resistant doors can help to keep fire from passing from one room to the next. Homeowners should consider putting fire-rated drywall around areas of the home more prone to fires, such as the garage. To prevent water damage, homes with a portion of the structure below grade (e.g. a basement) should have a drain outside a full walkout, and a sump pump if needed. Grading the property adequately will help to minimize rainwater or runoff flowing toward the home.

3. Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality is an important aspect of home living. For many people, the air they breathe indoors may be considerably worse than what they might inhale while outside. Ensuring adequate ventilation is key to protecting everyone in the home from long-term health conditions, some of which could be deadly. Homes that rely on fuel for heat-based appliances (such as a furnace, water heater, oven, or clothes dryer) must be able to guarantee that the byproducts of the combustion process will escape through the flue or ventilation equipment. Making sure that fans in the kitchen and bathrooms are appropriately-sized and functional can help. Installing carbon monoxide detectors will quickly alert homeowners in the event of a backdraft.

Improving home safety may be one of the best investments a homeowner could make for their future contentment with the Ignacio property. By confirming that all of these home safety hazards are minimized as much as possible, homeowners can rest a little better knowing that they have done their best to protect their families.