The lazy, hazy days of summer are upon us. With longer hours to spend outdoors and opportunities to spend time with family and friends, the summer months hold great promise for making lasting memories. But before you get the party started, follow these tips to ensure your house is safe for summer fun:
Spruce Up the Yard
Keep bushes, hedges and all other landscaping well-trimmed to help with visibility. A well- groomed yard can also reduce the amount of pests that may want to nest there. If your grass gets too high, it can signal to potential burglars that you might want be on vacation, so mow regularly. If you have outdoor lighting, make sure it’s working properly, and install timers so that your lights automatically come on even when you’re out.
Accidents Can (And Do Happen)
Despite your best efforts, things can go wrong. When was the last time you reviewed your insurance plan to make sure you’re adequately covered if you have a break in, or if your home suffers damage from an unplanned event? What if someone gets hurt on your property? This is an ideal time to examine your coverage and decide if you are properly insured against any of the things that could spoil your summer plans. Get in contact with an agent like those at Rob Jackson Insurance to make sure you’re protected. And, if you have not yet learned CPR, take a class now. Knowing CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver can save lives in those critical moments that separate life from death. If your summer plans include parties or get-togethers, someone in your home should know CPR.
Inspect Your Life Safety Systems
As summer begins, and we live a more carefree lifestyle, spend at least a little time ensuring that your fire protection and carbon monoxide systems have batteries and are functioning as they should. If you haven’t recently had preventative maintenance done on home systems, this is a great time to have a check-up done. Cameras are becoming much more commonplace and affordable, so if you can, consider having a home camera system installed that will monitor the access points of your home. If you can’t afford a home alarm systems, install home security signs at your front door and on your windows to at least give the illusion that an alarm is present.
Summer should be a time of relaxation, warm evenings outdoors and fun occasions. With a little pre-planning, your summer months can be all of those things and your home will be just a little safer.