It’s a wonderful feeling when you move into your new home. A well-designed and well-built home makes you feel comfortable, secure, and safe. But if you have a young family it’s important to remember that the adults aren’t the only ones moving. You want your children to be safe and secure as well. Is your New Jersey home kid-safe?
If you have smaller children you may want to take some extra steps to ensure their safety. The folks at WebMd.com have some great suggestions for making your home safe for kids. Here are some highlights for the key areas of your home.
The Kitchen
- Install safety latches on all cabinets and drawers to keep children safe from potentially dangerous household products.
- Store household products and medicine away from food and beverages for kids who aren’t old enough to tell the difference
- Use the stove's back burners and turn pot handles toward the back of the stove when cooking.
- Keep kitchenware and appliances out of reach and away from the edge of counters and tables.
The Bathroom
- Install safety latches on cabinets and drawers to keep children from cleansers and other dangerous chemicals.
- Install toilet locks to keep toilet lids closed because children can lean and fall into a toilet easily and it only takes one inch of water to drown a child.
- Unplug hair dryers and electric rollers after use to prevent electrocution and burning.
- Cover unused electrical outlets with outlet protectors and make sure outlets are updated with ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), which turn off electricity if appliances fall into water.
Around the House
- Use safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs and in the doorways of rooms with that could be dangerous. Don’t use gates with expanding pressure bars at the top of staircases.
- Use doorknob covers (that keep knobs from opening doors) to keep children out of rooms where they could be injured.
- Place furniture away from high windows so children won't climb onto windowsills because screens won’t keep children from falling through windows.
- Make sure window blinds do not have looped cords that present strangulation hazards for children.
By carefully considering these factors, you'll be able to increase the safety for children living in or visiting your home!