When moving to a new home, one of the things you’ll want to do is be sure it’s safe for your children. Besides checking for mold, lead, and other hazardous elements, you may want to consider installing safety measures that will hopefully keep them from experiencing a trip to the emergency room. At Bryan & Bryan Inspections, we recommend following these three safety tips for your Houston area home.
1. Inspect Furniture & Appliances
You may be surprised at how unsafe a large piece of furniture can be. Bulky coffee tables, tall bookcases, and wall-mounted televisions are too heavy for a child to move, but that doesn’t stop them from trying. It’s amazing how creative children can be, like climbing bookcases to reach their favorite storybook. With a child scaling them, these heavy items pose a significant safety risk. You can prevent most injuries at home by doing the following:
Anchoring furniture and appliances so they can’t tip over
Placing edge bumpers on coffee tables or fireplaces
Installing safety gates or door locks to keep children out of a potentially hazardous area
2. Keep Dangerous Items Out of Reach
Children are inquisitive and imaginative. This is what helps them discover new things, play outside with friends for hours, and have fun without any help from the TV, video games, or mobile devices. This same curious nature can get them into a lot of trouble, too. Keep potentially dangerous items out of their reach, like cleaning products, medications, and candles. If you must store them in a lower cabinet, install protective cabinet locks to avoid any troubling situations.
3. Be Extra Vigilant Around Water
Many homes in the Houston area have outdoor swimming pools and all homes have either a bathtub or shower. When water is involved, be extra vigilant as accidents involving water safety only take seconds to occur. We highly recommend following these water safety measures:
Install a power safety cover on the pool.
Add a 4-foot tall fence around the pool with self-closing and self-latching gates.
Consider installing a pool alarm or an alarm on doors that lead to the pool area.
Never leave a child unattended in the swimming pool area.
Professional Home Inspections in Houston
Bryan & Bryan is glad to be a part of keeping your family safe with our professional home inspections. Contact us at (866) 484-8318, or get a quote online today. We also provide new construction inspections, mold inspections, termite services, and more in East Bernard, Bellville, Conroe, and all surrounding Houston communities.
Source: “5 Tips for Childproofing Your Home.” Web article. Travelers. The Travelers Indemnity Company. Web. 03 Oct. 2022.