Home Safety Resolutions for 2020

With a new year comes changes, big and small. People everywhere are setting out to become a better version of themselves, learn a new skill, and/or save money for something important. If you’re looking for a way to take care of yourself and protect your finances, we would recommend improving your home safety. 

Home accidents can pose a serious threat to the safety of you and your family, and they can also cost a lot of money. 

By addressing potential problems before they arise, you save yourself from a lot of pain down the road. Here are some simple ways to make your home a happier, healthier place in 2020.  

Check Your Smoke and CO Detectors 

Now is as good of a time as any to make sure you have the appropriate detectors in the appropriate places and that their batteries are charged. A working smoke alarm can be the difference between a hundred dollars in damage and a hundred thousand dollars of damage. More importantly, it could also save your life. 

The same is true for CO detectors. Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas, which means you won’t know it’s there unless you have a working detector in place. 

Practice Fire Safety 

While working smoke detectors are a great first step towards fire safety, they’re not the only precaution you should take. You should create a fire escape plan for your home that everyone is familiar with. You should also keep fire extinguishers around, particularly in the kitchen.  

Also, make sure you are very careful with candles, space heaters, and other exposed heat sources. Finally, we highly recommend you don’t smoke indoors. 

Keep Your Air Clean 

Dirty air can cause allergies to flair and asthmatic symptoms to increase. Make sure to keep up with dusting in your home. You should also have your air ducts professionally inspected and cleaned every 3 to 5 years by an NADCA certified member. If you still find there to be excess dust in your home and/or the air feels heavy, consider setting up an air purifier. 

Clean Your Dryer Vents 

Dryer fires are a common cause of fires in homes. Often, it’s as simple as a dirty lint trap catching fire. You should always clean your lint filter after every load of laundry. Even then, lint builds up over time within your dryer vents.  

Not only does this cause your machine to work harder (resulting in increased utility bills and costly repairs), but it can eventually cause a fire in your home. Make sure your dryer vents have recently been inspected and cleaned. 

Test for Radon 

Radon is an odorless, tasteless gas that’s in almost all of the air around you. In normal doses, it’s completely harmless. If it’s allowed to build up, however, it can pose a serious health risk. In fact, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. 

Every home should be tested for radon. This is a simple, highly affordable process that can literally save your life. If radon levels are too high, further action will be needed. For radon mitigation in Springfield and Dayton, Ohio, contact Air Duct Cleaning & Radon Company today.