Tips to Protect your home

According to Harvard Health publications, accidents in the home are one of the leading causes of injury and death in the U.S. Not only are there steps you can take to keep your family safe, but there are ways to keep your home from being damaged by failure of systems in your home.

Home detection systems have been around for years, but many homeowners and residents are not investing in these life-saving devices. According to the CDC, most residential fire injuries and deaths are due to smoke and toxic gases, not burns. It's a fact that smoke detectors save lives. Make sure you have a working smoke detector on every floor of your home and ensure there are units installed near your sleeping area. The same is true of carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas that can be released by faulty gas-fired heating or cooking appliances, and the early symptoms of carbon monoxide can mimic the flu. There is no reason not to have both of these devices in your home. The cost range is between $10-$60 for a simple device that could save the lives of you and your family.

Another item to have around your home is a fire extinguisher. These devices can help you control a small fire quickly, but practicing with one of these is a good idea. First Alert has a new easy-to-use unit called Tundra; it operates like a can of hair spray. What I really like about this unit is that it is compact and very easy to use. You can place these on every level of your home, especially in the kitchen. The cost is only $20; you can learn more about these units at firstalert.com.