Protect Your Treasures!
I am so thankful for a home to live in. I hope that all of us have had that as a constant blessing in our lives. I just can’t imagine what it would feel like to not have the safety of a roof over my head. When we first moved to Texas, we arrived just after a HUGE hail storm that destroyed many of the roofs in the area. They looked fine, but the damage which was unnoticeable from the street caused or would soon cause major problems for any home. So over the 4 years that we were there it was very common for us to see shingles stripped off and replaced to the hot Texas sun!
(Recently, my dear friend Brittany of Pretty Handy Girl had a tree fall on her home during a storm. Happily everyone was safe but these new “skylights” meant that not only was her roof destroyed but that all the rain got into her home as well. Luckily, she has a supporting family and insurance so the repair work can begin.
Seeing this awful thing happen to Brittany (just last week while we were hanging out at SNAP) has reminded me how important it is to protect out treasures. I know that most of us like to think about the pretty things in our like home throw pillows and paint colors, but it is SO important to think about the physical safety our home offers us AND our financial safety if natural disasters like the two above ever happen. So let’s discuss somethings you can do today to make your home, family and all that you treasure in you home safe!
5 Home Safety Tips!
1. Install and USE your home security system. I cannot tell you how awful it feels to know you were robbed… it happened to us almost 2 years ago. We left our garage door open on accident one night and while we were asleep $1,000 worth of tools were stolen. The scary part is that the house door might have been unlocked, and we were sleeping right above the garage and had no idea someone was in our house. I felt so VIOLATED the next day, it was scary. We ordered a security system the next day and had a monitor in our garage and the rest of our house from that point on. I cannot tell you the peace I feel knowing that someone is monitoring my house.
*Did you know you can have a fire alarm monitored too? We also bought a smoke alarm that was monitored by the alarm company. It brought me a lot of peace knowing that if my home ever started on fire, that even if I wasn’t there, the fire department would be contacted. (Don’t put it in your kitchen!! We don’t want a bunch of false alarm… I’m not the only one that burns stuff now and then right?) Put it in a central location in the home.
2. Lock your doors. Unfortunately we’re not in hanging out in the good old days with Dorothy in Kansas anymore and locking your doors is a must. A burglar is not going to be stopped AT ALL if a door is unlocked, and even though they may not be stopped if it is, chances are you have a better likelihood of slowing them down and making them want to look for an easier target if you keep your doors looked.
3. Know and understand how to act in any local natural disaster that you might be faced with. I live in mountains, nowhere near a sea, I may not have to worry about a tsunami, but I do have to know and understand how to act in an earthquake. Be sure to study the proper actions and teach your kids.
4. Create a family safety plans and practice it with your kids. Help them figure out how to get out of your house, where they should meet up with you and what not to do! Practice with the fire alarm blaring (after your initial teaching and see how they act with that scary sound blaring, you might be surprised…
5. Make sure that your home is properly insured! Additionally, if at all possible have a savings account with the deductible all ready to go. The last thing you want on top of your head after a natural disaster is a ton of new debt. Be sure to document all items in you home and know that your home is properly insured!
Last of all today through October 31st, you have the chance to share and enter the “Protect the Things You Treasure Most Sweepstakes” over at the GAF Roofing Facebook page. Enter for your chance to a win daily gift card to The Home Depot or a grand prize of $2,500 gift card to the Home Depot.
Now it’s your turn! Leave us a comment with your favorite home safety tip! And don’t forget to pin this post!
*Thank you to GAF for sponsoring this post and bringing the giveaway to you!
Cassity Kmetzsch started Remodelaholic after graduating from Utah State University with a degree in Interior Design. Remodelaholic is the place to share her love for knocking out walls, and building everything back up again to not only add function but beauty to her home. Together with her husband Justin, they have remodeled 6 homes and are working on a seventh. She is a mother of four amazing girls. Making a house a home is her favorite hobby.
Shoot, I also meant to mention…I tried to subscribe to your blog, but the subscribe tab to the right doesn’t seem to be working. Is there another way to do it that I’m overlooking?
Thanks!
Rachel
Sorry, we are trying to get that fixed. Try this link here.
I love to see your ‘hand’ diagram is back LOL. I just used an older version to help me pick my 5 colours for my home – helped me no end so thank you, thank you. cheers
You are welcome!
Great post! We have fire extinguishers stored in easily accessible places throughout our home. In the kitchen, garage, etc… And yes, I’ve actually had to use one once! It saved our house.
Oh, I need to get on that too! Thanks for the great advice Nora!
Safety is definitely what you would want to prioritize for your family’s sake. You might want to try setting up CCTVs by your entry ways just to monitor any suspicious activities going on. Installation of steel security doors would be great too.
Neil, thanks for the comment!
Wow! Honestly, I think that we are really live in a morally decayed world. The worst crimes are happening these days and it continue to increase as we progress.
It’s a good thing to talk about these kinds of topics and techniques on how we can deter potential burglars. I loved what you shared about creating a safety plans that need to be practiced by everyone who are living in the house. It is close to use less when it is not practiced or being practiced inside the house.
I mean, we need to get ready, we don’t know when the time will come.
Just my 2 cents 🙂