From Design to Insurance: Safety Requirements for Your First Family Home
- Written by Lilly Miller
The aesthetic appeal of your first home as a family is paramount if you want to fall in love with your living environment, but whereas many people will focus solely on the beauty of their surroundings, you want to focus on safety and security. After all, a safe family home is a warm and comfortable one, and it will allow you to enjoy your life with your loved ones to the fullest. From the increasingly popular powered pull outs that keep your kitchen and bathroom safe and organized, to the active security features like cameras and alarms, all the way to your insurance policy, there are many considerations you need to take into account when making your home as safe and functional as it can be.
This is especially important when you’re expecting a baby or having small children, which also requires you to child-proof the interior, as well as the exterior. With all of that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the top safety requirements for a modern family home.
Introduce passive and active safety features
It used to be that safety tech was not only cumbersome and unreliable, but also quite expensive not a couple of decades ago. Nowadays, however, technology has advanced to such an extent that any family can have state-of-the-art security systems in their home, even when you’re operating on a budget. Yes, security cameras, motion sensor lighting, alarm systems, as well as passive safety features like deadbolt locks and window locks have become quite affordable over the years.
So firstly, be sure to introduce these features into your home. When you’re picking security cameras, make sure to get high-resolution models, but most importantly, make sure that all devices are IoT-enabled, meaning that you can control them via a smartphone and that you can always keep a watchful eye on your home when you’re out. For added peace of mind, you can install an interior camera to make sure the kids are safe while you pop out to the store.
Choose the right insurance for your home
Another crucial consideration for every homeowner is the type of coverage you have for the property and its contents, as well as individual family members. Sure, your insurance policy might not actively protect you and your loved ones from harm, however, it is one of the foundational elements of your household’s security as a whole. But depending on where you live, your needs and the needs of your family home might differ drastically.
For that reason, countries such as Australia, where several climates are present in one continent, tend to have companies offering home insurance by state, which are tailored to your unique needs. They recognize that everyone lives differently, and has entirely individual demands, which is why they aim to customize the insurance policy to suit both the home and the homeowner.
Children-proof the entire house
Being a parent might be the most rewarding job in the world, but it’s probably the most frightening one as well. Day in and day out you are worrying about your children, whether they are looking left and right when crossing the street, or whether or not they are playing with the kitchen knives when you’re not looking. Now, there is nothing that can replace good upbringing and making sure your kids respect some boundaries, but there’s also no need to expose them to unnecessary hazards.
This is why you should hide the power outlets in drawers like we mentioned earlier, but also go the extra step to completely child-proof your home. Be sure to put locks on the fridge, as well as all doors and cabinetry containing hazardous tools or chemicals, like cleaning products. Sometimes, it’s just better to prevent your kids from exploring altogether, and a simple locking mechanism is perfect for that.
Make sure your floors are slip-resistant
Last but not least, and this is definitely a design feature that will also elevate the aesthetics of the interior, make sure that your floors are slip-resistant. There is no telling what might happen when you let your kids run around the house, and truth be told, you too might lose your balance and slip no matter how careful you are. Instead of risking it, why not simply apply a slip-resistant finish to tile or stone floors? This will protect the floors from scratches and ensure that no one slips and hurts their respective derriere.
Wrapping up
You might love your home for its aesthetic appeal, but you’ll simply adore the feeling of safety brought by these simple tips and solutions. With this guide in mind, you will have no problem making your home safe for you and your loved ones.
