Safety can be cheap–especially considering the alternative.
For a small investment of money, skill and time, these home improvements will go a long way toward making 1996 a safe year.
Loose carpeting can cause trips and falls. If you can’t replace the carpet immediately, remove it and use the exposed flooring. Or cut a piece of matching carpet from a hidden spot, such as under a bed or sofa. Cut out the worn section and trim the new piece to fit. Secure with double-stick tape. Cost: $2.
Secure area rugs. Carpet stores carry a non-skid spray (from PDI Inc., $5.98) to apply on the underside. Another option is double-stick tape to keep the rug in place on the floor. Or buy a rubberized mat and cut to fit the rug size (the 4-by-6-foot Rug Grabber is $5.97).
Check handrails. If loose, tighten the screws and secure with wall anchors (less than $1 per package of two).
Inspect all lamps and appliances, including the vacuum cleaner, for cords that are worn, frayed, cracked or brittle. Cords should bend easily without cracking. Cost: $3 to replace both cord and plug yourself; less than $35 to have it done by an electrician.
Install ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) in the kitchen, bathroom, garage and any place water is used (one exception: not in the outlet where the washer plugs in; the vibrations could set off the interrupter). GFCIs shut off power almost instantly to prevent electrocution. Before installing a GFCI, turn off electrical power at the circuit breaker or fuse box. Test a GFCI each month by pushing the reset button. Cost: $6 each; electricians charge an additional $50 to $75 for labor and the service call.
Twice a year, clean each circuit breaker by flipping it on and off. This gets rid of any oxidation and corrosion. Cost: Nothing.
Install at least two carbon monoxide detectors–one in the basement, about 15 to 20 feet from the gas furnace, and another outside the sleeping area. These devices alert occupants to a buildup of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless and potentially lethal gas. Cost: $30 to $70.
Install, add or replace smoke detectors. At a minimum, smoke detectors should be installed on the basement stairs and at the top of every stairway as well as near the bedrooms; some people put one in each bedroom. Accumulated dirt and grease may impair older smoke detectors. At this price, it’s better to replace an old one than to take a risk. They are available battery-operated (some guaranteed for several years) or may be wired to the house electrical system. Cost: $5 to $15 per smoke detector.
Store lawn mowers and other gas-powered equipment outside the home. In the basement, fumes could explode, even if you think the tank is empty. Cost: Nothing.
Replace plastic drier vents with smooth metal vents. Because the plastic or corrugated metal vents aren’t smooth inside, they can trap lint, which eventually could lead to a dryer fire. Cost: $10 to $25.
Attach a fire extinguisher to the kitchen wall (not over the stove, in case of fire there). A kitchen fire extinguisher should be rated BC, which means it works on grease as well as electrical fires. Put another fire extinguisher on the basement stairs. That one should be rated ABC, which adds the ability to extinguish combustible fires. Read the instructions so you’ll know how these operate. Cost: $10 each.
Cut away shrubs that block windows and entrances. The trim will make the house look better-maintained. Even more importantly, it will improve visibility of entrances and windows, making the house less inviting to intruders. Cost: Nothing.
Install exterior lights or a combination light-motion detector. Cost: $15, and newer bulbs are so efficient they don’t cost much to keep on from dusk to dawn every night.
Replace an older garage door opener if it doesn’t have an automatic safety reverse. An automatic reverse makes the door go up if there’s something–or someone–in its path. This is a project for the handy do-it-yourselfer or a professional. Cost: about $350. It’s possible to retrofit a few older models, but it may difficult to find parts. If your door opener already has the automatic safety reverse, check it monthly by putting a 2×4 on the garage floor where the door closes.
If the household includes young children, invest a few dollars in safety equipment such as cabinet latches, edge protectors, outlet covers, safety gates at the top of stairs and a soft cover for the bathtub faucet. Cost: $1 to $10.
When youngsters are around, get in the habit of turning pot handles away from the front of the stove so they are out of children’s reach. Remove stove knobs when not in use so children can’t play with them. Never leave dangling extension cords on hot appliances such as irons or coffee pots that children might pull and tip over. Cost: Nothing.
Vacuum breakers prevent dirty water from getting into the home water supply if water pressure drops. That could bring dirty or contaminated water from an outside hose or laundry tub into the home water system. Vacuum breakers connect to any hose bib (faucet) that has a threaded end. They twist on and lock in place with a screw. Cost: $6.
Turn down the water heater temperature to avoid scalding. A temperature of 120 degrees is hot enough for sanitary dish washing, cleaning and bathing. A higher setting only increases the risk of injury and means more wear on the hot water heater. Test the water temperature by holding a meat thermometer under a faucet for several minutes. Change the temperature on a gas-fired hot water heater by resetting the dial near the bottom of the tank.
On an electric heater, first turn off the power. Each electric heater has two access plates, one near the top and one near the bottom of the tank. Both units must be reset. On each one, remove the two screws holding the access plate. Remove the cover and pull away the insulation. Turn the dial to 120 degrees (a small screwdriver may be needed to make the adjustment). Replace the insulation and reinstall the access plate covers. Turn power back on. After a few days, recheck the temperature at the faucet. Cost: Nothing.
