Essential Items for Home Safety

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Injuries that occur in the home account for millions of medical visits annually. This is just one of the reasons to make your home safer for yourself, family members, and guests. Here are a few essential items for home safety that should be in every house.

Fire Extinguishers are Essential Items for Home Safety

It’s easy for a small home fire to quickly grow out of control. Minimize this risk by having working fire extinguishers handy. Be certain you have the right type of fire extinguisher for the type of fire that’s likely to occur. The number of fire extinguishers you’ll need in your home is based on:

• The overall size of your home
• Whether or not you have multiple floors
• Potential fire risks in your home

Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Smoke detectors are essential items for home safety, but there are still many households without them. CO detectors are equally important because carbon monoxide isn’t easily detected and can be lethal. Instead of installing two types of detectors in your home, choose combination smoke/CO detector units.

A First Aid Kit is Essential

You may have a well-stocked medicine cabinet in your home, but there are times when you’ll need other supplies to tend to an injury. This is why you should have at least one first aid kit on your list of essential items for home safety.

Regularly take inventory to make sure the kit is fully stocked with bandages and other items to provide immediate care. A good companion to a first aid kit is an updated list of phone numbers for:

• Your family’s primary care doctor
• A local hospital
• The local poison control center

Escape Ladders are Important for Home Safety

In the event of a fire, escape ladders are essential items. They’re meant to be used to escape a room through a window when the door is blocked by flames. For lower floors, consider a ladder attached to the window. For higher floors, use collapsing ladders that hook onto the windowsill.

Disaster Kit

Being prepared for the unexpected also means having essentials in the event of a natural disaster. Items included in a disaster kit will depend on what type of natural disasters your area is susceptible to. However, it’s generally recommended that a disaster kit include things like:

• A gallon of water for each person in your household
• At least three days worth of non-perishable food items
• Personal hygiene items – e.g., toilet paper, portable shaving kit, etc.
• A battery-powered radio
• An emergency flashlight with extra batteries
• Copies of important documents
• Matches or a lighter
• A solar-powered phone/device charger

These are just some of the things you’ll want to have on hand should the unexpected happen. Be better prepared for emergencies by purchasing these essential items for home safety.

The Best Property Inspections LLC offers home inspections to Southeast Arizona. Contact us to request an appointment.

Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal to Attract Homebuyers

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Homebuyers often begin their search by looking online to decide which homes they want to visit. If you are listing your home online, make improvements to the exterior of your property before taking pictures. Curb appeal also influences homebuyers who arrive at the property. Improve your home’s curb appeal to make a great first impression on a potential buyer.

Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal by Updating the Door

The front door is the focal point of the home’s exterior. Creating an attractive door is essential to curb appeal. If your front door is already in good condition, paint it a complementary color and install new a doorknob and knocker. A front door that’s in poor condition indicates to the buyer that the home isn’t well cared for. Installing a new front door is an extra expense, however, a new door can increase the value of your property.

Repair and Repaint the Exterior

Any cracked or damaged siding on your home should be repaired or replaced. The exterior of the home may need a fresh coat of paint if it’s flaking, faded, or outdated. Choose a neutral paint color that fits the home’s architectural style. Look at similar homes online or in your own neighborhood to inspire color choices. If you have vinyl siding, have it power washed to make it look brand new.

Inspect the Roof

Check out your roof to improve your home’s curb appeal. A decades-old roof that has many missing shingles or tiles or other significant damage is not appealing to potential homebuyers. Before listing your property for sale, have your roof inspected to see if a replacement is necessary. Roofs that don’t need to be replaced should be cleaned and repaired as needed. Also, make sure your gutters are clean and in good condition.

Tidy the Porch to Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal

Create an inviting porch by cleaning lighting and fixtures, installing a new house number, adding a new welcome mat, and removing faded or damaged porch furniture. These easy improvements cost very little and greatly improve your home’s curb appeal. Flower boxes filled with colorful annuals look nice on porch railings. Comfy chairs or a porch swing help potential homebuyers imagine relaxing outdoors.

Look at Landscaping

The lawn needs regular maintenance and mowing while your home is on the market. Prune overgrown foliage on shrubs and trees. You may want to remove large trees or shrubs that block the view of the home from the street. Keep sidewalks or pathways cleared and in good condition. Keep the walkway to your home well-maintained and inviting.

The Best Property Inspections LLC offers pre-listing inspections to Southeast Arizona to help you address any issues before listing your property for sale. Contact us to schedule an appointment.

3 Reasons Why You Should Request a Builder’s Warranty Inspection

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Buying and moving into a newly constructed home is an exciting experience. Since your home is new, you may believe that you don’t need a third-party home inspection. However, a new home does not guarantee a perfect home. Even good builders can leave behind issues that a homeowner may not notice during the first months of ownership. Discovering these problems after your builder’s warranty ends will cost you money. The smart move is to get a builder’s warranty inspection while the warranty is in effect.

1. A Builder’s Warranty Inspection Protects Your Investment

Your new home is likely is the largest purchase you’ve ever made. You should protect your investment with a builder’s warranty inspection. The inspector’s job is to thoroughly check your home for issues that aren’t apparent to untrained eyes. A professional inspector knows when seemingly minor issues can indicate a larger problem. The inspection cost is small compared to how much you’ve invested in your home.

2. You Can’t Rely on the Code Inspection Only

You may be wondering why you need a builder’s warranty inspection since a municipal inspector has approved your builder’s work and issued a certificate of occupancy. First, the primary purpose of the municipal inspection is to verify your home meets a minimum standard. Secondly, these inspections tend to be brief and cursory because municipal inspectors have large caseloads. Municipal inspectors are limited to inspecting for code compliance only.

3. Have Problems Fixed Before the Warranty Expires

Since your builder’s warranty typically expires one year from your settlement date, don’t wait until the last minute to schedule your builder’s warranty inspection. The ideal time to have your inspection is one month before your warranty ends. That gives you enough time to notify the builder of outstanding issues and have them addressed during the warranty period. Once the warranty expires, any underlying problems become your expense.

The Best Property Inspections LLC provides builder’s warranty inspections and other home inspection services to Southeast Arizona. Contact us to request an inspection. Note: A Builder’s Warranty is not the same thing as a Home Warranty. For information on Home Warranties from Consumers Advocate, click here.

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