As summer approaches, it’s important to take steps to protect your home, ensure safety around your pool, prevent grill fires, prepare for summer storms, and deter theft while you’re away. Here are some practical tips:
Home Inspection Before Vacation
Did you know? An 8-inch crack in your pipes can spew up to 250 gallons of water a day.
Tips to protect your home while you are away:
- Turn off the water supply to individual fixtures like your washing machine, ice maker, toilets, and sinks. Flooding often occurs when hoses are worn or ruptured, or there is a leak at the connection.
- Use storm surge protectors on high-end electronics in case bad weather leads to flooding or fire.
Pool Safety
Did you know? An average of 350 children younger than 15 years old drown in a swimming pool or spa between Memorial Day and Labor Day each year.
Tips to keep your kids safe by the pool:
- Never leave children unsupervised around water, even if they know how to swim.
- Enclose the pool on all sides with a self-locking, self-closing fence with vertical bars. Openings in the fence should be no more than 4 inches wide.
Grill Safety
Did you know? June and July are the peak months for barbecue fires.
Tips to prevent a grill fire:
- Place the grill outdoors and away from the house, deck, overhead branches, and anything else that may catch fire. Clean and remove any grease or fat buildup on the grill.
- If the flame goes out on your propane grill while cooking, turn off the grill and the gas. Wait 15 minutes before relighting to allow the propane to dissipate and avoid a gas explosion.
Summer Storm Preparation
Did you know? Extreme heat can lead to powerful thunderstorms.
Tips to minimize property damage from a summer storm:
- Remove dead or rotting trees and branches that could fall and cause injury or damage.
- Keep your home’s gutters clear of debris. Gutters control water around your home, and when obstructed, water can pool around the edge of the roof and foundation, causing flooding and roof leaks.
Theft Prevention
Did you know? A home is burglarized every 10 seconds, and 62% of all burglaries happen during the daytime.
Tips to protect you from being a victim of theft:
- Have a security plan for when you are on vacation. Ask a trusted neighbor to pick up mail, move vehicles, and more.
- Don’t post your travel plans online. Many thieves use social networking sites to monitor when homeowners are out of town.