I want to keep my home safe and remove hazards but I'm not sure what I may be overlooking. Apart from the obvious precautions of keeping matches, lighters and poisonous household cleaners out of the reach of children, making sure the stairs are well lighted and having working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, what else should I do?
"This is a very broad topic," says State Farm spokesman Gary Stephenson. Some of the not so obvious sources of repeated claims are trampolines, pools, ladders, power tools, and combustible or toxic fluids, Stephenson says.
"Watch young children around these items, and stay alert when you are around these items as well."
Fire is an obvious danger. Stephenson reminds that one should never leave a burning candle unattended. He also recommends placing a multi-use class A-B-C fire extinguisher in the kitchen. And, should a grease fire occur, never throw water on it, he warns; it could spread the flames.
Most notably in the summer but at anytime of year, lightning strikes are always a danger, Stephenson says. "A rule of thumb is, if you hear thunder, don't linger outdoors."
Arkansas ranked 11th nationwide for State Farm lightning damage claims in 2013, Stephenson says. The most common lightning strike victims are children and young men under 35 years of age because they are most likely to be "playing or working outside even in threatening weather," he says.
Indoors, the first order of protection, Stephenson says, is to install a meter-based surge protector, which protects the whole house from electrical surges coming in over the electrical lines. "This is a good step for better whole house protection," he says. But it's also wise to use regular surge protectors with expensive electronics.
He also advises avoiding telephones (including cell phones), bathrooms, patios, bicycles, golf carts, pools and trees during an electrical storm.
"Showering or bathing are certainly no-no's," he says. "There may be a bit more of a concentration of metal [in the bathroom], particularly in older homes with copper pipes."
Other household items to be cautious around:
• Kitchen appliances, which may short-circuit and cause kitchen fires.
• Treadmills may cause broken bones or friction rashes. When not in use, keep a treadmill unplugged and store the safety key elsewhere so children can't accidentally turn it on.
• Small refrigerator magnets and button-size batteries can potentially be a hazard for children, who have been known to swallow them. It's also a good idea to tape shut battery doors on electronics and toys so children can't get to them.
• Use care when opening rigid plastic packages, using scissors especially designed for this purpose, a manual can opener or tin snips.
"Most of these types of claims are preventable, and should not happen at all," Stephenson says.
Do you have a decorating or remodeling question? We'll get you an answer from an authority. Send your question to Linda S. Haymes, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark., 72203 or email:
HomeStyle on 08/30/2014