House & Garden

Home Renovations: Protect Your Kids From Potential Hazards

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If the rooms in your home feel tired and aren’t as functional as you would like, a home renovation project could be the answer to your problem. These projects can transform your home, making it a more comfortable and suitable place for you and your family to live. Home renovations even have the potential to add value to your home too. So it’s not hard to see why so many family’s choose to start a project of this kind. However, while the work is being carried out, your home can quickly become a construction site. If you intend to live in your home throughout the duration of the project, you need to make sure it is as safe as possible. Particularly if you are a parent.

Children are naturally inquisitive and love to explore and learn new things. So having a construction project going on in their home can be very tempting for them. If you haven’t set and ground rules or increased the safety of your home beforehand, your child can easily get injured. As a parent, this is something you want to avoid altogether. So to help you protect your kids from potential hazards during your home renovation, follow these simple steps.

Install an alarm system

It’s a sad fact that many thieves will target homes that are under constructions during renovations. Many families choose to move out while the work on their home is being carried out. This can give thieves a perfect opportunity to break in and steal your belongings and tools left behind by your contractors. It’s not unheard of for burglaries to occur when families stay at home during their renovation too. So to protect both your family and home from such a traumatic experience, you need to install an alarm system.

Take a look at this site or search for home alarm reviews online for valuable insight from other homeowners. This can help you determine which system will be most effective and suitable to install in your home. Don’t forget to consider your budget and whether you need expert assistance to install your new system before your project begins.

In addition to installing the alarm system, you need to ensure your family know what to do if the alarm sounds. Let your kids hear what the alarm sounds like and explain what they need to do if they hear it. Try not to give them too many details as this can scare them and stop them from feeling safe in their own home. Also, make sure that the perimeter of your home is as secure as possible. Talk to your contractors about boosting security to help deter thieves even more.

mom-1363915_1280Image by Pixabay

Create renovation rules

A renovation can be a confusing time for your children as they won’t be able to enter the rooms they use on a regular basis. This can disrupt their daily routine which can make them feel uncomfortable and anxious. So it’s vital that you explain to them what is happening and why you are getting this work done. You will also need to set some ground rules which will keep them safe for the duration of the project.

Sit down with your family before your renovation project begins and generate some renovation rules you all need to abide by. These can be written on a large piece of paper and hung in a prominent place which can be seen by everyone each day. These rules should include which rooms your kids are not allowed to enter. You can re-enforce this by sticking do not enter signs on certain doorways. You might always want your rules to include taking shoes off when you enter the home and making sure toys aren’t in walkways. This can help to keep your home tidy and protect your contractors from getting injured too.

If an accident does occur, it’s also important that your kids know how to react. Keep your first aid kit stocked up and make sure your kids know where it is. Also, make sure they know how to call the emergency services if a serious accident occurs too.

Avoid allergic reactions

It’s no secret that your home will probably be filled with dust and dirt throughout your renovation project. While this might not seem dangerous, it could be if your child suffers from allergies or respiratory concerns such as asthma. The dust created during your renovation can easily enter your home’s air supply which will then be breathed in by your family. If this occurs, it can be a trigger for an asthma attack or an allergic reaction. This can result in your child having difficulty breathing which could be potentially fatal if left untreated. So to keep your kids healthy and to reduce the risk of an attack or reaction, you need to clean regularly.

Vacuuming, in particular, is one of the best ways in keeping dust to a minimum. You should do this at least twice a day to keep the air as clean as possible. If your vacuum needs replacing beforehand, you can use this site or look for other review sites online. Look for models that are fantastic value for money, but also have effective suction. You should also consider vacuums which can adapt to different surfaces. That way, you know you are buying a vacuum which is up for the challenge. Your contractors may also be able to assist you with specialist cleaning tools, which they can use each day. If you are only having one room remodelled, they may also be able to hang plastic sheeting over your vents and doorways. This will not only stop your kids from entering the room, but it keeps the dust within one area too.

mom-1363915_1280 Image by Pixabay

Lock tools away

During your renovation, your home is likely to be filled with a number of tools including power tools, saws and hammers. While we as adults might know how dangerous these items can be, it likely that our children don’t. If they are able to get their hands on them, they will probably think they are toys they can play with. This increases the risk of them getting seriously injured considerably. To protect your children, you need to ensure that these sharp and powerful tools are kept away from your kids.

The best way to do this is by talking to your contractors. Ask them to keep all tools locked away when they are not being used, particularly during the evenings. All of the contractors working in your home should gather all of their tools from around your home at the end of each day. You should also ask them to unplug their tools when they aren’t using them too, for additional safety. Keeping tool boxes on high surfaces instead of on the floor can also be an option. Your contractor will probably have prior experience with working in family homes, so ask for their guidance and ideas too.

It’s also vital that you make your children aware of how dangerous these tools can be. If they see a tool left plugged in or unattended around your home, tell them to leave it alone and tell someone where it is. That way it can be unplugged and locked away quickly and reduce the risk of your kids being injured.

It can be easy to overlook these safety precautions when your home is going through such a significant transformation. It’s important to ensure that the project goes smoothly and everyone knows what they are doing. But this should never come before the safety of your children. So before any work begins, make sure you follow these steps to protect your family throughout.

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