Your home should be a safe space, in both a physical and mental sense. After all, “shelter” is lumped in with the biological requirements of food, air, water, and sleep according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Even still, most homes could stand to see an upgrade or repair to improve their safety. Of course, this leads to an important question: what repairs and upgrades can improve your home’s safety, and how should you identify and prioritize them? From a full remodel to minor home improvement efforts, there are plenty of changes you can make—and as many ways to choose them.
Make small-scale changes.
As with most endeavors, you’ll find that small steps are the best way to begin your process. In this case, some people may decide to stick to smaller projects throughout, bringing in professional contractors and technicians to handle projects that require greater craftsmanship or expertise. Consider, for example, a young man living along Lake Michigan. If he has never taken on a project like installing new windows, or even a smaller task like using a drill, he would be much better off searching for experts in home improvement in Milwaukee or the greater Milwaukee area than to struggle through the repair himself.
Do your research.
Whenever you’re considering a home improvement project or upgrade, it’s important to research the intricacies of whatever you’re buying. For instance, maybe that same man was looking into a pressure cooker to make sure he has home-cooked meals whenever friends and family come to visit his newly remodeled home. By searching for the appliance, he might find that this particular model is the subject of lawsuits across the United States. If he hadn’t done that quick Google search, he may very well have been looking up “pressure cooker injury lawyer” instead of recipes he might want to try.
Help guests feel welcome.
Universal accessibility may seem like an impossible dream, but it’s nevertheless an ideal we can all work towards on a personal level. If a disabled guest were to come to your home, could they get around, or even get inside? You don’t necessarily need to add a wheelchair ramp to your house if you’re not disabled or expecting someone who is (though, remember—it can happen to anyone), but you can make some small-scale changes to make your home more accessible. That way, your home will become a safer place for everyone.
Reflect on your space.
As you’re considering your list of safety-focused home improvement projects, your top priority should be any repairs or upgrades that impact your immediate safety. If you’re injured in the house before you’ve gotten through the whole process of making it safe, you might just defeat the purpose! Much like you’d study the space to baby-proof or even pet-proof it, look around and consider your most immediate risks to both you and any friends or family members who could show up at your door. How will you feel the safest? These should naturally be the first projects on your to-do list, followed by those that would be nice to have or are simply improving your home’s curb appeal.
The world of home improvement is a vast one, and even the subset of repairs focused on home safety includes a long list of potential projects. Nevertheless, you can prioritize these options, delegate the appropriate tasks to the pros, and determine what needs to be done to upgrade and repair your house for optimal safety. From researching a new appliance to seeking out builders and contractors, you can stay safe while making your home a safer place—not just for you or your family but for anyone who comes through your door.
