Keeping your home safe is more than installing locks and a security system. While these are certainly helpful, it's also important to look inside your home for potential hazards.

The tips in this section can help you make sure your home is safe from the inside out. You'll find information about installing checking smoke detectors, troubleshooting fire alarms, keeping your fireplace safe. There are also tips to keep your home safe for children and for creating an energy-efficient home, which can save you money.

Tips, Tricks, and Answers

The following articles are available for the 'Safety' topic. Click the article''s title (shown in bold) to see the associated article.

   Check Your Smoke Detectors
Never remove the battery from a smoke detector without replacing it immediately. Some fail-safe smoke detectors are available for home use, in that you're not able to close the battery door of the unit until you place a battery inside. If you own your home, consider hiring an electrician to hardwire smoke detectors to your main electricity flow, with battery backups in place for added safety.

   Childproofing Your Home
While you can take every precaution to ensure that your home is safe for your children, there is always the chance that an accident can happen. One of the best preventative measures you can take is to post an emergency telephone number list in a prominent place in your home. List phone numbers for fire, poison control center, your doctor and dentist, and 9-1-1 emergency, and make sure that all household members know what number to dial in an emergency.

   Dealing with Musty Basements
When the weather begins to change, it is a good idea to begin dealing with a few common problems around the home. One of these problems is figuring out a way to deal with musty basements. Luckily it's not that difficult.

   Fireplace Safety
Fireplace safety is simply a mixture of common sense and forethought. Here are some simple guidelines to ensure that you have a safe and beautiful fireplace.

   Getting Rid of Mold
Mold is a nasty and dirty natural growth that can be found almost anywhere. If you would like to make sure that your home is free of any infestations of mold, then follow these simple steps.

   Home Electrical Safety Inspection
It is always a good idea to periodically inspect your home to make sure that it is safe, this includes checking to make sure that the electrical system in your home is OK as well. While you may not be able to do a complete electrical system check, you can do a home electric safety inspection that will allow you to know if a professional should take a closer look.

   Home Safety Necessities
Have you ever noticed how there seems to be so many different home safety products there are today? Without some careful thought, or experience, choosing home safety options can be fairly confusing. However, if you know what the true home safety necessities are, then you have a leg up.

   Installing a Deadbolt in an Aluminum Door
Of all the possible ways to make your home a little safer, one of those most commonly used options is a deadbolt. However, is it possible to install a deadbolt on one of those new aluminum doors? Luckily, the answer to this question is a resounding yes. Here's how.

   Installing a Smoke Detector
It is fairly easy to install a smoke detector, and most local fire codes mandate that you have smoke detectors working inside your home. Determine how many you need for your home, purchase quality smoke detectors from your hardware store, and follow these tips to install them.

   Installing Motion-Sensor Lights
Safety is always an important issue to homeowners, and there is almost always something that can be done to improve it around the home. One way that you can improve the look, and safety, of your home is by installing some motion-sensor lights. Who knows, you might just be able to get a bit of a discount on your home insurance by completing this project.

   Keep Your Home Free from Carbon Monoxide
Most people don't really think about possible carbon monoxide poisoning until it is way too late. Instead of running the odds, and allowing you and your family to be at risk, why not learn how to prevent this from becoming a problem? Keeping your home free from carbon monoxide isn't as hard or as difficult as you would expect.

   Keep Your Home Safe from Fire
Keeping your home safe from fire should be a top priority for any homeowner. Whether you have a fireplace, a fire pit outside, or only a stove, there are a few basic steps that you can take to help ensure your home is safe. What is best of all is that these steps are ones that you can begin to implement today.

   Locating the Utility Shutoff Valve
Locating the utility shutoff valve is perhaps one of the most important skills for any homeowner to have. By knowing where these shutoff valves are, you can quickly and easily shut off your utilities when needed. Not only is this a great way to save some money on your utilities, but also a safety measure in the event of an emergency.

   Preventing Mold Growth
One of the greatest problems currently facing home owners is mold growth. Without taking proper care, mold growth can quickly create a serious health problem. Actually making your home uninhabitable. Preventing mold growth is an easy task though, if you know what to do.

   Reducing the Chance of Chimney Fires
The threat of a fire scares any homeowner. Reduce your risk of a fire by taking proper care of your chimney.

   Removing Asbestos
Asbestos used to be an extremely popular, though ultimately dangerous home insulating material. Removing asbestos has become a necessary step if you want to have a safe home. That being said, it can also be fairly dangerous. Here are a few guidelines to follow that will help ensure you are kept safe.

   Repairing Drafty Doors
While dealing with a drafty door can be annoying, causing you to be too hot or too cold inside, it can also mean that you're paying a heftier energy bill each month. Since doors are used frequently, it can be difficult to keep them weather-proofed. If you find that you have gaps and you can see daylight through them, it might be time to replace the door.

   Safety Test a Garage Door Opener
Garage doors openers are wonderful items that can make our lives a lot easier. That is, they can when they are installed properly. To ensure yours is installed and working properly, periodic safety testing should be done. Safety testing a garage door opener is actually pretty easy, and really only takes a few minutes.

   Testing for Lead Paint
While everyone may know that lead based paint isn't exactly the best, do you know why testing for lead paint is so important? Learning the answer to that question (and a couple of others) is an important step if you are interested in working on older homes.

   Troubleshooting Fire Alarms
Fire alarms are a necessary and essential element for a safe home. But what do you do when these vital safety devices begin acting up? Well, you troubleshoot them. Troubleshooting fire alarms is something that not only is exceptionally easy to do, but something that should be done prior to purchasing a new one. Here's what you do.

   Types of Locks
For some reason, when most people pick out the doors that they will use for their home they over look one major aspect, the types of locks. There is more to a lock than simply something that will lock your door. Some locks are more secure than other kinds, and it never huts to have as much information as possible when looking at the possibilities.

   Window Security
When talking about window security, many people think about security or alarm systems instead of thinking about things that are a little less high-tech. Rather window security is something more basic, the actual locks that help keep the window closed, or prevent them from opening too far. Here is a little more information about some of the more common kinds of window security that is currently available.