Emergency Items for the Home
Accidents can happen at any time. Some accidents are miniscule and can be easily cleaned up or put back together. Other times, there is a travesty that happens that can wreak havoc. A few simple items a homeowner can keep on hand, or in their home, can help prevent a majority of accidents in the home from happening.
A very common, but also very important item, is a smoke detector. It is recommended that smoke detectors are located on every floor of the home. Most people prefer to put them outside every bedroom. Another thing to remember, which most probably forget, is to change the batteries in smoke detectors every six months. A good habit to get into is to change them for the New Year, and change them for the Fourth of July. Similar to a smoke detector, and now oftentimes packaged together, is a carbon monoxide detector. Carbon Monoxide is an odorless, tasteless gas that causes nausea, headaches, and potentially death. A smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector are very important to keep actively working in your home. Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors can both be picked up locally at the Home Depot in Merrifield located at 2815 Merrilee Dr in Fairfax.
An important room to have emergency items ready would be in the kitchen. Most homes come equipped with ground fault circuit interrupter outlets, or GFCI outlets, but if your home is much older, you should consider switching out your older outlets for GFCI outlets. These are especially helpful in kitchens and bathrooms where electronics plugged into the outlet could come in contact with water. The outlets know when there is a surge in the circuit and they stop working until you reset them. Along with new outlets, a homeowner should always have their circuit breakers labeled. Another helpful item, for the kitchen especially, would be a fire extinguisher. All of these items can be purchased locally at the Walmart on Tysons Corner located at 1500 Cornerside Blvd in Vienna, Virginia.
Something often overlooked is the labeling of your house and mailbox. It is especially important if there does happen to be an emergency and crews need to respond to your home, that they can easily pinpoint which one it is. The numbers should be clearly displayed on the house and it is recommended to have reflective numbers on the mailbox as well. These house numbers can be found at McLean Hardware located at 6811 Old Dominion Drive in McLean, Virginia
These simple but very helpful items for your home can protect you from any emergency situations that arise. Owning a home is a wonderful thing, and one should always be prepared. Contact me, Jeff Wu, with any questions. I am here to help. You can contact me at 571-248-1110 or email me at [email protected]. Visit my website at AgentKnowsHomes.com.
