When expecting, one of the first things any parent should consider is to make your home safe. Children are natural-born explorers and perceive the world differently than adults do. But their curiosity can lead to safety risks. Although we may not notice, there are plenty of items in our homes that pose a risk to children like paint, stairs and pools. Learn how to reduce the risks for your baby in your Florida home with just a few tips and tricks.
Preparing Your Florida Home
How can you distinguish harmful items that are within a child’s reach? Get low, crawl on all fours, and envision yourself from their point of view! This may seem silly, but it allows you to see things from a baby’s perspective and what a baby could reach. Items such as glass, breakables, and heavy or sharp objects, that they could easily pull down on top of them must be put out of a baby’s reach for their safety.
Make sure tall furniture such as bookcases and chests of drawers are securely anchored to the wall. Once babies become mobile, their curiosity can lead them to climb, and you want to protect them from injury by making sure furniture cannot tip over. And don’t forget to install gates and railings on stairs as toddlers love to climb.
Lastly, electrical outlets throughout your home should have safety covers installed when not in use.
- Paint & Furniture Risks
- If your home was built before 1978, get your home tested for lead and if found there is a protocol to mitigate it
- Stick with cribs, toys, highchairs, chests and the like made after 1978
- Secure furniture, including bookshelves, to the wall, so they do not fall over
- Place protective padding on tables and other sharp edges around your home
- Keep cribs and beds away from windows
- Mount flatscreen TVs to the wall. Keep older and heavier TVs on sturdy furniture
- Install stops in removable drawers so that the drawers won’t fall out
- Attach safety locks or latches on drawers and cabinets, specifically those containing chemicals, sharp items and choking hazards
- Stairs & Falling Risks
- Ensure that stairways have ample lighting
- Install railings or handrails on each side of the stairs for balance
- Install gates at the top and bottom of interior staircases. Since hardware-mounted gates can’t be knocked down, these are best recommended for children
- Pools Risks
- Install barriers around your pool to avoid any risks or accidents. Specialists advise a fence at a minimum of 4 feet high around the pool. The blockade around the pool should include a self-closing, self-latching gate or door. If your house functions as part of the barrier, a brilliant idea would be to install alarms on doors and windows with direct pool access.
- Electrical & Heating and Cooling Elements Risk
- Place safety caps on electrical outlets
- Do not overload sockets, and avoid appliances piggybacking onto extension cords
- Discuss with children the necessity of avoiding electricals near water due to the risk of electrocution
Hire a Contractor – Varian Construction
If you are looking for a contractor for your major home renovation and with an eye toward baby-proofing your home, trust Varian Construction.
Based in Southwest Florida, Varian Construction has been renovating homes, condominiums, and commercial projects for over 30 years. In those three decades, Varian has been awarded 15 Florida Home Builders Association awards for excellent and stunning work.
Furthermore, owner Bill Varian has been accredited as a Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR), Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS), and a Certified Green Professional (CGP) ensuring that your home will be built with quality and care for years to come.
Fully licensed to work in Florida, Varian Construction can complete your upgrades within your desired budget and timeframe. Varian uses CoConstruct to help schedule timelines, track financials, and as a platform for communication for homeowners so you can be confident that your home is in good hands. For those with design plans or space renovations, Varian Construction uses its connections and resources to meet the owner’s expectations and exceed them. If you are interested in hiring Varian Construction for your home renovation, contact us today at 239.514.0103 or visit VarianConstruction.com