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Four Safety Tips for Outside Your Home this Summer

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Four Safety Tips for Outside Your Home This Summer

Four Safety Tips for Outside Your Home this Summer

Keeping your outdoor spaces safe from damage is just as important as preventing damage to the inside of your home. Depending on the amenities you have, your yard size, and your landscaping, there are many things you can do to improve your home’s security and safety, or help prevent problems that could result in costly repairs and even endanger the structural integrity of your home.

Pool Safety

Your pool requires consistent maintenance to avoid issues. Always follow the guidelines for your pool and keep it clean. Check regularly for cracks or signs of foundation problems that could allow water seepage in the direction of your home. It is generally best to adhere strictly to pool filter maintenance schedules. A clogged filter can cause the pump to overheat, causing a fire hazard.  If any electric cords are present, also check these every month for signs of wear to avoid electrical fires. Routinely check for pool pump motor recalls as a faulty motor can also be a hazard.

Landscaping

Every spring and fall, check all trees around your home for overgrowth, dead branches, and signs of rot or decay. Staying on top of pruning can help reduce the danger of having a tree or tree limb fall and damage your home, pool or outbuildings. Check again after a severe storm – damage caused to trees during storms results in up to a billion dollars’ worth of additional property damage every year due to impaired branches falling. A professional arborist can be called if a tree needs to be felled; a DIY approach can be hazardous.

Grilling Precautions

Unattended BBQ grills cause nearly 9,000 home fires each year, and account for annual property damage losses of $118 million. You can help lower your chances of having problems due to your grill by maintaining your grill, using it according to directions, attending it closely when it is in use, and keeping a fire extinguisher close at hand in case of an out of control flame up. Gas grills are responsible for 75% of grill involved fires, so you may want to consider charcoal.

Yard Improvements

Summer is a good time to get those planned yard improvement projects started. Think about the ramifications of each change as you go. Ask yourself questions such as “How big will this tree grow?” when planting, to determine how far it should be from the house or other structures. If you need to dig to place posts in the ground for a new fence, contact utility companies first to have them mark where lines or pipes run underground (You can do this from anywhere by simply dialing 8-1-1.). Check with your insurance company when planning improvements for tips on how to lower your premiums with safety or security features.

These safety tips can help you avoid problems with your home all year round, and reduce the chances of fire or other hazards from outside your home.


This article is for informational purposes only and does not form a part of, replace, change or amend any terms, conditions, provisions or language within your Olympus Insurance policy. We encourage you to read your entire policy.

Olympus Insurance is licensed by the state of Florida. Information found on this site is intended for Florida residents only.