Attend to Your Yard
For some homeowners, landscaping is an afterthought throughout the transition from winter to summer, especially when there can be so much to do inside the home. But maintenance can make a big difference in the safety of your property. This includes trimming trees to remove dead branches at risk of falling, cleaning up debris buried under piles of snow, and filling in any holes from animal activity.
A professional can assist here if you're not a yard work wizard, helping you identify trees and bushes that need to be trimmed, mowing and treating your lawn, and ensuring your yard is in tip-top shape.
Spruce Up Your Exterior
With the recent months of cold weather, it's unlikely that you've had the chance to clean the gutters or make minor repairs to your property. Taking care of small issues like these can prevent significant threats. Clogged gutters can cause leaks, and issues such as broken railings can lead to slip and falls. Both can significantly raise your risk of liability.
Instead of waiting for problems to arise, take charge and nip issues in the bud now.
Worried about your skills as a repairman? Consider hiring professional gutter services or a capable handyperson to guarantee a job done correct. If you're not confident on a ladder, a pro can help here, too. More than 90,000 ladder-related accidents occur every year.
Check the Inside
Be sure to check the inside of your home, too, for risks of accidents. Your basement, in particular, can be a source of problems.
If your winter was particularly snowy or rainy, there have been leaking or flooding within your home. Basements may have leaks hidden away in the darkest corners even if you never saw water. Instead of assuming everything is fine, consider having your property inspected for toxic mold and foundation problems , two major challenges that can plague your home. Both situations can have serious consequences, so keep a close eye on your basement during the spring cleaning process.
Check Your Detectors
If a carbon monoxide leak occurs or a fire starts within your home, will you know before it's too late? Believe it or not, battery problems can cause more issues than you realize: three in five fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke detectors or malfunctioning detectors, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
When one of your home's detectors starts beeping, don't just unplug it and move on. Change the batteries as soon as possible, and ensure your detectors are properly attached to the wall. Even if you received no indication that your detectors have battery problems, switch batteries out every spring to help keep your family and home safe should issues arise.
Cleaning may not be a particularly fun part of life, but spring cleaning can make a big difference in your home. With these tips, it's possible to go the extra mile to help keep your property as safe and secure as possible. Visit Selective Insurance's Homeowners Insurance page for more information.