Small home fixes

Simple improvements can boost the appeal of your home

If it ain’t broke, fix it anyway?

That’s the message consumer advocates and insurance experts want you to hear about your home’s hidden dangers. While you can’t eliminate every potential hazard, these small moves can have a huge impact on home safety.

1 Reduce Your Fire Risks

Fires cause thousands of deaths and billions of dollars of property damage annually in the U.S., according to the National Fire Protection Association, a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating fire-related loss.

Especially in wildfire-prone areas, you can reduce the chances of a stray ember igniting your home by installing screen mesh over vents and other openings, says Amy Bach,

executive director of insurance consumer advocacy group United Policyholders. Clear gutters and the area under decks of dead leaves and other combustible material and create a “defensible space” by moving landscaping and other flammable objects at least 5 feet away from your foundation.

Inside your home, install and regularly test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Place a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, but not under the sink where it could be damaged by water leaks, says Ashita Kapoor, associate director of product safety for Consumer Reports, a nonprofit product-testing organization.

2 Watch for fall threats

Falls are a leading cause of injuries treated in emergency rooms, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. To reduce your odds of falling, put nonslip mats in showers and tubs. Elsewhere, secure or eliminate loose rugs and other tripping hazards.

Also dangerous: “Tip-over” incidents. Heavy furniture, TVs or appliances falling on people resulted in an average 22,500 injuries treated in emergency rooms annually from 2018 to 2020, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Anchors to prevent tip-overs connect the heavy piece to a stud in the wall with a strap or tether.

3 Address other hazards

Another purchase Kapoor recommends: thermometers for your refrigerator and freezer. Food that isn’t kept at the proper temperature — 37 degrees Fahrenheit for the fridge, 0 degrees for the freezer — can spoil faster and cause food poisoning.

Consider placing water sensors near washing machines, hot water heaters and other potential leak sites. Some sensors can detect falling temperatures and alert you to freezing pipes.