Five steps to a safer home

Last updated on 12th December, 2017 at 04:26 pm

Your home is one of your most valuable assets, so don’t delay in tackling these important tasks to make sure everything is safe and sound.

Did you know you can reduce your chances of having to make an insurance claim by making a few key changes to your home one Saturday morning? These five fixes take an hour or two at most.

1. Check your geyser

Don’t feel too bad if you’ve never even seen your geyser. But what you should know is that burst geysers are often the cause of household insurance claims and the damage to the geyser and the resulting damage caused by the water can be very costly (not to mention stressful). Once you’ve located your geyser, go outside to locate the overflow pipe. If it’s dripping, this may be a sign of trouble – get a plumber to come and check it out as soon as you can. Next you’ll need a ladder and a torch to have a look at the condition of the geyser and/or its casing. If it’s looking old, damp or rusty, in fact if you have any suspicions whatsoever, call in a plumber to check it. If you have an older home, or haven’t checked in on the geyser for a few years, this should be near the top of your to-do list!

2. Find out where the main inlet valve (stopcock) is that controls the main water supply to your home

If the worst does happen and you have a burst pipe, whoever is in the home should be able to stop the water immediately without having to search around for the external stopcock. This is especially important if you live in a block of flats or apartment building.

3. Add some security lighting

Adding lights with sensors at strategic points on your property is a good crime deterrent. In particular, focus on areas around entrances, such as your garage and front door. Talk to your security company (or a lighting or security specialist) rather than tackling it yourself.

4. Do some strategic gardening

If you have a small jungle growing around your property which could hide intruders or that obscures your view when pulling out onto the road, now is a good time to do some trimming. Particularly look at the front of your property by the main entrance. Also note any trees that could be used as climbing aids for somebody to access your property.

5. Make sure your braai area is safe

If you have a braai area, have a look to see if any clutter has built up that may become a hazard. Look out for dry vegetation and furniture too close to the fire, and check that there is a safe place to keep fire-lighting equipment. Also make sure you have a bucket of sand or easy source of water nearby.