A Football Guide to a Safer Home

The big football game is here!  Whether your favorite team is playing or sitting it out, Charter our Community wants to get you in the game. Using the following tips will help you quarterback a plan to make your home safer and healthier for your family.

First Down : Basic House Cleaning

According to the National Center for Safe and Healthy Housing, clean homes reduce the chance of pest infestations and exposure to contaminants – which can be especially harmful to small children. Consider using cleaners without toxic ingredients; you can make your own safer household cleaners with common ingredients. Also, maintain a regular dusting schedule.

Decluttering hallways and stairwells keeps your home accessible for small children, the elderly and those with disabilities. Be sure to properly dispose of common household items, such as cleaning agents, batteries and chemicals.

Second Down: Painting and Energy Efficiency

Now that you’ve moved the ball by cleaning and decluttering your home, it’s time draw up a football play to safeguard your home.

If your home was built prior to 1978, there is a chance that there is lead paint present. Use this helpful checklist from the Environmental Protection Agency to determine if you have lead paint in your home. Be sure to consult a professional prior to removing any lead paint.

You can improve your home’s energy efficiency with a few quick moves on the field: swapping out incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs, applying weatherstripping and door sweeps to exterior doors and windows and regularly cleaning HVAC systems.

Danny E Hooks/Shutterstock.com

Third Down: Home Accessibility

Having a clear and easy path down the field is how our favorite players score on the football field, and making sure you and other residents can easily navigate your home is just as important.

Older residents and residents with disabilities may need some adjustments and modifications to stay safe in their homes. Falls remain one of the most common causes of emergency room visits each year, and six out of ten falls occur in the home. Consider installing grab bars in bathrooms and stairwells, using nightlights in hallways, rearranging furniture to allow for wheelchair access and using nonslip bathmats in tubs and showers.

Fourth Down: Call an Audible with Rebuilding Together

You’ve marched down the field and have time for one more goal line play, so consider making the call to our nonprofit partner, Rebuilding Together.

Rebuilding Together works with homeowners to assess, plan and implement solutions for making your home safer and healthier. Contact your local Rebuilding Together affiliate today to team up with skilled volunteers in your community.

Your use of the information in this article is entirely at your own risk. Please seek the advice of professionals, as appropriate. This article contains links to other websites for informational purposes only. These links do not imply endorsement by Charter Communications of the websites or their operators. Charter is not liable for the content of these linked websites.