When you think of spring cleaning, the process of doing a “deep-dive” on all of the areas and surfaces of your house springs to mind. Not many people think of the safety benefits that spring cleaning can provide for this house that you own. Owning a home is an investment into your wealth, so it’s understandable that you want to maintain your investment in its best possible shape, while also protecting it from future damage or problems.
Below are just a few tips that you can do during your spring cleaning to protect your real estate investment.
1. Keeping the front of your home clear of hazards and easily accessible will not only add to your curb appeal, but in the event of a fire, emergency services will be able to easily access your home to put out the flames.
2. Another deterrent against fire is to keep natural debris, such as fast-growing vines, tree limbs, leaves, and fallen debris cleaned up around your house. Cleaning out your gutters and roof areas after fall can reduce the amount of flammable materials around your home. Even though this article mentions spring cleaning, the best time to tackle leaves is during the cooler months after fall. That way, when things start growing in Louisiana in the spring – you are already ahead of the clean-up.
3. Also during the cooler months, it is a good time to do a thorough cleaning and inspection of outdoor equipment you use for fire. Check out your grill and clean and scrape out all of the dripping and grease which could cause a flame-up. Also, if you have an outdoor kitchen, check all of the gas and propane connections for safety while you are doing a thorough cleaning. Outdoor fire pits and fireplaces should also be cleaned of debris and materials that could drift into your yard and cause a fire.
4. While spring cleaning, do a thorough sweep of your garage, shed or workshop to make sure that all of your flammable liquids, such as gasoline, diesel, motor oil, appliance oils, paint thinner, acetone, etc. are properly sealed and stored in a place where they will not catch fire. Especially in a garage, you want to make sure that you don’t inadvertantly leave something which could burn your house down.
