While having your home inspected in various ways (e.g., electrical safety checks and an annual boiler servicing) are important, you’ll also want to consider how to upgrade your home for safety reasons.
This might apply following specific checks although it could also make sense in other scenarios (e.g., a fitting in your home is old and not working as well as it once did such as a boiler). The safety of you and your family is invaluable so be sure to consider the following upgrades. Let’s begin!
New Boiler
Boilers tend to last 10-15 years. Naturally, with time they become worn down, lose efficiency, and are more prone to a wide range of issues.
While having your boiler serviced each year is important (as is addressing issues as they arise), as your boiler ages, you’ll want to consider a replacement. You’ll want to replace a boiler once it is beyond economic repair but if affordable, consider replacing some time before this point.
If you can’t afford a new boiler installation with upfront payment, consider purchasing a boiler on finance or even the new option of a boiler subscription.
Consumer Unit Replacement
The average lifespan for consumer units and fuse boxes is 30-40 years. That said whether your consumer unit has reached that time or it’s showing signs that it needs replacing, it’s time to make a safety upgrade with a replacement.
The average consumer unit replacement cost is £500 to £600. However, the cost will vary depending on factors like the number of circuits required and the cost of labour in your region (as prices differ throughout the UK).
Motion Sensor Lights
Moving on to measures to protect your home from burglary, motion sensor lights can be a great installation to deter potential intruders. Security lighting comes in many forms and is often available for under £100. You may want to have motion sensor lighting added to the front of your home, back, or both.
Baby-proofing or Pet-proofing a Home
If you have any children under two or pets (or a baby or furry friend soon to arrive), you’ll want to take steps to baby-proof or/and pet-proof your home.
This relates to furniture, cabinets (e.g., adding corner protectors), appliances, stairs (e.g., installing a baby gate or two), window blinds, and bathrooms. Inspect your entire home and find areas that need to be baby- or/and pet-proofed.
Install or Replace a Carbon Monoxide Alarm
Along with fire alarms and a house security alarm (and checking that they’re working regularly – and replacing their batteries, if applicable, when needed), you should also have carbon monoxide alarms installed throughout your property.
You should install a carbon monoxide alarm in each room with a fuel burning appliance (e.g., gas boiler, freestanding gas stove, gas cooker). Other requirements should be laid out in the manufacturer’s instructions (e.g., where in the room to install).
Beyond that, you should test your carbon monoxide alarms at least monthly and replace the batteries annually (unless you have long-lasting batteries installed, such as those designed to last a decade and your alarm continues to work as intended).
Lastly, replace your carbon monoxide detectors once every 7-10 years (depending on what model you have – check the manufacturer’s instructions for more details) or replace sooner if necessary. Carbon monoxide is an odourless, colourless gas that causes hundreds of hospitalisations and dozens of deaths in England and Wales alone per year. So, having carbon monoxide alarms installed is key to your home’s safety.
CCTV
Another measure worth considering for home security is to add CCTV (i.e., security cameras). There are many types of CCTV including wireless and wired. In either case, internet-enabled CCTV is available too.
Security cameras are primarily a great way of deterring potential intruders (which is why fake cameras can also work). However, if someone does break-in, you’ll hopefully have valuable footage to help identify the burglars.
