Your home is your haven, and your home office is an integral part of it. If you want to improve the safety of your home office, you need to make sure your entire house is as safe as possible. Whether you’re living alone, with a partner or have a whole family to take care of – small kids and all – then you need to take it upon yourself to provide a safe space for everyone living there, while ensuring that your business operations aren’t disrupted.
Improving the safety of your home office comes in all different shapes and sizes. Some tasks are minimal such as adding signs from Simply Plastics, however, others are more laborious and will need the help of professionals. At the end of the day, though, the payoff is worth it in the end as you can sleep soundly, knowing that your business is protected.
Check Deadbolts and Locks (Replace if Necessary)
Your first port of call is to check the locks on the doors and any deadbolts you may have. Even if they are fully-functional, but are old, then replacing them for good measure can be a sound investment. If you’ve just moved into your house, or have lived in your home for years and given out too many keys, then you’ll want to call a locksmith and have them replaced, or replace them yourself.
If your home office is separated from the main house (i.e. in the repurposed shed at the backyard) make sure you treat it the same: Check everything and replace the locks if necessary.
Inspect Your Home Office’s Foundation
Review your house’s foundation; a shifting foundation can be a disaster. Check for warning signs, such as cracks in the walls, ill-working windows and uneven flooring: if your windows and doors have always worked perfectly before, but now struggle to open, start sticking or creak open, then you could be the victim of a foundation out of alignment. There are, however, many companies which offer residential foundation repair for everyday homeowners, meaning such an issues doesn’t have to be problematic for too long.
Evaluate the Electrics
Your home office isn’t likely to be operational efficiently and effectively with a faulty electricity. That said, electric cords should be dealt with.
If you have loose or frayed extension cords, then you need to have these replaced or tidied up – both for the safety of you and children, but also to remove the fire hazard. Go room-to-room and see what cords need to be replaced or removed completely; only use electrical cords that have passed rigorous testing.
Review Outdoor Lighting
If you haven’t already, install exterior motion lights in your backyard, or have them overlooking any pathways you may have to improve visibility and safety. By having outdoor lighting, you’re not only lighting up any dark areas for the safety of you and your guests in the winter months, but motion lights are also more likely to deter robbers.
If you do already have motion or floodlights installed, then check the lightbulbs – you want your lights to illuminate all the dark areas of your garden.
Examine Outside Decking
Homeowners are highly advised to inspect their decking routinely. The smallest bit of rotting wood can transcend into a large slab of rotten wood, which can be both costly and dangerous. The North American Deck and Railing Association has a deck inspection checklist, advising homeowners on how to keep their decking safe and sound. To keep rotting to a minimum, you should clean any mold, mildew and debris; if you notice any signs of rot (no matter how small), then replace it as soon as possible.
Conclusion
So, there you go – some practical tips to help you securing not only your home office, but also your entire home. If you have any additional tips, please share with us in the comment section.
