| At every stage of planning, design and construction, | | | | well. If you are selecting new appliances for the |
| it is important to think about safety in your remodel | | | | kitchen, you might want to choose items that have |
| or home addition. There are, in fact, two aspects of | | | | the controls on the surface instead of the front. You |
| safety to consider when you add on to your home | | | | might also want to place your furnace and water |
| or remodel: safety during the project and safety in | | | | heater in an enclosed area. Don't plan for use of |
| your remodeled home. Your contractor or designer | | | | space heaters. |
| architect will probably help you think about the safety | | | | Install good smoke alarms and replace all smoke |
| of your family and others who are on your property | | | | alarms that are more than ten years old. Install a |
| or in your house, but there are some important | | | | smoke alarm in each child's bedroom or each |
| considerations it is easy to overlook when remodeling. | | | | bedroom used by an elderly or disabled person. If |
| Begin by thinking about who is living in your home | | | | your home has a divided bedroom plan (with the |
| and about who is likely to be living in the home in the | | | | master bedroom on the other end of the house or |
| next five to ten years. Are there young children in | | | | on a different level of the house) or if you have |
| the home? What is your age? Will anyone with a | | | | converted attic or basement space to bedrooms, |
| disability be in the home? Will your parents | | | | you might want to opt for a interconnected smoke |
| grandparents be moving in with you? Planning the | | | | alarm system. This way, if an alarm goes off, the |
| safety features of your home starts with the special | | | | others in the house will also go off to alert everyone. |
| needs and unique challenges faced by individuals in | | | | Be sure you plan for adequate space for people to |
| your family and by the design of the home itself. | | | | get around in each room and turn a wheelchair (if |
| One of the most obvious potential dangers in any | | | | necessary) or use a walker. This is especially |
| home is a staircase. How steep are the risers? Are | | | | important in bathrooms. Choose faucets and shower |
| the stairs covered with a material that makes it likely | | | | heads with anti-scald devices to prevent burns. Plan |
| or unlikely that someone could slip and fall? Are their | | | | to use devices like doorknob covers to keep children |
| railings or banisters on both sides? Have you installed | | | | out of bathrooms when not accompanied by adults. |
| adequate lighting at the top and bottom, as well as | | | | Plan to install non-slip surfaces in and around tubs and |
| over any landings? Are the rails or banisters at the | | | | showers. Install grab bars in bath tubs and showers. |
| correct height? Could someone fall between the | | | | Choose sturdy or built-in bookcases that cannot be |
| vertical supports? | | | | pulled over by children. Ensure that all office |
| If there are young children in the home, you will need | | | | equipment in the home is out of the reach of |
| to plan for locks on some cabinets or drawers in the | | | | children, especially paper cutters, shredders and sharp |
| bathroom, kitchen, laundry room and the garage. | | | | objects. |
| Make sure you plan for enough locked storage to | | | | These basic home safety steps will help you protect |
| secure all medicines, cleaning chemicals, and gardening | | | | your family. Your contractor will help you with other |
| chemicals and supplies. If you store insecticides or | | | | things you need to consider in light of the particular |
| lawn care items in your basement, you should also | | | | needs of your family. |
| plan for a secure storage space for these items as | | | | |