The late spring and summer months herald an excellent time for outdoor entertaining and fun cookouts. But nothing ruins a good time faster than injuries or damage. Follow these summer safety tips to ensure a happy and danger-free experience.
1. Keep a Fire Extinguisher Handy
If you’re using any fire outside, including a grill, fire pit, tiki torches, or anything else with flames, you want a fire extinguisher nearby and ready to use. Make sure it’s in an easily accessible place and that everyone in the family knows where it is and how to use it. Check the pressure gauge regularly and recharge or replace it as needed. Never leave a burning fire unattended; sparks and fire can spread quickly when you’re not looking.
2. Maintain Good Outdoor Lighting
Even if you think you know your way around your yard at night, you could easily lose track of your surroundings or trip over an unexpected yard tool, toy or other debris in the dark. Ensure your outdoor lighting is in good shape and keeps the area well-lit. Not only is it safer, but it also contributes to a more inviting environment.
3. Stay Safe Around Water
If you have a pool, you probably already know these rules, but it’s also essential to stay safe around koi ponds, fountains, or other outdoor water features. A small child can drown in as little as one inch of water, so you should take this seriously. Install fencing around water features and consider adding an alarm that will sound if something or someone falls into the water.
4. Be Cautious With Electricity
Outdoor electrical features such as televisions, sound systems, and other entertainment devices have become popular in recent years. Ensure that any electricity you use outside is up to code. All outdoor outlets should be GFCI outlets, which include built-in circuit breakers to shut off in the event of a surge. Installing conduits and wiring outdoors—for example, to power outdoor lights—requires complex specifications for safety. Unless you are experienced with electrical code, leave outdoor wiring to the professionals.
5. Keep Yourself and Your Family Healthy
Don’t overlook the basics. Wear sunscreen during the daytime and use bug spray to keep away annoying or stinging pests. Keep a first aid kit handy in the event of unexpected injury. And, of course, stay hydrated. It’s easy to forget how important water is to staying healthy in summer.
6. Watch out for the Weather
Even on bright sunny days, weather can change quickly in the summertime. Keep an eye on weather reports and take them seriously. Be ready to take shelter in a sudden rainstorm, lightning, tornado, or other severe weather.
Tweet your home care questions with #AskingAngi and we’ll try to answer them in a future column.
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