SPRING SPACES SAVINGS
HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIAL
UPGRADES TO ENSURE A HOME STAYS SAFE AND SECURE
There's no shortage of ways to make homes safer and more secure, which should be a priority for homeowners of all ages.
A home can never be too safe or secure.
When residents of a home leave or go
to bed at night, a wide range of safety
and security features can protect them and
their belongings. In-home amenities also can
make homes safer for residents with mobility
issues or other limitations.
Homeowners indeed have no shortage of options
when seeking to make their homes safer
and more secure. An assortment of safety
and security features can help homeowners
plan for nearly every situation that could put
residents in jeopardy.
• Age-related safety features: Various features
can help seniors age in place. Th e National
Institute on Aging recommends installing
grab bars in showers and bathtubs
to reduce the risk of falls when bathing.
Such features also can help seniors balance
themselves while they bathe and get in and
out of showers and tubs. Nonslip strips can
be installed on bathroom and kitchen fl oors
in areas that might be vulnerable to spills or
puddling. Th e NIA also recommends fi xing
all carpets fi rmly on the fl oors, which may
necessitate the removal of all area rugs. Adding
handrails on staircases so there's something
to grab onto on each side the staircase
also can enhance the safety of these potentially
risky spaces in a home.
• Entry point security features: Deadbolts,
security cameras and/or smart doorbells
make it easier to keep strangers out and
monitor entryways. Smart doorbells may deter
criminals from approaching a property.
Locks and sensors also can be installed on
all windows, and especially those on the fi rst
fl oor that can be accessed from the ground.
Locks on sliding doors can be reinforced with
secondary locks that further prevent the
door from being opened from the outside
once the locks are engaged.
• Fire safety features: Th e National Fire Protection
Association notes that the death rate
in home structure fi res is approximately 60
percent lower in homes with working smoke
alarms than in homes with no alarms or in
homes where alarms are not working. Th e
NFPA adds that smoke alarms monitor for
smoke and control the speaker that emits
the sounds that notify occupants of the presence
of smoke. Th e NFPA recommends both
ionization smoke alarms and photoelectric
smoke alarms, as each employs a diff erent
type of sensor. Th e combination of both in a
home ensures people are alerted in the case
of both fl aming fi res (ionization alarms) and
smoking, smoldering fi res (photoelectric
alarms). A functioning fi re extinguisher also
is a must (disposable extinguishers typically
last between 10 and 12 years), as is a carbon
monoxide detector.
• Lighting: Suffi cient lighting in a home and
around the exterior of a home and even the
property can be another important safety
and security measure. Exterior lighting deters
intruders because it makes them more
visible to residents while they're awake and
makes them easier to see on overnight security
cameras, which can be enough to keep
them away. Interior lighting makes it easier
to navigate a home at twilight and at night.
Hallway night lights can make trips to the
bathroom safer, and lighting alongside stairways
can make these spaces easier to navigate
when the rest of the home is dark.
www.ALLISLANDMEDIA.com Spaces - Spring 2026 Edition 816