Five Ways to Test and Inspect Your Home for Security and Safety

This Month is home security and safety month too... Euston Hardware asks; When was the last time you did something to make your home safer?

Euston Hardware wants to discuss some places in the residence where you may not ever check and maybe should.

1. Look At Your Fireplace or Wood Stove

 

Fireplaces and wood-burning stoves can surely help keep us hotter in the wintery months! Please DO NOT forget to care for your wood stove or fireplace before you use them each year. If you do have a fireplace, typical inspection or maintenance/cleaning before you start it back up for the season could rule out an undesirable house fire. The more you use the fireplace – the more cleaning and maintenance it will need. Some spots to pay attention to are the top vents, you might want to buy new ones if they are damaged, old, or rusty, etc. Investigate and test to see that there are absolutley no obstructions in the chimney, by lighting pretty miniature pieces of wood and notice if the smoke rises and is not obstructed by anything. Also, don’t forget to oversee the exterior of the chimney for cracks and any damaged blocks. If these are not fixed, these can leak combustion gasses inside your home, forming a fire hazard.

If you don’t know how to do all this or what to look for, have a pro inspect and clean your chimney. CSL (Creosote Sweeping Log) logs available at Euston Hardware do benefit and help improve your fireplace operation as it helps avert the buildup of deposits, which are both a fire hazard and a hindrance to effectiveness. Creosote is a dark colored residue that can be flaky and tar-like, all varieties of it are highly combustible and can create a fire. You should always ignite seasoned firewood, no trash, no driftwood, treated wood, or artificial logs, for the greatest results and safety of your fireplace or woodstove.

Use a wood stove in the winter months? Your wood stove should have a stack thermometer to help monitor the gases leaving the stove. This is important when checking efficiency and pollution control. Also, smaller fires in truth helps alleviate pollution and quality air control. Strive to remind yourself to keep the ash cleared out, it helps oxygen better get to the fire to fuel it. The more insignifigant the smoke, the cleaner the burning will go. So get your fireplace and/or wood stove all set for the sharp cold season by buying helpful items at Euston Hardware today.

2. Secure Your Thin TV To Prevent An Accident

With thin TV’s, they topple over easier, specially with kids and pets jumping around. According Consumer Reports, 340 people have been killed from a television falling on them from the years 2000 – 2017. (https://www.consumerreports.org/product-safety/tv-tipovers-still-pose-danger-despite-lighter-flat-screens/)

It can be easy to prevent a disaster. Install the specific Anti-tip hardware to your TV or Furniture immediately with any of these options:

• Wall mounting
• Anchoring furniture with anti-tip brackets
• Installing anti-tip straps on the back in non-mounted

Most local hardware stores should have an assortment of brackets and fasteners if you plan to mount by a custom design.

3. Investigate Your Walkways

 

This should seem like an easy thing to do, but how many times do you think you have Inspected and then a person stumbles on an uneven part or there is awefully cold weather that came in overnight and there is a disaster on the sidewalk?? Over time the cement can rest or buckle due to tree roots or other causes. If you detect some cracks or uneven areas, have them mended by doing it yourself, or have a pro fix it. If you are in a snowy area, during winter make sure to have a snow shovel and/or ice melt ready to go. Our store is your place for bitter winter season help. Just ask a helpful store employee in the store for help with cement crack filler to mend your sidewalk or ice melt for icy cold days.

  

4. Switch Your Locks & Door Knobs

If your locks are dingy, old, or you have lost all the keys, it could be time to upgrade your locks and door knobs. With the influx of a variety of smart locks on the market, finding the right way to defend your home will depend on what is best for your family. Euston Hardware features smart locks with keypads, smart locks with touch screens, smart locks to use with your smart phone, and smart locks with hidden key options in an assortment of colors and styles. Do a little bit of investigation for which design is best for you. Few are special order only. But ask an associate to guide you when at the store.

  

Did you know? You can save money by re-keying your lock, instead of purchasing new. You could need to switch out your lock due to a new renter, you lost your keys, or you need to change your keys for the lock. You might need to re-key your lock instead of buying a new one to save money. You will have to carefully remove it from the door and take it into the store, because the cost of doing this is far less than a brand-new lock. Inquire with our hardware store in Kansas City to see if they offer this service.

 

5. Try Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors