Buying a home for the first time is an exciting thing. You finally have a place that is all your own that you can make into the perfect home for you. However, owning a home is no small responsibility. When things go wrong, there is no landlord to call for assistance. Finding solutions and dealing with emergencies is all on you.
When you become a homeowner, it is important to make sure that you are as prepared as possible for any number of common household emergencies. The better you are able to plan for such things, the faster you will be able to respond should such an emergency arise.
Even though it is impossible to be prepared for every eventuality, a few emergencies are more common in the average household that you should look to be ready for. Here are three such emergencies to be aware of so that you can be as prepared as possible for your new responsibility as a homeowner.
1. Getting Locked Out
Getting locked outside of your house can be a scary and off-putting thing. Even though this isn’t the sort of emergency that presents a clear and present danger to your person or property, getting locked out of your home can be quite dangerous depending on the extenuating circumstances.
For instance, if you have small children at home and you find yourself locked outside or if certain appliances have been left on, you will need to be able to get back inside as quickly as possible.
This is why it is important to have the number of a reliable locksmith saved on your phone. When you know that you have a locksmith on call to come let you back into your home as quickly as possible, you can avoid a small blunder turning into a major disaster.
2. Kitchen Fire
No matter how skilled you feel you are in the kitchen, there is always the possibility that a fire can occur when you are cooking. Something as careless as throwing a kitchen towel onto the stove when you forgot to turn off a burner can result in a major emergency if you aren’t careful.
Make sure that all the smoke detectors in your home are working properly. It is also a good idea to keep a small fire extinguisher in your kitchen in a place that is easy to access should a small fire break out. You should also brush up on how to extinguish different types of kitchen fires.
3. Power Outage
Whether you live in an area that experiences rolling blackouts at some point in the year or if your region sees extreme weather that can knock out power lines, it is important to be prepared for a power outage.
Having things like candles, flashlights, and an emergency supply of food and water on hand is a good idea. Generally speaking, power outages don’t last too long, but you will want to be ready for a day or two without power if you can.