They say home is where the heart is, and that’s certainly true. However, it’s pretty undeniable that people become incredibly attached to their homes. Your home is the place where you spend time with your loved ones, make memories, and feel the most safe and secure. In a perfect world, your home would always act as a perfect shield standing between you and all of the stresses and difficulties of the outside world. Of course, however much you might not want to admit it, that’s not always the case. Sometimes the outside world likes to invade your space, whether you want it to or not. A lot of the time, there isn’t much that you can do in order to avoid this kind of thing. Disasters and difficulties often come as something of a surprise, which is a big part of why they are often so difficult to deal with. That being said, it’s always a good idea for you to be as prepared as possible for any eventuality. You might not be able to prepare for everything, but having things in place can help you avoid a lot of stress that comes with any potential household disasters. With that in mind, here are some of the most common problems in your home, how to avoid them, and what you can do if they happen to you.
Power outage
Depending on when it happens, losing power in your home can range from being a minor inconvenience to being absolutely terrifying. If it’s during the day, then it may take a little while before you even realize that it’s happened. Of course, if it’s in the evening or at night, it can be pretty terrifying for all of the lights in your home to suddenly go off at once. Either way, it’s a good idea to be prepared. Having a portable generator means that, even if it’s just for a little while, you don’t have to go without any power whatsoever. Of course, that may not be within everyone’s price range. Make sure that you have a decent supply of candles and a torch handy just in case you have to deal with being plunged into darkness, even if it’s just for a little while. Luckily, most people have smartphones these days, You most of those come with some pretty powerful torches. You should also be prepared just in case you have to spend any length of time without power. You may want to clear out your fridge and freezer, using whatever you can. You don’t want to end up with your food going off and your kitchen filling up with water.
Flooding
Speaking of the kitchen filling up with water, there are few things more disastrous than any kind of flooding in your home. It could be because of the weather; it could be because of a burst pipe. Whatever the reason, it’s something that most people home that they will never have to deal with. Of course, if you do find yourself having to deal with it, there are a few important things that you need to do. First of all, you need to find a way to stop the flow of water in the first place. Then it’s a matter of protecting and electrical outlets from the water. Getting water on your furniture can be a pain, getting water into your electrics can be deadly. The best thing is to get as much stuff as you can to the highest elevation possible. Then you need to focus on getting rid of the water. Of course, you probably want to try and avoid it in the first place. The best ways to do that are to keep an eye on the most common culprits. Check your pipes regularly to make sure that they aren’t in danger of bursting, and clear your gutters as often as possible. It’s a dirty job, but it can save you a great deal of hassle further down the line.
Pests
e legs and antennae. The idea of any kind of infestation is enough to make just about anyone’s skin crawl, and with good reason. Not only can a lot of pests feel like something out of a nightmare, but they can often carry harmful germs leading to things like illness and asthma. There are plenty of things that you can do in order to reduce the likelihood of pests appearing in your home, such as keeping the place clean and not leaving food around that might attract them. Of course, sometimes you don’t have to do anything, and creepy crawlies will find their way to you. Whether it’s ants, bees, or termites, any kind of infestation is probably going to need expert intervention. You might be asking yourself, how much does a termite treatment & inspection cost? The cost of an exterminator of any sort can often vary based on the size of an infestation, as well as the kind of places your uninvited guests have decided to make their home. It’s also a good idea to have somewhere that you can go while they’re being dealt with. Even if they aren’t putting your health at risk, there’s no denying that sharing your home with a bunch of pests isn’t really anyone’s idea of a fun time.
Fire
When it comes to household disasters, there are few more terrifying and significant than a fire. The worst part is, it’s actually one of the more common things on this list. A fire can cause irreparable damage leaving you without your possessions, your home, and even your life. Once again, preparation is the key here. If you want to avoid fires then make sure that you’re always responsible when it comes to things like cooking, and that you have an extinguisher in your home at all times. A lot of people assume that extinguishers are only really used in public spaces but having one in your home can often mean the difference between a near miss and a complete and total disaster. If a fire does start in your home, then you need to get out immediately. Stay low to the ground because the smoke rises and make sure that you call the authorities as soon as you and your family are somewhere safe. No matter what happens, don’t try and go back inside for anything. Losing a precious possession can be sad, even heartbreaking, but it’s definitely not the risk of losing your life by trying to go back and get it.
Remember, the best way to deal with any problem is to try your best to get out ahead of it. You might not be able to predict every issue, but taking as many precautions as possible is an incredibly good idea. Even if something seems as though it’s hardly that likely, making an effort to try and avoid any situation, no matter how remote, can save you a huge amount of stress further down the line. The best way to be prepared is to have the right insurance in place. It might not feel as though you need your home insurance to cover that many things, but in the end, it’s much better to have insurance that you never end up needing, that you find yourself needing insurance that you don’t have.
3 responses to “What Do You Do When The Worst Comes To The Worst?”
What a great blog! You have thought about almost everything. Life can throw quite a few wrenches at you, but being prepared is the first thing. Remember to live your life one day at a time and don’t worry needlessly about tomorrow. You will have the strength and know-how to deal with it. Thanks so much for this educational blog!
These are great options to deal with common problems.
A few years ago we had a very bad summer storm – we were without power for nearly 48 hours. In that time, our basement flooded (about a foot at the deepest point and virtually at least a thin layer of water at the highest points). I had been telling my husband we really needed a battery-powered sump pump, but he was too cheap to get one. Well, it turned out that most of what was lost in that water didn’t belong to him, but to my daughters and me. Only after another basement flood that actually took out some of HIS items did he finally get a battery back-up sump pump. We have a generator, too, but since it seems that more than half the time we have lost power from storms it was either when nobody was home or we were sleeping. A generator won’t help if you’re not awake to connect it and turn it on. We’ve been lucky in other ways, though. One of my husband’s friends had his kitchen catch on fire. Luckily the fire was out before it did much damage outside of the kitchen, but Dave and his wife have been living….first in a hotel, and then in a rented apartment…while they are dealing with insurance and waiting for the repairs to get done. They lost their dog in the fire, though (it was a small dog and the fire department says it appeared to have died from the smoke). Until this, I hadn’t really known anyone who had a fire or other really serious issue with their home. I’ve been seeing second-hand what they have gone through and I can say I hope I never have to do that myself.