• Keep your home safehouse image by kruszek from Fotolia.com
  
  Your home may not be as safe as you think. According to the Home Safety Council, home related injuries account for nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits each year. There are many hidden dangers around your home. Everything from grills to light bulbs can be harmful to you and your family if not used properly. Follow these tips to make sure your home is a safe place to live.
  
  

Window Safety

• Protect the children in your household by using window guards or window stops. Parents should install them to prevent children from falling out of windows. Make sure that the window guard can come off easily by an adult in case of fire. When installing window stops, ensure that the windows can not open more than 4 inches. Do not depend on screens to keep kids from falling out windows. Also, if your pet likes to sit on the window sill, consider using a window guard. If you have a window that opens from the top and bottom, use the top.
  
  

Outdoor Summer Fun Safety

• Use a helmet and other protective safety gear when biking, skateboarding, skating, riding scooters or horses to prevent injury in case of an accident. Don't bring outdoor charcoal grills inside because charcoal produces carbon monoxide, which can be deadly. When playing baseball, use batting helmets with face guards and softer than standard baseballs to prevent injuries. Be careful when playing hide and seek. Sometimes children crawl inside of chests, refrigerators, freezers and coolers and they can suffocate. Remove them from your property or put childproof locks on them.
  
  

Crib Safety

• Place babies on their backs to sleep to reduce the risk of suffocation and sudden infant death syndrome. You can also prevent suffocation by not placing pillows in the crib. This includes using a pillow as a mattress or propping a baby's head or neck on it. Be careful of the gaps between parts of the crib including broken slats. A baby's tiny head can pass through and get stuck. Babies can also suffocate in the space between the side of the crib and a mattress. The gap in between the two should never be larger than two fingers. Also avoid putting a crib near a window or blind because babies can strangle on the blind's cords or curtain.
  
  

Electrical Safety

• Check for signs of electrical problems on a regular basis. Some telltale signs are dimming of lights, blown fuses or frequent circuit breaker trips. Make sure the smoke alarms are installed on each floor and that they work properly. Try avoiding using extension cords when possible. Especially avoid using them to power energy hogs like air conditioners. Only use light bulbs that are the proper wattage for light fixtures and lamps. A higher wattage bulb can degrade the wires.