Safe and Secure at Home
- , by Trudy Chuoke Trudy Chuoke
Last Saturday I did a radio show on home safety. I went down each aisle of our store and found so many products that would make you feel secure in your home. Get them for yourself or get them for your parents. Let me give you a few ideas of what you could use in your home.
Let's start with outside doors. Door Guardian is a 3-inch door lock that requires NO key. It is an easy-to-use, easy-to-install, cost-effective way to secure your home. It resists forced entry, is an excellent way to childproof all outside doors, and is effective in securing doors when you are in charge of patients with dementia. In other words, no one is going out or coming in that door without your approval. It comes in satin steel and oil-rubbed bronze. Prime Line makes a Sliding Door Latch that I use in my home. The previous owner had installed so many locks on the sliding glass door that the metal jamb was a mess, and I still couldn’t lock my door. I installed the Sliding Door Latch, and that door won't open unless I lift the latch. This U-shaped hardened shape loop slips into a bracket that is screwed into the door frame. You can also use it on front doors as a backup security lock. If you are using it for childproofing, install it higher than they can reach.
Bathroom safety usually includes grab bars. But if you are not ready to drill into the tile or marble surrounding your shower, there is an alternative. Medline makes a Suction Cup Grab Bar that is easy to install. It will provide a level of independence and safety wherever you need it. Installation is simply cleaning the area where you want to place the bar. Place the bar where you need it and press. Then snap the locks down, and your grab bar is secure. For the floor of the tub or shower, you have a couple of choices. You can place Magic Safety Treads or Handi Treads on the bottom of a clean tub or shower. Or you can treat the tub or shower with Slip Doctors Floor Safety Kits for either fiberglass or porcelain surfaces. The directions vary a bit, but you apply Slip Doctor to the bottom of the tub or shower, and then the tub becomes slip resistant. I love these products because they are clear and they don’t show dirt. These products really protect you when you step into the tub or shower.
Gription Tape is one of my favorites. But safety is not why I bought it for the store; it’s why I keep it there. Gription products are designed to provide grip and safety on everything from handrails, walkers, and canes to sports equipment, telephones, and household surfaces. Its slip-resistant hold can be used both indoors and outdoors. It’s weather- and water-resistant, so it's a perfect solution for outdoor use on steps. And they make Gription in a glow-in-the-dark tape.
I can’t help but talk about my favorite flashlight, TripleLite. TripleLite has a curved design that provides 180 degrees of light. It will light up your whole natural field of vision. You won’t have any dark areas while walking the dog or taking out the trash. And if the lights go out at the house, TripleLite can light up an entire room when placed on its end.
I hope this helps. If you would like a list of safety products for your home, click here.
Are your headlights hazy and hard to see through at night? Clean them with Trudy’s Headlight Magician… click on the top banner on www.happyhandyman.com to buy.
Now to the email….
Question: I was wondering if the Morgan’s Repellent would be good to use in your attic. I don’t have any critters now, but I don’t want them either. Which would be best, the garlic or the peppermint cinnamon?
Answer: Yes, you can use it in the attic. I would use garlic. That’s what I use it for in my attic for the same reason. I have had raccoons in my attic, and it’s bad. Here is how I use it. I drilled holes in the container lid, keeping the repellent inside. Then I placed it in the middle of the attic on a cardboard box. If you keep any birdseed or pet food in the garage, place some there as well.