Keeping your family safe and your home in good condition are top priorities for any homeowner.

What’s one way to help achieve these goals? You can conduct a home safety audit each year.

This simply means inspecting a few things and reviewing emergency plans with everyone in your household. These easy safety checks can make all the difference. Here’s where to start.

Locate and test smoke alarms. Do you have enough smoke alarms, and are they working? You want one on each floor, including one inside and outside each sleeping area. Test each alarm, replace expired batteries and replace alarms older than 10 years.

Practice getting out and meeting up. It’s important to have a well-understood evacuation plan in case of a fire or other emergency. Go over the details (like how to exit safely and how to gather up your pets) and practice them together. Settle on a meeting place outside.

Check fire extinguishers. Do you have one in the garage and one in the kitchen? Make sure the dial shows the extinguisher is still pressurized. Review the instructions for using it (and know when to use it and when to evacuate).

Look for kitchen hazards. Has grease built up around the stove or on your range hood filter? It could start a cooking fire. Also, make sure cleaning products are locked away from young children and pets.

Check carbon monoxide detectors. Make sure they’re still working and have fresh backup batteries. Some are integrated with smoke alarms, but plug-in ones at knee level may provide better detection.

Do you have questions about keeping your home safe or about your coverage? Reach out anytime for assistance.