How many times have you heard how you can save money by doing your own home repairs? I am the poster boy of doing my own repairs.
This past weekend something happened to make me think twice about which home repairs I would continue to do. We had a long time Realtor pass of accidental injuries. This was not a car accident or being at the wrong place at the wrong time, caught in a cross fire.
He was home working doing a simple task of home upkeep. This is something that millions of home owners do each spring. They get up on their roofs and clean leafs from their eaves. One slip and the fall can be your last!
You may not be aware of some of the easy things you can do to prevent some of the everyday injuries that will send you to the ER.
- Wear protective eye wear. It only takes a second to get something in your eye that could change your vision for the rest of your life. Hammers, nail guns, paint, solvents create splats, drips, glances and particles flying through the air.
- Keep your work-site organized...things dropped, leaning or stacked can all present the opport
unity for injury to feet, arms legs and back. - Ask for training when you rent power tools. Ever think about power wa
shing your deck or siding? Do not wear flip flops and power wash, the washer are high pressure washer and skin can be cut or removed very easy. Short pants is probably not a good idea either! Most of the rental companies will provide instruction for the asking. - Make sure ladders are anchored and any with broken parts are replaced. Ladder falls cause over 198,000 injuries per year according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Check those wooden ones especially close.
- Nail guns...these are the new tool of choice for self-inflicted wounds. Would you believe over 14,800 Do-It-Yourselfers shot themselves or someone else in one form or another with a nail gun! Then add the over 18,000 professionals from the construction trades that did the same thing and you can see being "Nailed" is no laughing matter.
- Keeping combustibles, solvents, oily or shop rags used for wiping combustibles away from
heat sources. This seems like a common sense issue. I had a showing recently...walked into the utility room and found a hat with plastci mesh sitting next to the exhaust pipe of the hot water heater. I moved it..the mesh had changed color...I do not know how long it had been there but it was a safety issue. Working in your workshop, craft area it is easy to toss rags into a box, bucket or bin...they can self combust. Check fire statistics on accidental f
ires. You will be shocked. - Here is the simplest rule....quit BEFORE your are exhausted. Once you pass the tired stage even simple tasks can become dangerous to you and those around you.
Our friend and colleague that lost his life doing home repair was the stimulus for this post. He was doing what millions of Americans do every year....working on his home. The dangers that lurk in the safety of our home and yard are more than we sometimes perceive. I hope this little reminder helps you focus on your home repair safety.
Safety Tip brought to by Flexit Realty. If you are thinking of buying or selling and live in Michigan give us a call we can help. Visit our website for over "30 Free Reports" that could save you thousands of dollars in your next real estate transaction. www.FlexItRealty.com
Comments(22)