With its warm days, cool nights and extended hours of sunlight, summer is the perfect time to take a much-needed pause from your busy schedule and enjoy time with friends and family. And one of the best places to do that is in your own backyard, even if you decide that it needs a makeover before inviting guests over.
Adding recreational features to your yard, such as a fire pit or pool, can transform an ordinary outdoor space into the envy of the neighborhood.
Fire Pits
A fire pit can be the perfect place to unwind by roasting s’mores, surrounded by the ones you love. According to the American Society of Landscape Architects, a fire pit is one of the most frequently requested backyard features.
However, the National Fire Protection Association found that fire pits caused nearly 3,700 grass and brush fires in 2012. Whether you’re installing a permanent in-ground feature or simply purchasing a portable bowl, it’s important to know the proper fire pit maintenance to keep the flames from getting out of hand and spreading to your yard or home.
Be sure to keep your fire pit in an open area, far from overhanging trees, since wayward sparks could cause dry branches to combust overhead. A fire pit should be placed at least 10 to 20 feet from your home. Some city and county ordinances require an even farther distance, so check with your local fire department before deciding on a location.
Attractive Nuisances
Some backyard features are known in the insurance industry as attractive nuisances. Playgrounds and pools are two of the primary culprits. According to Cornell University Law School, attractive nuisances are “a dangerous condition on a landowner’s property that may attract children onto the land and may involve risk or harm to their safety.” This means that if a child wanders onto your property without your knowledge and gets hurt, you’ll likely be held responsible for their injuries.
Swimming Pools
According to the CPSC, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death in the United States for children five years of age and younger. Residential pools are the primary location for these drownings, the National Safety Council (NSC) reports.
Ensure your pool and surrounding areas are safe. While your pool is under construction, make it as inaccessible as possible to children. Surround the construction zone with a fence and see to it that your contractor keeps all tools and debris under lock and key.
After your pool is built, install a locked fence – standing a minimum of four feet tall – around the perimeter of your pool to keep children from falling in. And, as always, supervise children at all times when they’re near and in water.
Playgrounds
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), more than 200,000 children in the U.S. are treated for playground-related injuries each year. Although the majority of these incidents occur at public parks, nearly 23% take place on residential properties. The CPSC found that fractures – primarily of the wrist, lower arm and elbow – accounted for 39% of all injuries, while concussions and injuries caused by falling made up the rest.
It’s important to remember to install protective surfacing, such as rubber or mulch wood chips, under the equipment. This, in place of a dirt or grass, can help cushion falls and decrease the likelihood of serious injuries. However, this should never take the place of supervising children while they play.
Keep Your Backyard Injury-Free and Claim-Free
If you choose to add recreational features to your backyard, you’ll need to upgrade your homeowners insurance to be prepared for any mishaps that occur, like someone getting hurt on your property.
Standard homeowners insurance policies include fire as a covered peril. This means that if sparks from your fire pit go rogue and cause parts of your yard, deck or home to be engulfed in flames, you’ll likely be covered. Just be sure that you have enough coverage by setting your structure protection at the dollar amount necessary to rebuild your home from the ground up.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, standard home insurance policies typically include $100,000 in liability coverage – the facet of your policy that can help assist with legal and medical fees – but your insurance agent may advise you to purchase additional coverage, depending on what you add to your yard.
Most insurance providers recommend that homes with pools have a minimum of between $300,000 and $500,000 in liability coverage. Medical costs for near drowning incidents can cost up to $180,000, and if you don’t have adequate liability coverage, you’ll be forced to pay the remainder out of pocket.
Always Be Prepared for the Unexpected
After taking all the necessary precautions, enjoy your new backyard amenities – but remember to stay on guard, keeping safety at the forefront of your mind. Most mishaps can happen in the blink of an eye, and it’s up to you to keep your property as safe as possible.
Shelly White writes for Quotes.Safeco.com and HomeownersInsurance.com, an online resource for homeowners and drivers across the country. Offering automobile and homeowners insurance quotes, consumers rely on HomeownersInsurance.com for competitive rates from top-rated insurance carriers. The HomeownersInsurance.com blog provides fresh tips and advice on a range of financial topics to help homeowners and homebuyers make educated decisions about their insurance purchases.
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