Summer is just around the corner! It’s time to relax, get outside, and enjoy the sunshine— and in order to fully relax, these safety tips can give you some peace of mind. As you soak up the sun in your yard, consider these tips:

BBQ Safety

We’ve talked about BBQ dos and don’ts in the past, but that safety info bears repeating: never leave your grill unattended, especially not around kids and pets. Always operate your grill with a fire extinguisher nearby, and make sure the grill stays a minimum of 10 feet away from any structures. Never grill under an awning since this is a fire risk.

 

Pool Safety

If you have a pool, you’ll have additional safety rules to follow. First and foremost, never let kids swim unsupervised. Take extra precautions to make sure nobody is getting into your pool without supervision– use self-closing gates to completely surround the pool, or to go above and beyond, get a lockable cover or a pool alarm.

 

Fire Pit Safety

If your home already has a fire pit, be sure there are no plants within 10 feet of the fire pit area, including any overhanging branches. Before you add anything else to the pit, put sand in the bottom to act as insulation between the pit and whatever surface it’s on. Make sure you have easy access to a fire extinguisher, too, just in case.

If your home didn’t come with a fire pit and you want to build one, check local city, county, and HOA rules first to make sure that’s allowed. In some areas, you may even need to disclose a fire pit to your homeowner’s insurance company due to the fire risk.  If all those hurdles are out of the way, be sure to keep the pit 10 feet away from any structures, ideally 20.

 

Fireworks Safety

In New York State, only sparklers— not fireworks— are legally allowed. In fact, according to ABC 7, parts of Long Island are cracking down on illegal fireworks. If you’re in a state where fireworks are illegal, the best safety practice is: don’t use them!

Despite their legality, sparklers still require some safety precautions. Never let children use them, and keep a garden hose or bucket of water nearby in case you need to extinguish a flame quickly. If you try to light a sparkler and it doesn’t ignite, do not try to re-light it— drop it in the bucket of water.

If you’re on Long Island and your list of summer plans includes getting a home inspection, I can help! Reach out to me today.