How to Create a Safe and Comfortable Home (and Save Money Doing It)

What is your definition of a safe home?

Does it mean, to stay in a good neighbourhood? Or, to install alarm systems and security grilles? In other words, focusing on keeping bad guys out of your home.

What if I told you that “home safety” extends to much more than just keeping bad stuff out?

In fact, there are lots of other ways that your home can be unsafe.

Whether if you live in an apartment or a landed house, there are many factors within your home itself that can affect the comfort and safety of your family.

Small problems within your home can lead to possible dangers to your family. Or, at the very least, cause serious discomfort if not fixed over time.

For example, if the water pipes are leaking, it can cause harmful mould and fungus to grow. Or, if there are frequent power trips, it can affect your quality of sleep.

Remember that these “minor” problems could potentially become even more costly and complicated if they aren’t fixed right away.

In order to have the ultimate peace of mind, here’s what you need to do to make your home safe and cosy.

Ensure that your aircon is clean

Keeping your aircon units clean is something that all homeowners should do, especially if someone in your family has asthma or a respiratory condition.

Cleaning your filters at least once every two months will help to prevent dust and mildew buildup, improve indoor air quality (by preventing virus and bacteria growth), and increase efficiency.

Also, remember to service your aircon units regularly. This helps to prevent further complications such as leaking, bad smelling units, and preventing your aircon from blowing hot air.

If you need a professional aircon technician to inspect or service your aircon, we can recommend local professionals in your area, with free quotes.

Clean your sofa and mattresses

When was the last time you cleaned your sofa and mattresses? Or maybe the more suitable question is, have you ever?

Like aircons, your sofa and mattresses are important in improving indoor air quality and your family’s overall respiratory health.

Trapped contaminants such as food particles and dirt – in addition to pet fur, sweat, food stains, and dead skins cells – will remain trapped in your sofa and mattress for months and even years.

This leads to the breeding of harmful pathogenic viruses, bacteria, and mould, while also attracting fleas and dust mites.

As they trigger your allergies, you might find you and your family members showing symptoms of allergy more often, such as itchiness, headaches, and sneezing.

To protect your family, you need to vacuum your sofa and mattresses regularly, wash the sheets, and deodorise with baking soda.

Or, you can save the hassle and hire professional cleaners to deep clean your sofa and mattresses instead. Deep cleaning is the safest way to eradicate pathogens and dirt without resorting to harmful chemicals.

Clean your carpets

If you think your carpet is clean just cause you vacuum it weekly, think again!

Vacuuming alone won’t remove carpet stains, and doesn’t help to remove dust mites, pathogens, and pollutants residing in the carpet.

These harmful pathogens and pollutants are the main causes of indoor air pollution, causing headaches, dizziness, sore throats, and more.

The best way to effectively clean your carpets is to engage a professional carpet cleaner.

Professional carpet cleaners will deep clean your carpets with specially formulated chemicals that help to remove stubborn stains. Then, they will disinfect your carpet via steam cleaning to ensure your carpet is germ-free.

Proper carpet cleaning will also help to prolong the lifespan of your carpet and maintain its appearance. Schedule a deep cleaning carpet service now.

Clean “high-traffic” areas

With the rise of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases in Malaysia, it’s important to keep high traffic areas in your home clean and free from HFMD viruses to protect your child.

A high-traffic area is one that gets lots of usage. For example, your toilets, shower area, kitchen sink, door knobs, and more.

A clean home also helps to prevent a pest infestation, make your home more aesthetically pleasing, and improve the overall health of your family.

If you need cleaners to clean your home, you can book a house cleaning online.

Improve home security

To beef up security and keep intruders away, you can find a recommended grille supplier in Malaysia to install security grilles around your windows and home entrance.

Or, invest in a CCTV and alarm system if you want to really make the robbers think twice about breaking in. Remember, most alarm systems nowadays come with motion sensors, fire and smoke alarms, and emergency buttons.

Make sure your electrical system is safe

In Malaysia, faulty electrical wiring is the main cause of fires, claiming over 300 lives in the past few years.

Meanwhile, the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department also revealed that old and unserviced electrical systems were among the main causes of fire, and encouraged homeowners to have their premises checked by an expert.

The message is clear: old and faulty electrical systems are dangerous and should be taken seriously.

To ensure that your home adheres to the latest electrical standards, get an electrician to inspect your home. An electrician also helps you to check for loose wiring, test power points, and to inspect outdated wiring, among others.

Also, if you’re experiencing circuit trips more frequently, consider hiring an electrician to inspect and diagnose the problem, or upgrade to 3-phase power.

Find a recommended electrician near you.

Have your plumbing checked

Make sure that your pipes are in tip-top condition by getting a plumber to inspect your home.

Apart from looking out for corrosion and leaks, a plumber will also inspect for clogged pipes and drains, and check if your faucets/shower heads/taps/water heaters are functioning properly or need replacing, among many other things.

Book an appointment with a recommended plumber in your area to help identify potential problems that could otherwise lead to costly repairs such as leaks on your walls or pipe bursts.

If left untreated, the problem could escalate to the point where mould will appear, which will cause respiratory problems to your loved ones.

Renovate your home

If you live in a very old home (e.g. 30 years or more), the condition of your home may be more severe. For example, the walls may be cracking, pipes may be rusting, wires can get exposed, the doors may be rotting, and built-in cabinets may be falling apart.

In such cases, it may be better to do a proper renovation. A full renovation allows you to replace the guts of your home, such as pipes and wiring; add new cabinetry and fixtures, and ensure that your home is ready for another 30 years. You can find recommended renovation contractors in this directory.

But, unless you have the budget, renovation is expensive.

To help you finance your dream home, Citi’s personal loan now starts with a flat interest rate as low as 5.88% per annum and zero processing fees. You can also take a loan amount of up to 10X of your monthly income, with a loan tenure ranging from 24-60 months. Enjoy instant indicative approval when you apply online on citibank.com.my now.

Enjoy RM20 off selected home maintenance services with Citi credit card

With up to 10% worth of cash backs for groceries, petrol, dining, and Grab rides, the Citi Cash Back Credit Card helps you to save money when you hire home maintenance services at Recommend.my.

You’ll also get exclusive discounts and deals from over 25,000 establishments both home and abroad, accumulate (and pay with) reward points that will never expire, and gain exclusive privileges like access to airport lounges.

Conclusion

When it comes to creating a safe home, we tend to emphasize more on improving security (installing locks, grilles and alarm systems) to deter robbers and protect our family.

However, many homeowners forget the importance of home maintenance to our safety and comfort.

Regular home maintenance not only helps to keep the indoor environment safe, but it can also help to increase/maintain the value of your property, prevent costly repairs, and save your time (you don’t have to sacrifice your office hour or busy schedule for emergency repairs and fixes).

Recommend.my can connect you with the best service professionals to improve or maintain your home, whether it’s a cleaner, plumber, aircon technician, or a renovator. Browse listings and project photos, read customer reviews, and submit an express booking for a service to your doorstep today.