Home Safety & Security Tips

If you thought leaving your bedroom door open every night was the safer way to sleep, then think again. According to new research from the UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute (FSRI), in the event of a home fire, a closed door can actually be an effective barrier against deadly levels of carbon monoxide, smoke, and flames—plus it might buy you more time to escape.

Gift-giving season means we all have to be a little stealthier about our online shopping—especially if you share accounts with the people you’re trying to surprise. Or maybe you found the perfect thing to finish your shopping list, but don’t want to give your credit card info over to the Amazon machine to get it. Whatever your reason for wanting to shop incognito, we have the answer: Amazon Cash. Amazon Cash, my friends, the answer is Amazon Cash.

They may be pretty, but choosing and taking care of a Christmas tree takes more effort than you might think. Whether you go all out for a traditional Douglas Fir or opt for an artificial tree, planning ahead will make your holiday season far more festive—and, more importantly, safe. Time to deck the halls in your neck of the woods? Here are a few things not to forget as you purchase, set up, and care for your tree.

Smoking doesn't just ruin a smoker's health—it's ruining their home, too.

We’ve all heard that “overcharging” your phone (aka leaving it plugged in after sufficiently charging the battery) can reduce your phone battery’s effectiveness over time. But have you ever wondered about the charger itself? With your cord plugged into the wall (behind the bed, next to the sofa) around the clock, could your charging setup be costing you money or posing a safety hazard?

I can’t be the only one who could use an extra hour of sleep right about now. This is most definitely not going to be a post about what other things you can do with that sixty minutes borrowed from last spring. (The answer is sleep. It’s always sleep.) But it’s smart to tie some of your semi-annual housekeeping tasks to Daylight Saving Time—a moment that rolls around twice yearly like, well, clockwork.

Just because something is "natural" doesn't mean it's effective (or safe) to use on everything under the sun.

We can all agree they're kind of amazing.

Common first-aid supplies like rubbing alcohol can pack an extra punch against germs, but that doesn't mean they don't come with risks.

Whether you live in an area that’s prone to thunderstorms, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, or any other number of natural disasters, if the power goes out, we all have the same questions: How long can we still eat the food in the refrigerator or freezer, and what should we keep or pitch after the power comes back on? Here’s a guide to help you both monitor and know what to do with food when there’s no electricity.

In case you're trying to outsmart a nosy partner, or just want to make sure Amazon understands that cat lady tote was a one-time gag gift.

It will never be not true that solving a problem when it’s small is much easier — and, when it comes to home maintenance, drastically more cost effective — than solving a problem that’s grown. While we’re outside grilling or sipping on something relaxing this Labor Day weekend, we’re going to take a little stroll around the perimeter and see if there might be a little problem we need to address now, before it gets bigger.

Chief among the sounds you never want to hear in your kitchen is an explosive shattering of glass. I’m here to tell you that the stuff of urban legend sometimes is true. Picture a cozy Sunday supper underway: my husband, Brian, is making his mom’s Yorkshire pudding to go with a beef roast and carrots and buttermilk-poached cauliflower. Our neighbors are over with their sweet toddler.

Having roommates isn’t always easy. For every good thing you share (a.k.a. rent, bills, groceries, etc.) there’s usually something a little more difficult (i.e. space and storage) to divvy up. Thankfully, IKEA knows the roomie struggle is real. The super stylish and affordable retailer offers tons of roommate-friendly solutions—think: Furnishings that are lockable and dividable—to help make sharing and sorting household stuff easier.

Say goodbye to SLADDA: IKEA announced a full recall for its innovative bike due to fall hazard reports. SLADDA, which won some impressive design awards when it debuted in 2016 and only becoming available for purchase for $399 just last January, was part of the Swedish company’s drive to make cities less dependent on cars (and easier for city dwellers to care for).

If you’re guilty of leaving water bottles in your car, whether it be clutter or a backup source of hydration, then it’s time to quit the habit. Firefighters are warning drivers about the hazard that clear water bottles pose. Specifically, Oklahoma’s Midwest City Fire Department conducted a test to find that water bottles magnify sunlight. This can make it reach a temperature as high as 250°F.

Do you know how old your furniture polish is? If you have to think back to a specific purchase and then do math, chances are it’s expired. And what about those other products you have to reach way back in the cupboard for — those products you only use a few times a year? Yep, almost all cleaning products expire — but what does that mean exactly? Simply put, it means that they’ll break down and become less effective.

Few things are as basic and integral to the safety of a home as the humble smoke detector. Everyone has to have one and you should stay on top of making sure all of the batteries are still good and that you didn’t forget to screw it all the way back in after burning your brussel sprouts. The US Consumer Product Safety Commision recently recalled Kidde dual-sensor smoke alarms for failing to detect smoke.

Twitter is a flawed, maddening, beautiful place that can be pretty taxing sometimes. But there is a beacon in the dark, a lighthouse amongst the hashtag ridden detritus: The US Consumer Product Safety Commision account. Hear me out. While neither straight up humor or a necessary source for keeping up with our current news cycle, it is nevertheless one of the best accounts on the internet. It’s run by a genius.

Power banks are key for keeping your phone alive during long days or travel, but some could cause more problems than they solve. Amazon announced a recall Monday on several of its AmazonBasics power banks. Here’s how to know if yours is one of them. AmazonBasics is the company’s in house brand that provides no-frills products without the markup. “We are voluntarily recalling six models of AmazonBasics Portable Power Banks in cooperation with the U.S.

If your mother hasn’t called to remind you yet (mine did), allow me: daylight saving time starts tomorrow, March 11th. Which means it’s time to move clocks forward an hour (and time for my semi-annual humiliation as I push a bunch of buttons on my oven clock and it just blinks back at me interminably.) As you go about your home doing this (hopefully with more skill than me), there are some other important household undertakings you should consider doing at the same time.

Time to check your kitchen counter: Whirlpool has recalled their KitchenAid brand electric kettle. They’ve recalled around 40,200 units in the US and 47,300 in Canada due to burn hazards. The recall is for the KitchenAid 1.7 Liter Electric Kettles in black, red, white, graphite and stainless steel and cocoa silver. After over 70 reports of the handle breaking off of the kettle and with a few extreme cases causing minor burns, the company recalled the product on February 20th.

We’re all guilty of trolling Facebook during intense moments of boredom and landing on a seemingly harmless quiz. “What celebrity is your personality twin?” Or “Which winter color represents your mood?” To your surprise, you discover that you’re a winter white, however, The Council of Better Business Bureaus says that we may be giving away more than we bargained for.

You know you should have a disaster preparedness plan, you really do. You know you should have water, and cans of food, and a flashlight and a plan, but everytime you start to think about getting it all together you just get overwhelmed.

What to do if you suspect mold has taken hold.

Growing up in a city, everyone I knew locked their door. Granted, we all hid keys in easy to find places like the doormat right in front of the locked door, but we locked them nevertheless. Turns out, not every region of the country locks their doors equally. A new survey from Safehome.org looks at the door locking habits of folks across the country. While they have a reputation for being easy-going and welcoming, turns out Southerners draw the line at letting you just waltz on into their homes.

From breakups to break-ins, the paparazzi captured all the highs and lows of 2017—including the aftermath of some of the most costly celebrity robberies. Multiple Hollywood stars made headlines as their homes were robbed and thieves made off with millions of dollars in valuables. Here’s what you can learn from their mistakes. With so many high-profile break-ins this last year, it begs the question: what security measures are in place and is it enough?

Many places in the United States are facing an extreme cold front this week, with temperatures much chillier than normal for early in the winter season. While that might means you need to bundle up a bit more for New Year’s Eve festivities, don’t forget about your four legged family members. Here are a few ways that you can protect pets from the cold.

My mom ends every phone conversation with me “drive carefully.” I could be sitting on the sofa in my living room (frankly in most cases I am) and those will still be her parting words to me. On New Year’s Eve – and most other holidays—that salutation gets even more emphatic given all the alcohol flowing this time of year and the heightened potential to encounter drunk drivers on the road. In fact, a new analysis from Alcohol.

One of the wonders of online shopping is that you can do it from the couch in your PJs or on the train during your commute. One of the drawbacks—especially around the holidays—is the uptick in package theft. Crafty criminals have come up with smart ways to steal your stuff, but there are companies out there aiming to curb it. The New York Times reported this week that UPS plans to deliver 750 million packages this season, which is up from 500 million just five years ago.

We’d be hard-pressed to think of a more thoughtful two-in-one design than this clever clock-emergency kit combo from Seoul design firm SWNA. Fittingly named the Life Clock, the eye-catching timekeeper comes equipped with a set of tools that are specifically tailored for use in case of a natural disaster.

Have one of these popular West Elm lamps? We have some news: they are being recalled due to a shock hazard, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Here’s what you need to know if you have one.

The temperatures are starting to drop, and if your home is a bit drafty, chances are there’s a space heater making its seasonal return from the depths of the closet. Though before you plug it in, one fire department has an important reminder on how to safely operate the units. “The weather is getting colder, and people are pulling out their space heaters,” the fire department shared in a Facebook post.

Do you have small children at home? IKEA wants to remind you that its dressers—including the popular MALM series—pose a tipping hazard when they’re not securely fastened to the wall. The original voluntary recall was first announced in June 2016 following several reports of deaths and injuries caused by the units tipping over. The company was (and still is) offering free anchoring kits to repair the current pieces, or a full or partial refund for recalled models.

While many of us do the bulk of our shopping online throughout the year, as we gear up for the holidays, it’s inevitable we will hit up some brick-and-mortar stores. When it comes time to check out at some of these retail stores, you might be surprised how many ask for personal information, particularly your ZIP code, in order to complete the transaction.

Be sure to take these steps before and during a storm.

One Texas woman endured a harrowing experience last week when her Bath & Body Works candle unexpectedly erupted in 6-inch flames, engulfing her face and sending her to the emergency room with first and second degree burns. And the entire ordeal was all caught on a home surveillance video captured by her family’s Nest camera.

Urban legends. Old wives’ tales. It doesn’t matter what you call them. They add up to one thing: A bunch of scary, if unlikely, events that could maybe, possibly, if the right set of circumstances were met, be true. So, yeah, the whole thing about urban legends is that they’re mysterious and shrouded in the fear of the unknown. But thankfully, we live in the era of unlimited information at our fingertips (and one great TV show called Mythbusters), so we actually have answers.

We already know that sleeping with your phone can negatively impact your health and relationship, but if that’s not enough to break your before bed screen habit, then perhaps the risk of fire will have you thinking twice before tucking in next to your electronics. A New Hampshire fire department recently posted a powerful message on Facebook about the dangers of sleeping with your charging electronics.

Americans collectively spend a whopping $2.7 billion dollars every year simply replacing the items they can't find.

While we all have a fear of locking ourselves out of our homes, how many of us actually do something about it? According to a recent survey of 1,000 homeowners by Eyewitness Surveillance—a home security company based in Hanover, Maryland—18% of American households have a physical key hidden outside of their home.

Many homeowners will tell you that securing their home is a top priority, however, that doesn’t mean home invasions aren’t a very real threat for Americans. According to a new survey by Eyewitness Surveillance—a commercial surveillance company based in Maryland—a burglary occurs every 13 seconds in the United States, resulting in a startling 2.5 million home intrusions reported every year.

As much as we love spending time on social media, some of the unexpected burdens it brings kind of make us want to log off permanently. Just kidding – that probably won’t ever happen, but while we’re sharing, we shouldn’t allow ourselves to become so blinded by the likes that we stop prioritizing the need to protect ourselves online.

Well, Spring has finally sprung (at least for us here in New York City!) and I know everyone — myself included — is starting to get that warm weather travel bug. There’s nothing quite like a backpack when you’re traveling, and while any loyal Apartment Therapy reader knows that we simply LOVE to talk about luggage, there’s a new kid on the block. Today I’m excited to share Bobby, which I first saw at the New York Now show a few months ago.

This week, Reddit was shook when one user shared a cautionary tale of accidental fire at their home. Not by an unattended candle, or a frayed wire, or even unventilated electronics—but by a doorknob.

Many areas of the country have been seeing unseasonably warm weather this year, but most forecasters agree that it’s not yet time to hang up our coats. So use this comparatively mild weather like a snooze button for winterizing your home-away-from-home. If you haven’t prepped your car for winter yet, now is the time to get it done. Winter is here. The extreme temperatures and other environmental factors can wear your car down faster than you can say “Is it Spring yet?

Q: Most of the country doesn’t really have to think about this, but living in California we do. We have a large and beautiful wall behind our bed that is directly where your eyes go when you enter the room. Typically we would splurge on a nice large piece of art, but living with earthquakes that is totally frowned upon. Obviously getting smacked in the face in the middle of the night with a painting or mirror would not be great. What other ideas should we explore beyond wall paper?

Even though your brain knows the clock is about to turn back, your body doesn’t always get the memo. Some of us will sail through the time change seamlessly, and others will feel out of sorts for days. Start this week so that, before you go to sleep next Monday night — and set your clock an hour earlier — you’re already caught up.