Backyard Entertaining Whichever the Season
Backyard entertaining may mean spending time by the swimming pool or cooking in the Summer. However, as complex as it has been in the past years, having quests in the backyard can be done in cooler months with the help of fire pits.
On the other hand, the backyard also offers a world of fun for your young children. Playgrounds in your backyard offer even more chances for adventure. This is one reason why the American Academy of Pediatrics reminds parents to always supervise their children while playing outside, even inside their homes. Here are some safety tips to help keep your summer fun and free from any possible danger.
Backyard Entertaining Safety Basics
Start by giving your backyard a make-over when you plan to do some gatherings or just simply playtime for your young children:
- Always check to see and know whether your fences are sturdy and in good repair. You should know that they’re free from splinters and rust and that your toddlers cannot open your gates.
- Keep your hoses after each use so your young children don’t trip over them.
- Hang ladders in a shed or garage so your children cannot climb or play on them.
- Keep your pathways clear of the toys of your children so that no one including you trips over them.
- Always make sure that your children are indoors when you are using a lawnmower or other possibly dangerous tools such as a saw, hedge trimmer, or weed whacker.
- Keep all your garden tools out of your children’s reach and store them with tines, blades, or spikes pointing downward.
Garden Water Features for Backyard Entertaining
You can beautify your backyard with fish ponds, waterfalls, and other water features and this can add serenity to your backyard. They can also attract children and can be a potential drowning hazard if proper protective steps are not placed. You should take note of the following:
- Young children may drown in as little as an inch or two of water. Adults like you should watch children at all times when they are in the water or even near the water.
- We also suggest using a rigid, lockable pool cover or fence on all four sides as you would also place for a swimming pool.
- Also, tightly cover water treatment or chemical mixtures after you use them.
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Trampolines
Trampolines can be ultimately fun for kids since they can jump and turn their whole bodies around. However, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, they are the main cause of nearly 100,000 injuries each year. Let us avoid this by taking note of the following:
- We suggest limiting the number of jumpers to one at a time.
- Supervision is essential for children at all times. Look out for your children and why they use the trampoline.
- Remove trampoline ladders after use so that your young children won’t be tempted to play on them while you are away.
- We also suggest using trampoline enclosures. These can help prevent injuries from falls from trampolines.
- Lastly, we also suggest anchoring the trampoline and the enclosure to the ground by using a trampoline anchor kit.
Playsets
Playsets or playgrounds are being enjoyed by children of all ages. However, damaged or weather-worn playsets can, of course, cause accidents. Kindly take note of the following to avoid accidents in playsets:
- Always supervise your children.
- Regularly check your playsets for sturdiness, rusty bolts, and wood rots, and make other necessary repairs.
- Always inspect playsets for openings too between pieces that could trap a child’s head or neck.
- We also suggest placing your playsets securely on the level groups and on wood chips or other soft materials to cushion falls. This is to prevent injuries.
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Fire Pits
Warm nights are the very perfect time to roast marshmallows and chill with your family throughout the whole night. However, insufficient supervision or improper use of fire pits can cause injury. Please take note of the following so accidents can be avoided during fire pits:
- We suggest placing the fire pit in a safe spot away from your home, backyard deck, or low-hanging tree branches.
- Always have adult supervision if your children are involved in fire pits and roasting marshmallows. Always have your eyes on your children while the fire pit is in use and until it has cooled off.
- Never leave the fire while no one is around.
- Use sand to fully extinguish the fire.
- Let the used coals cool completely and throw them in a metal container.
Lawn Mowers
Lawnmowers can easily cause injury to people who use them to clean their lawns. We suggest following these tips for your safety:
- Reading the mower’s manual, heed safety and operating instructions, and also learn the controls of the mower itself.
- We also suggest not allowing children to ride as passengers on a riding lawn mower and keeping your children a safe distance away from it while you use it. This is preferably out of the yard altogether while mowing.
- Another is cleaning your toys thoroughly as well as other objects such as rocks from the yard to help avoid injuries to you, your loved ones, and your pets due to flying objects.
- Never leave a running mower unattended. Always be alert while you use it.
- Never operate the mower in an enclosed place where carbon monoxide can gather. This can poison anyone.
- We also suggest never unclogging or working on a lawnmower while the engine is on or when the spark plug is still connected.
- Always wear non-slip shoes or boots while you use a lawnmower. Do not use open toes shoes or even heels while you operate a lawnmower. Also, use hearing and eye protection too. We also suggest wearing long pants while mowing or trimming your lawn
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Garages and Tents
You might want to use garages and tents to keep you dry and have them as a heat source to keep you warm if you live in an area where it might rain or snow. A lot of people have decided to turn their garages into gathering areas and have bought tents.
Things can get complicated with people gathering inside tents. The most desirable thing to do is when all sides are up or if you use a canopy because of the airflow. However, unless the tent or canopy is fairly big for the number of people attending, then you’ll have a hard time maintaining six feet of physical distance between other people. However, it is much better to gather indoors if there’s only a little or no airflow in the tents you’re using.
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Heat Sources
Hypothermia can happen in as little as 10 or 15 minutes in very cold temperatures. This is very dangerous for babies, young children, and also older adults. So, always take note of your group’s age and also their health when planning an outdoor gathering and if it’s safe for them.
It is essential to ensure that your guests aren’t too close together to get to the warmth even though having an outdoor heat source will make everyone present more comfortable. It comes down to space, setup, and safety whatever heat source you use.
A portable fire pit may be a good idea if you’re ok with tending to a fire inside your home but you have to be sure that your guests won’t be breathing in smoke and that no one gets burned due to the portable fire pit. You could also choose to give your guests air-activated, disposable hand warmers to keep and take home.
Some more good options are outdoor heated blankets and portable heaters. Just please be aware of extension cords, flammable objects, burns, and overloading sockets. You should also take note that electric space heaters cannot cause carbon monoxide poisoning. However, fuel-burning space heaters can and should only be used in well-ventilated areas. Don’t also forget that it now gets darker in many areas much earlier.
Ensure that there is enough and plenty of light in your outdoor space so guests won’t trip and fall. We also suggest using string lights or solar or battery-operated lights around the area.
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Standard Homeowners Insurance Protections
A basic homeowners insurance policy safeguards your home’s structure or your house per se, and your personal belongings in case they get destroyed such as an incident such as a fire. These are generally called “package policies” meaning that the coverage includes also the liability or the legal responsibility for any injuries and damage to your property caused by you or your family members including your pets.
Insurance for condominiums and apartments will cover your belongings, liability, and also certain parts of your interior structure as set by laws or your proprietary lease.
Renters’ insurance also provides similar property and liability protections to people who don’t own their homes.
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All kinds of home insurance also provide additional living expenses coverage for extra costs of living away from your home if it’s not suitable for you in the meantime due to damage from an insured disaster.
Please always be careful when you decide to hang out with your family and friends during this pandemic. Always consider precautionary measures. We hope this blog entry was also able to help you and that you were able to learn a lot from it.
Call or text Advantage Insurance Solutions here in Denver, CO at (720) 221-8168 for a free insurance review.