Making sure your home is safe and secure is always a priority. But when your business is also based in your home, you know that the fear and anxiety of possible damage can be particularly high. According to safety experts, there are basic and simple things you can do to make sure you keep your home and business safe. Over this two-part series, we’ll take a look at some household items that might need special attention. Here are some danger areas that can present safety hazards to your environment: Electrical systems. If you live in a home that was built before the 1960s, you might be dealing with fuse boxes with screw-in fuses, rather than modern circuit breakers. The type of systems can consist of only six fuses for the whole house, compared with 15 to 18 breakers in today’s electrical systems. The fewer fuses you have, the more power running through each fuse, which increases the risk of fire. Consider getting an electrician to upgrade old fuse-based systems. If you are living in a home that was built between 1965 and 1972, you might have aluminum wiring, which can also be a fire hazard. Consult a qualified electrician to determine any dangers lurking from your current electrical system. Damaged power cords. As fire firefighters consistently warn, frayed extension or appliance cords can be fire hazards. Make a habit out of checking your cords, particularly if you have a pet that favors them as chewing toys. Also be careful not to overload an outlet with too many plugs. Make sure, if this is the case, to use a power strip with a built-in fuse, rather than an extension cord. Cooking or heating devices. Cookware, like crockpots, can be fire hazards because they are left plugged in for so long. The same goes for space heaters. How many stories have we heard during winter months about homes catching fire due to space heaters? Before you leave these items plugged in for hours at a time, conduct a test. Plug in the device and let it run for fifteen minutes, then feel the power cord. If the cord is hot to the touch, the appliance is not safe to use. In the final part of this series we’ll review other areas of potential hazard that you need to be aware of. | 
