5 Ways To Make Your Stairs Safe

Improvement

oi-Anwesha

By Anwesha Barari

Monday, June 11, 2012, 17:47

Does your dream home include a stretch of lovely spiral staircase? Most families are skeptical about living in duplexes or row houses because they do not want to live in a home with stairs. Although staircases look good, they are some inherent safety problems with them.

If you have hyperactive kids or old people at home, then stairs become a home safety issue. Tragic accidents through stairs are not unheard of. To ensure the safety of stairs in your house, you can try these tricks.

Stairs Safety Measures To Take At Home:

1. Build Smaller Stairs (lengthwise): If you are getting your house built independently, then you can always ask the architect to build smaller stairs. It becomes easier for kids and old people to negotiate smaller stairs. Actually it is easier for everybody if the stairs are neatly spaced. Even if you accidentally miss a step, the fall will not be fatal. You can always hold back your balance on the next step.

2. Alignment Of Stairs: The stairs in your home should be evenly spaced. This means that the spacing in between each stair should be the same. If one step is small and the other big, it is easy to miscalculate your steps while climbing. Get the geometry of the stairs right to avoid future accidents.

3. Carpet Your Stairs: Many people carpet their stairs for decoration. You can also do it as a stair safety measure. When you lay a carpet on the stairs, you are making the edges blunt. So, even if there is an unfortunate accident and somebody falls, there are lesser chances of injuries. However, you need to make sure that the carpets are fixed and not loosely laid. Slipping on a slippery carpet can lead to a bigger catastrophe.

4. Flooring Of Stairs: Smooth marble floors can lead to many home safety issues. When it comes to stairs, the issues just get more serious. Avoid using any kind of slippery floor tiles on the stairs of your home. Wood is the safest bet as it gives you a good grip.

5. Use Railings: Your stairs must never be bare. Always install a sturdy railing on your stairs. This is especially true for fancy spiral staircases that are most dangerous. The grip on your railing can prevent many fatal accidents.

Use these home improvement tips to keep your stairs accident free. Do you know of any other ways to improve the safety of your stair?