Automating your home is a great way to save time and money and help make your home more environmentally conscious. If you have kids, here are a few tips to make sure that they stay safe around automated devices.
Once your kids are old enough, you can talk to them about the different automated devices in your home to make sure they are aware of what they do and how they work. Be sure to let your kids know about the potential dangers like turning the oven on by accident or using the electric disposal in the sink. Once they are aware of the potential dangers, they can take more caution to avoid these devices.
For automated devices like your garage door, you can make sure the garage has a sensor on it that can detect movement. That way if your kids are playing near the garage door and it accidentally closes, it will retract once it senses they are in the way. Other devices, like automated blinds, could also have sensors installed so they don't run the risk of pinching your kids fingers or other dangerous outcomes.
Many automated devices are controlled by mobile apps. If you have any of these devices, put a lock on your phone in order to protect the apps. That way if your kids pick up your phone or try to play on it, they won't accidentally turn on appliances or make other adjustments to your house by accident. If you don't want to lock your entire phone, find out if there's a way to lock the individual apps so your kids don't accidentally access them.
Don't put any automated devices into rooms that are dedicated to kids. It's better to install automatic devices in rooms that are meant for grown-ups and, if possible, to keep them out of reach of kids. That way, they won't be tempted to play with the devices and they won't usually be left unsupervised with devices that could hurt them.
