Enjoy Your Summer Safely – Know The Safety Hazards In Your Garden

If you’ve been waiting all year for the weather to pick up so you can start making the most of your own outdoor space, then chances are you’re excited to get out there and enjoy the sunshine. However, before you begin planning a whole range of summer sports activities, barbecues, parties and sunbathing sessions; it’s best to take some time to assess what has changed in your yard, patio, deck, pool and other outdoor areas. This is especially true over the off season and make sure you take care of any safety hazards.

Here are some things to check or attend to before you and your kids start spending all your time out in the yard this summer!

Check Out Your Trees

Check that there are no dangerous branches hanging off of your trees that could injure somebody. Chances are your trees will have grown a fair bit since you were last spending a lot of time outdoors; so look out for low hanging branches and also weak branches your kids may try to climb on. You can often prune your trees yourself if you want to get rid of problem branches, however if you need to or you’re not sure if your trees are safe or not, get a professional tree surgeon to look at them.

Look Out For Nests!

We’ve all heard horror stories about people who accidentally disturbed a wasp or hornet nest; these can be a real problem in the summer if they have managed to form a nest in your area. If you see a lot of wasps or hornets around in your garden area then there is probably a nest nearby; you are going to want to find it and have it destroyed so you can safely enjoy your summer. Even a single sting from one of these flying nuisancescan ruin your day, but being attacked by a swarm because you’ve disrupted a nest can be fatal. Many people also have dangerous allergies to the stings, so you’ll want to make sure your garden is clear before you have people over or let kids play there.

It’s also a good idea to invest in some insect repellent candles or other devices to help keep the area free of mosquitoes.

The Pool Area

As part of getting your pool ready for regular use again, check not only the pool itself but also the surrounding area. Look out for cracks in the patio or other tripping hazards, and make sure that any fencing or gates you have to keep your pool secure and keep young children and pets out are in good condition. Now is the time to get your fences both in the pool area professionally maintained, if you need any repairs or specialist paint work like iron fence painting done.

With a few quick checks and some smart maintenance work at the start of the season, you can avoid potential summer injuries and health problems created by the things in your garden. Make sure that even after doing these checks, you are also well stocked with first aid products like Band Aids and treatment for insect bites and sunburn, and you can have a stress free summer!

Today’s feature writer, Daniel Morgan, is a part of the team at As Good As New, one of the leading deck and fence service providers in California. In his spare time, Daniel writes blogs on how to maintain your decks and fences to improve the aesthetic appeal of your home.