RECOMMENDED
TOOLS & SUPPLIES
You can’t maintain your home with your bare hands! You will need tools and supplies to maintain your home.
Find our favorites below…
Tools & SUpplies
by Category
Home Safety
Today’s home security systems do far more than deter break-ins—they provide whole-home protection from the most common (and costly) household emergencies.
- Protect Your Home From Water Damage
- Prevent Winter Freeze Disasters
- Fire Safety & Pet Protection
- Smart Access & Peace of Mind
Recommended System – I use SimpliSafe, chosen for its consistently top reviews from CNET, Popular Mechanics, PC Review, and U.S. News & World Report.
If you’d like 50% off a new SimpliSafe system, use this link:
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Some smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors are integrated into your alarm system.
If you have an active SimpliSafe monitoring contract, this SimpliSafe will alert you via text and phone anytime smoke or carbon monoxide is detected in your home. If the alarm is not canceled via the keypad or app, SimpliSafe will alert emergency services. 31% of home fire deaths occur while the victim is sleeping. This detector will remain vigilant even while you sleep.
To get an alert when your home is on fire, even when you are out, install at least one Google Nest Protect. The Google app can be configured to alert you immediately by text when smoke or carbon monoxide is detected in your home. This is critical for homes with pets or disabled occupants who cannot escape your home without assistance.
If multiple Google Nest Protect are installed, these can be linked wirelessly so you will be alerted immediately in your upstairs bedroom if a fire starts in your basement.
FIRST ALERT B SC7010BV Hardwired Talking Photoelectric Smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detector
These First Alert smoke and CO detectors are about 1/3 the cost of the Google Nest Protect and can be interconnected together by wire so all interconnected detectors alarm when smoke or CO is detected anywhere in your home.
If your home uses propane or natural gas, install a gas leak detector to protect your home.
This wifi-enable detector will alert you to gas leaks even when you are not at home.
If your home uses propane or natural gas, install a gas leak detector to protect your home.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, after smoking.
The U.S. EPA recommends taking action to reduce radon levels at 4 pCi/L or higher, and to consider action for levels between 2 and 4 pCi/L.
Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that can seep into your home from the soil, especially in certain geographic areas. Levels inside a home can fluctuate significantly depending on whether the heating or cooling system is running and whether windows are open.
Use this continuous radon monitor to track radon levels year-round and ensure your home stays safe.
Use a fire extinguisher to put out small, contained fires or clear a path for your escape.
Never try to put out an uncontained fire by yourself. Escape your home immediately and call 911.
Keep a Prepared Hero Fire Blanket next to your cooktop, your outdoor grill, in your car, and in your camping gear. It is a straightforward method to smother fires.
Purchase an escape ladder you can practice with! Practicing your home escape plan with your family is critical to your success! Many mainstream fire escape ladders are designed to be discarded and replaced after each use.
This ISOP Reusable Fire Escape Ladder will allow you to practice your fire escape plan with you family annually so everyone is prepared for an emergency escape.
Purchase an escape ladder you can practice with! Practicing your home escape plan with your family is critical to your success! Many mainstream fire escape ladders are designed to be discarded and replaced after each use.
This X-IT Reusable Fire Escape Ladder will allow you to practice your fire escape plan with you family annually so everyone is prepared for an emergency escape.
As a new homeowner, copies of your front door key are not just with the previous owner. They may also be floating around with a dog walker, a housecleaner, a former roommate, and yes… possibly a creepy ex.
Now is the perfect time to change your locks. Better yet, upgrade to a smart lock so you can grant and revoke access to your home straight from your phone.
Water
Simply strap this Flume Smart Home Water Monitor onto your water meter and configure the app. The device will analyze your usage data and alert you via text anytime a leak is suspected.
Helpful graphs on the app can help you discover where and when you are using water.
This device has a one-time fee with no monthly subscription.
Save $20 with this link:
http://rwrd.io/aqjmc8f
Additional Screw-on Toilet and Sink Quarter Turn Ball Valve Shut-off
Don’t wait until your sink starts leaking to find out it’s shut-off valve leaks. Purchase two of these screw-on “add-on stops” so you can shut off a broken toilet or sink without shutting off the water to your entire home.
Go to your local plumbing supply store to purchase.
Say No to Drano!!!! Liquid Drain openers rarely work, can damage your drain pipes , and can cause chemical burns due to splash back. Drain obstructions must be mechanically removed to restore water flow. Use a drain auger to remove whatever is blocking your drain.
SimpliSafe Water Leak Detection
Some water detection devices are integrated into your alarm system.
If you have an active SimpliSafe monitoring contract, this SimpliSafe water sensor will alert you via text and phone anytime water is detected in your home.
SAVE 50% on a new system with this link: https://share.simplisafe.com/x/Dksi7S
Screw this Water Pressure Gauge onto your outdoor hose spigot to confirm your water pressure is between 40 and 70 PSI.
New Braided Metal Reinforced Hoses
The hoses to your appliances and plumbing fixtures may be a ticking time-bomb. Manufacturers recommend all appliance and fixture hoses are replaced every 5 years.
Go to your local plumbing supply store to purchase replacement braided metal reinforced hoses.
Drop one of these dye tablets in your toilet upper tank. If the water in the toilet bowl remains clear for 30+ minutes, your toilet does not leak between flushes.
In Development
More tools and materials to come…
LARGE APPLIANCE
The LintEater dryer duct cleaning kit helps maintains the safe operation of your clothes dryer thus ensuring the safety of your home while reducing drying times and lowering utility bills.
Use this vacuum accessory to clean out all the lint collected in the base of your dryer. The long brush is useful for cleaning refrigerator coils.
Dryer lint will bring your home vacuum to a swift death. Purchase a shop vacuum to clean your dryer vent.
Don’t spend a fortune on shop vac bags when cleaning your dryer vent. Use this Dustopper Dust Separator to collect your dryer lint in a five-gallon bucket that can be emptied into the household trash can. The dust separator will also protect the filter and motor of your shop vac.
Craftsman Precision Hook Set
Protects your home from bugs and pests. Ensure the exterior flapper on your dryer vent closes properly. Use this hook set to clean the lint out so the flapper can close completely.
Dryer vent outlets with plastic cages tend to trap lint over time, restricting airflow and reducing dryer efficiency.
This upgraded vent outlet is made entirely of metal. It opens fully when the dryer is running to allow maximum airflow, then closes tightly when the dryer is off to help keep out cold air and pests. The design also allows it to be opened easily for routine cleaning.
Keep your washing machine odor-free by running a monthly tub-clean cycle with Affresh washing machine cleaning agent.
Keep your dishwasher odor-free by running a monthly tub-clean cycle with Affresh dishwasher cleaning agent.
Remove scale and lime deposits from your dishwasher and washing machine by running an empty load with citric acid once a month.
AGING IN PLACE
Ensure emergency services can find your home quickly with large back-lit house numbers.
Existing Tub Modification
Your existing tub might be modified to provide easily access while still serving as a tub. Click here to learn more…
Grab Bars
Grab bars don’t have to look “institutional”. Modern grab bars come in a range of shapes and finishes. Grab bars can also be integrated into your towel bar, toilet paper holder, and shower corner shelf.
Experts report that occupants can grab a round handrail 5 times stronger than a “pinch grip” handrail.
This can prevent a slight stumble on stairs from becoming a dangerous fall. Consider swapping out your existing pinch grip stair handrails.
Motion-activated floor lights can automatically light the floor during night time visits to the bathroom.
Consider upgrading standard prep table to a butcher-block sit-to-stand prep table.
This prep table will raise to accommodate occupants with back injuries and lower to accommodate wheelchair occupants at the touch of a button!
Microwaves installed over the cooktop can be hard to reach for limited-mobility occupants. Consider switching to a microwave-airfryer combination unit on the countertop or installed into a base cabinet.
Standard dishwashers can be difficult for limited-mobility occupants to load and unload. Consider a dishwasher drawer instead.
Many sturdy semi-permanent ramp options exist when landscaping and paving upgrades are cost-prohibitive.
Tension-mounted child and pet gates present a trip hazard when open due to the bottom bar. Consider a wall-mounted gate instead.
MISCELLANEOUS
Before leaving on vacation, take some simple steps to secure your homes. Use these outlet timers to turn your lights on and off automatically while you are away.
In Development
More Tools and Materials to come…
In Development
stay tuned...
Talk to us
Have any questions? We are always open to talk about your home and how we can help you.