Sometimes accidents or disasters can strike no matter how far you’ve gone to prevent them. Being prepared for the unexpected can help protect your family and your home. Here are a couple of good items to keep on hand in your home.

• Fire extinguisher. Keep one on every floor of your home, and an extra one in the kitchen, which is where the majority of fires start. Some insurance policies will give you a discount on your premium for having extinguishers in your home A multipurpose ABC extinguishers works on three types of fires: ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids, and electrical. Check the pressure gauges on your extinguishers when you check your smoke alarms and have them recharged when the pressure drops.
• Battery-powered smoke detector. Supplement your hard-wired smoke detectors (if you have them) with at least one battery-powered smoke detector per floor, especially in the kitchen and by the bedrooms. Pick up a model that has a sealed-in, 10-year lithium battery. This will help avoid frequent battery changes and middle of the night chirping.
• Carbon monoxide alarm. Choose one that is a separate CO alarm, not one combined with a smoke detector. Place one on every level of the home and outside each sleeping area. Check your state laws on requirements for CO alarms.
• Automatic water heater shutoff valve. An automatic shutoff valve for the water heater cuts off the supply to the device as soon as it senses a leak of any kind.