In any home, there are certain dangers: leaving the oven on, for instance, or falling down the stairs. However, what you might not expect are the hidden dangers lurking elsewhere in your house- from your television to the wasp nest on your porch, to even mowing the lawn. Here’s what to look out for when making your home as safe as possible.
Inside your home, sealing and regularly inspecting your wooden/laminate flooring and furniture is essential to preventing dangerous chemicals from being released into the air. Several varieties of houseplants can also be toxic (azaleas, irises, and hydrangeas, for instance), and they should be kept out of children and pets’ reaches. Finally, each year, over 25,000 children are injured by televisions or other furniture falling on them, so anchor these heavy items to walls or floors to prevent them from tipping over.
You may think that pests are just annoyances, but they can actually pass on diseases to their human homeowners. Animal feces often contains disease-causing parasites, and animals also carry diseases that can infect nearby humans (bats carry rabies, for example, and ticks carry Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever). In these situations, as soon as you notice an infestation, call a licensed animal control professional to eliminate the infestation and prevent another one.
If your home has recently undergone construction, you may have spare paint or extra cleaning products around. Paint needs to be stored properly (upside-down in a well-ventilated area), or else the fumes can cause headaches and respiratory problems. Many cleaning products are obviously toxic if consumed, and some can be dangerous even to just inhale; most notably, the combination of ammonia and bleach creates a gas that can be deadly to breathe in.
Finally, your home appliances should be regularly tested and inspected to make sure they’re in good working order. Install CO detectors in your home to alert you to any odorless gas dangers, and use ground fault circuit interrupters to stop the spread of deadly electrical currents. You can prevent mold and other causes of respiratory problems by using a dehumidifier and cleaning the coils and drip pan of your refrigerator regularly.
A safe house is the first step to a comfortable, healthy home environment for you and your family. By following these steps, you can prevent dangerous accidents or illnesses before they happen.
