There’s no place like home. It’s where you feel safe, comfortable and cozy…and that’s a good thing. However, even inside your safe haven there can be some potentially dangerous areas or situations.
Here’s our list of the top 10 potential dangers in your home.
- Stairs. Topping the list as the number one cause of injuries in the home is falling on steps and stairs. Slipping and tripping can happen easily on wood stairs. You can prevent these accidents by ensuring that your handrails are installed properly, add treads or a runner, and make sure that they are well lit and free of toys or other hazards.
- Cooking Fires. A good rule of thumb is to never leave the kitchen when you are using the stovetop. Make sure that you have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen but never use it to put out a grease fire. Instead you should smother the flames with a lid or cookie sheet.
- Candles. Burning candles should never be left unattended. Also be careful of placement when you have children and pets in the home as they can easily be knocked over. A good alternative is flameless, battery-operated candles, some even have timers!
- Extension Cords. Nailing cords to the walls or running them under your carpet is a potential fire hazard.
- Clothes dryers. Backed up lint traps, lint blockages in vents and improper ventilation of your clothes dryer is a top cause of household fires. Be sure to remove lint from your dryer after every load and monitor and clean your dryer vent annually.
- Bathroom floors. Water and tile makes for a slippery situation. Handrails in the shower, bath mats and areas rugs, and ventilation fans can make the bathroom safer for all users.
- Carbon Monoxide. This unscented, dangerous gas will make you sick and can cause death so it’s critical to have a carbon monoxide detector in your home. The most common culprits are kerosene and gas space heaters, gas water heaters, wood stoves, fireplaces, and car exhaust.
- Radon. Another odorless danger, this radioactive gas enters your home through the soil and cracks in your foundation, pipes, and construction joints. At-home test kits are available and when levels are high in your home, radon reduction systems are available. Here’s more information from the EPA.
- Lead. Homes built before 1978 may have lead-based paint in them. Hire a certified lead paint removal company to test and remove it properly.
- Mold. Mold can grow in any damp, poorly ventilated area of your home and can be very dangerous to your health. You have to be careful when cleaning it and in some cases you should hire a professional. Here’s more information from the EPA.
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household dangers,
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