Your home should be your safe space. So when you think of how to make your home safe, do you consider unexpected hazards?
We know it can be dangerous to have unwanted pests in your home. But your home might also full of other less-obvious harmful conditions.
Here are ten of the most dangerous silent killers in your home. Knowing about these things in your home can help you create a safer place for you and your family.
1. Overloaded Outlets
These days, most homes have a lot of electronics. From televisions to portable devices with charging cables, we overload our wall plugs.
Be mindful of how many devices plug into wall outlets around your home. Adding too many power strips can overload your breaker or cause a surge. Surges and blown fuses can lead to electrical fires.
You also risk an obstacle course of cables and cords when overusing an outlet. Tuck cords away from children and out of walking paths through your home.
2. Accessible Medications and Household Products
With kids in the home, double check that all medication and household products are out of reach.
Whether it’s over-the-counter or prescription medications, be sure your kids can’t get to pills or liquids. Brightly-colored cleaning products often look inviting for a child to drink.
It’s easy for children to accidentally ingest medicines or cleaners if they can get their hands on them. U.S. Poison Control Centers report that most poison exposures happen with children under six years old.
Keep meds and products high and out of reach or locked away in cabinets.
3. Black Mold
If you smell something odd or see black “smudges” in bathrooms or ceiling corners, you could have black mold.
This silent killer enjoys warm, damp conditions. It grows quietly behind walls and in attics. Before you know you have a problem, it can take over your home.
Black mold causes a number of health issues. Headaches, lung issues, nausea, and autoimmune disorders are a few health problems caused by this dangerous mold.
Don’t leave black mold untreated. Read here for more info about the dangers of black mold.
4. Furniture
Keep furniture in good working order. To avoid accidents in the home, secure your furniture to a wall or something sturdy. When furniture breaks, fix it right away or consider tossing it out.
Tall cabinets and televisions can topple over. When heavy furniture lands on you or a small child, this can cause serious injury.
Broken furniture also has the potential to fall or cause injury. It might be your favorite recliner. But if it ejects you from your seat or closes on tiny fingers, it’s time to let it go.
5. Carbon Monoxide
This gas is most dangerous because you won’t know it’s there until it’s too late.
Carbon monoxide seeps into your home from running your car or mower in the garage. It’s also a danger coming from your gas heating system.
Watch for signs of nausea, vomiting, or excessive sleeping. These symptoms could be the signs of a carbon monoxide problem in your home.
For early detection, install carbon monoxide detectors in your home.
6. Toys
We know it’s painful to step on Legos left on the floor. But it can be a larger danger to leave toys on the floor.
Clear the floor of toys at the end of the day. This helps avoid trips and falls and prevents injury.
Also, be careful about the toys you buy. Check for small parts or loose pieces. These can become serious choking hazards for small children.
If your child can fit it in their mouth, leave it at the store.
7. Your Stairs
A beautiful staircase could be the reason you bought your home.
But your stairs could also be a fall hazard.
Make sure all steps and railings are secure. If you have small children, add a child gate at the top and bottom of the stairs. Never let small children navigate stairs unattended.
Stairways should be well-lit. And as much fun as it seems, discourage sliding down banisters.
8. Window Coverings
Every window needs an attractive covering to set the tone of a room. Be sure your new blinds or drapes aren’t a safety hazard, too.
Hide cords behind blinds or wrap them safely out of reach. Pulling cords can cause blinds to detach and fall. Worse, a cord becomes a choking hazard when a child becomes tangled in it.
9. Stoves and Ovens
Kids love to reach out and touch everything. Stoves and ovens are at the right height for kids to touch. They’re also a good temptation for climbing and pulling up to stand.
Is your stove attached to the wall? If not, it’s easy to pull it over and cause injury.
Never leave a hot stove unattended. And remind your kids to stay away from hot ovens.
10. Swimming Pools
Your family loves to swim in the backyard pool when the weather is nice. Be sure to keep everyone safe at the pool during and after swim season.
Add a fence and gate to restrict access to the pool. This helps keep kids from accidentally falling into the pool while unattended.
Be sure to follow good pool safety during play sessions. Watch small kids and don’t run around the pool. Cover the pool to prevent accidents during the off-season.
Know the Silent Killers in Your Home
Always put safety first when it comes to your home. Knowing potential silent killers can keep you and your family from injury or worse.
Sometimes you find safety issues when making upgrades to your home. When this happens, it’s the perfect time to solve the problem. Use an upgrade to fix a staircase or remove a mold issue before finishing the job.
At other times, improving the safety in your home is as simple as decluttering. But organizing a room or the garage isn’t the most fun way to spend a day.
Read more about our easy tips for decluttering your home. It’s not so bad with a little help to get the job done.