Published on BHG.com
You’ve changed the batteries in your smoke alarms and locked up the cleaning supplies but don’t sit down yet. Throughout your home, there are probably dozens of other not-so-obvious dangers lurking. Whether it’s environmental or the possibility for injury, every room in your house has potential hazards that pose a threat to you and your family that you may have never considered. Here’s a home health and safety check list with some easy and affordable solutions for making your house a safe haven.
1. In the Kitchen: Be Prepared!
According to Meri-K Appy, President of The Home Safety Council in Washington D.C., cooking is the number one cause of home fires. “Most cooking fires happen when the cook leaves the stove unattended or is distracted.” To keep a stovetop fire from spreading, always keep the pan lid or a cookie sheet close by to cover the fire. Covering the fire with the lid or cookie sheet cuts off the oxygen and allows the fire to go down. Additionally, be sure to wear oven mitts to protect your skin when cooking and covering any pan fires. Never throw water on a grease fire.
If the fire has spread beyond the pan, the best thing to do is get everyone out safely and call 911. “The Home Safety Council does not recommend using a fire extinguisher in the event of a pan fire” says Appy. “Unless you are experienced in using one, the force of the spray may cause the pan to move or flip and cause the fire to spread.”
2. Fireplace Check-up
When you think of fireplaces do you think of warm and cozy nights with your loved ones? Rebecca Morley, Executive Director of The National Center for Healthy Housing in Columbia, MD, says “nearly 36,000 fires and 250 deaths occur each year from portable heaters, fireplaces, and chimneys.” In addition to potential fire hazards, the combustion gases such as carbon monoxide can accumulate when a blocked chimney, or broken chimney connector pipe (flu) prevents the gas from leaving the home.
“There are approximately 200 deaths per year known that are caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. Even low-level CO poisoning can cause serious health effects that feel similar to flu or allergy symptoms.”
Morley suggests putting a CO detector on each level of your home (average cost is about $40 each). At the beginning of every heating season, have a trained professional check all your chimney as well as your fuel-burning appliances: furnaces, water heaters, ovens, dryers, fireplaces and wood stoves.
3. Beware of the Bathroom
From slips and falls, to drowning dangers, to medicine and chemical access, to mold exposure, bathrooms hold a world of hazards for your family. The Home Safety Council suggests keeping all appliances unplugged and put away when not in use. Install toilet locks to prevent drowning accidents for little ones. Also, falls in the bathtub are a common cause of ER visits. Using a bathmat and installing grab bars and non-slip strips in the tub and shower can prevent injuries for the whole family.
Meri-K Appy, also stresses the importance of locking up cleaners, medicines, and even cosmetics. “Look for the words ‘caution’, ‘danger’, or ‘keep out of reach of children’ on all labels in the bathroom and throughout your home.” Anything with a warning like that should be in a safe place with child safety latches installed. And don’t forget to post the number for the Poison Help Hotline, 1-800-222-1222 in the bathrooms as well as the kitchen.
4. Don’t Let Mold Take Hold
Mold isn’t just lurking in your fridge, it can grow anywhere in your home where moisture is present. Mold spores can wreak havoc on the lungs and worsen symptoms of asthma. Allergic reactions such as coughing, wheezing, watery eyes, and inflamed sinuses are among the most common.
Bathrooms, basements, and attics are the most common areas where mold can be detected. Carter Oosterhouse, home building expert and host of HGTV’s Carter Can, says “using backer board in the bathroom is a moisture-resistant alternative to drywall as well as using moisture resistant paints.”
Rebecca Morley also recommends checking your grout lines around the tub and tile areas to make sure water isn’t escaping behind the walls. “Also check to make sure your fans are ventilating to the outside of your home, not your attic.”
5. Foyer Faux Pas
Home after a hard day’s work, do you come in and toss your purse to the nearest spot available? Ever think about what’s in your purse? What you keep in your handbag can be a danger to little ones and pets. Things like pepper spray or medicines, matches and lighters or even coins can be a risk. Hang your purse up high to keep it out of reach so curious little ones don’t go digging.
6. Childrens’ Room Danger
Windows in second floor bedrooms are the hot spot for danger in kids’ rooms. Move furniture away from windows in children's rooms to keep them from getting too close and install specially designed window guards to keep kids from falling out. “But make sure they have a quick release mechanism in case of fire” says Appy.
7. Nursery Know-How
For infants, the leading cause of death from ages one month to one year is associated with an unsafe sleep environment. The Home Safety Council does not recommend sleeping with an infant or letting them sleep in your adult bed, sofas or chairs. Exhausted new parents can roll over and pose a smothering threat. Appy recommends following the ABC’s of safe sleeping for baby. “Alone. On the Back. In a Crib.” No blankets, pillows or toys in the crib that can cause suffocation or strangulation. Zip up sleeper pj’s are as effective as a blanket in keeping your precious baby warm.
8. Lurking in the Basement
The second leading cause of lung cancer could be lurking in your basement. Radon gas is dangerous to your family and could exist in any home. However, radon test kits are available at your local hardware store for about $10 and are easy to use. Once you perform the test, it is mailed to a test lab (address and envelopes are included in the kit). If your home tests positive, don’t panic. Local radon experts can help you install a mitigation system that directs the gas outside.
9. Laundry Room Lint
Dryer vents carry the heat from your dryer outside. But lint and hair can build up in them and should be checked regularly. “These pose a potential fire hazard but are easy to clean out” says Carter Oosterhouse. “Keeping it unblocked will also help the efficiency of your dryer.”
10. Taking it outside
Children’s play equipment is a leading cause of broken bones and head injuries in the backyard. The Home Safety Council does not recommend keeping a trampoline in your yard. For play structures, create a soft “landing pad” for kids. Soft surfacing under play equipment should be one foot deep and extend at least six feet out from all sides of the structure. Grass, dirt, and even sand do not offer enough protection. “The area under and around playsets can be filled with wood chips, rubber mulch, or even pea gravel. Any of these will absorb the impact and minimize injuries when playing outdoors” says Appy.
11. Pool Safety
Swimming pool drains have a powerful suction; so powerful, adults can be held underwater. Hair and bathing suits on children can get caught in the drain causing them to be pulled under. Make sure all drain covers meet new safety recommendations and are intact and in place every time you use your pool. If broken or missing, replace them before allowing anyone to swim.
Appy also strongly recommends constant, attentive adult supervision when little ones are in our near water, and installing a lockable gated fence surrounding all four sides of the pool that’s not easy for outsiders to climb.
12. Older Home Hazards
Many older homes were built before modern building standards and regulations were in place. When purchasing an older home, Carter Oosterhouse recommends checking for lead paint and asbestos if built before 1980. Also, make sure your electrical wiring is up to code. If your home has only two-pronged outlets then it will not be able to handle larger electrical loads. Have a licensed electrician inspect your home for potential dangers.
13. Stay Safe and Healthy
For a comprehensive health and safety check of your home, you can take a virtual tour at MySafeHome.org via the Home Safety Council website. For more information on preventing home poisoning visit the CDC website poison prevention page.
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