It can sometimes be difficult to remember all the little things we should be doing to keep our families safe. If there are children in your family, this is something you have often thought about. Luckily there are a lot of observances during the year that remind us to take time out from our busy lives and think about safety. Home Safety Month is in June each year. Parents especially should take a look at our list of top 5 hidden dangers in the home, and our solutions to some of these hazards.
Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer for good reason. Odourless and invisible, carbon monoxide causes more accidental poisonings than anything else. It can come into the house from a car running in an attached garage, from malfunctioning appliances, and fireplaces, among other sources.
A carbon monoxide alarm is the only way for you to protect your family from poisoning. These should be installed on every level of the home, including the basement, and outside each sleeping area. Your local fire department should be consulted so you can find out what the state laws are for where to place the detectors. Your home appliances should all be inspected on a regular basis.
Fire extinguishers are essential. Fires in the home are most often caused by cooking unattended, so don't leave food on the stove and walk away, always keep an eye on the oven when using it, and be sure that there is nothing near the range that could cause a fire.
Most people don't consider that cracks in the foundation to be dangerous but they can be. Radon is something that most homeowners have no idea about, but it is the second leading cause of lung cancer, after smoking. This odourless, radioactive gas can move up from the soil and enter the home through cracks in the foundation. If a home has no basement, it's no guarantee that radon isn't present, since it can seep into the house through construction joints or service pipes connected to the home.
It's invisible and has no scent, but it can be tested for with a kit that can be purchased.
The speed that fires can spread in the home is very fast, and most people aren't aware of this. If a smoke alarm is beeping, there can sometimes be only around 2 minutes to get your family together and exit the home before it spreads too far to exit safely. Your ability to escape from a home fire depends on advance warning from a smoke alarm but, also, from advance planning with an escape plan. Surprisingly, a recent survey showed that the fire escape strategy is only practiced by 29 percent of families.
The chance of burglary is actually overlooked in many households. Many of us believe that it's not something we need to consider, but the sad truth is that every 14 seconds there is a break-in somewhere. Here are a few simple steps to take to prevent break-ins to your home: have heavy-duty deadbolt locks installed on solid core entry doors; properly lighted entries; basement windows should be fitted with metal grates; also, bushes outside the home should be neatly groomed to reduce hiding places. But you'll enjoy extra piece of mind by storing your most valuable possessions in a safe.
Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer for good reason. Odourless and invisible, carbon monoxide causes more accidental poisonings than anything else. It can come into the house from a car running in an attached garage, from malfunctioning appliances, and fireplaces, among other sources.
A carbon monoxide alarm is the only way for you to protect your family from poisoning. These should be installed on every level of the home, including the basement, and outside each sleeping area. Your local fire department should be consulted so you can find out what the state laws are for where to place the detectors. Your home appliances should all be inspected on a regular basis.
Fire extinguishers are essential. Fires in the home are most often caused by cooking unattended, so don't leave food on the stove and walk away, always keep an eye on the oven when using it, and be sure that there is nothing near the range that could cause a fire.
Most people don't consider that cracks in the foundation to be dangerous but they can be. Radon is something that most homeowners have no idea about, but it is the second leading cause of lung cancer, after smoking. This odourless, radioactive gas can move up from the soil and enter the home through cracks in the foundation. If a home has no basement, it's no guarantee that radon isn't present, since it can seep into the house through construction joints or service pipes connected to the home.
It's invisible and has no scent, but it can be tested for with a kit that can be purchased.
The speed that fires can spread in the home is very fast, and most people aren't aware of this. If a smoke alarm is beeping, there can sometimes be only around 2 minutes to get your family together and exit the home before it spreads too far to exit safely. Your ability to escape from a home fire depends on advance warning from a smoke alarm but, also, from advance planning with an escape plan. Surprisingly, a recent survey showed that the fire escape strategy is only practiced by 29 percent of families.
The chance of burglary is actually overlooked in many households. Many of us believe that it's not something we need to consider, but the sad truth is that every 14 seconds there is a break-in somewhere. Here are a few simple steps to take to prevent break-ins to your home: have heavy-duty deadbolt locks installed on solid core entry doors; properly lighted entries; basement windows should be fitted with metal grates; also, bushes outside the home should be neatly groomed to reduce hiding places. But you'll enjoy extra piece of mind by storing your most valuable possessions in a safe.
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