Keeping a family as safe as possible takes a lot of work, as there are many aspects to consider. If there are children in your family, this is something you have often thought about. There are observances throughout the year that help us to remember to keep safety considerations high on our list of priorities. One example is that June is Home Safety Month. For all you fellow parents out there, here are what I believe to be the top five hidden home dangers, along with my stay-safe solutions.
Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer for good reason. You can't see it, and you can't smell it, but carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning. 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. The fire department nearest you should be able to give you advice on where to place the carbon monoxide detectors in your home according to state law. And be sure to have your appliances checked regularly.
Fire extinguishers are essential. Unattended cooking is the main reason behind home fires, so start by staying in the kitchen when you're using the stovetop, checking food frequently when it's in the oven, and keeping the range clear of anything that can catch fire.
Cracks in your foundation may seem harmless, but they could lead to deaths in the home. If you're like many homeowners, you're probably unfamiliar with radon: the second leading cause of lung cancer (behind smoking). Cracks in the home's foundation could lead to this radioactive odourless gas to enter the home coming from the soil. Even if you don't have a basement, radon can still enter your home through cracks around service pipes and construction joints.
You can't see or smell radon, but you can easily test for it with an at-home kit.
It's little known how fast home fires can spread. From the time a smoke alarm sounds, your family can have as little as two minutes to escape safely before the fire spreads throughout your home. 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.
People generally don't consider break-ins to be much of a risk. People generally think they are not likely to be victimized, but the fact is that every 14 seconds a house is burglarized. 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; entries to the home should be well-lit; basement windows should be fitted with metal grates; if there are bushes in the yard, keep them trimmed neatly so they can't be utilized by thieves to hide in. If you have a safe, this will set your mind at ease knowing that your most important items are secure.
Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer for good reason. You can't see it, and you can't smell it, but carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning. 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. The fire department nearest you should be able to give you advice on where to place the carbon monoxide detectors in your home according to state law. And be sure to have your appliances checked regularly.
Fire extinguishers are essential. Unattended cooking is the main reason behind home fires, so start by staying in the kitchen when you're using the stovetop, checking food frequently when it's in the oven, and keeping the range clear of anything that can catch fire.
Cracks in your foundation may seem harmless, but they could lead to deaths in the home. If you're like many homeowners, you're probably unfamiliar with radon: the second leading cause of lung cancer (behind smoking). Cracks in the home's foundation could lead to this radioactive odourless gas to enter the home coming from the soil. Even if you don't have a basement, radon can still enter your home through cracks around service pipes and construction joints.
You can't see or smell radon, but you can easily test for it with an at-home kit.
It's little known how fast home fires can spread. From the time a smoke alarm sounds, your family can have as little as two minutes to escape safely before the fire spreads throughout your home. 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.
People generally don't consider break-ins to be much of a risk. People generally think they are not likely to be victimized, but the fact is that every 14 seconds a house is burglarized. 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; entries to the home should be well-lit; basement windows should be fitted with metal grates; if there are bushes in the yard, keep them trimmed neatly so they can't be utilized by thieves to hide in. If you have a safe, this will set your mind at ease knowing that your most important items are secure.
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