01:47:00
Keeping a family as safe as possible takes a lot of work, as there are many aspects to consider. If you have any children, you will understand this completely. 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. June is Home Safety Month, for instance. 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.
Invisible and deadly, carbon monoxide is the silent killer. 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.
The only real way to protect you and your family from this danger is to get a carbon monoxide alarm. Your home should have a detector on each level, basement included, and the sleeping areas should all have a detector. Check with your fire department to see what local and state laws require in terms of placement. Have all of your appliances inspected periodically.
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.
Cracks in your foundation may seem harmless, but they could lead to deaths in the home. 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. 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.
Most people have no idea how quickly fires can spread in the home. 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. The smoke alarm will typically provide you with some time to escape, but you must also have a plan for your family to follow in such an emergency. 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. People generally think they are not likely to be victimized, but the fact is that every 14 seconds a house is burglarized. These are a few of the most effective ways to prevent thieves from gaining access to your home: solid core entry doors should be installed along with high-quality deadbolts; properly lighted entries; install metal grates over basement windows; and trim bushes so there are fewer places to hide. If you have a safe, this will set your mind at ease knowing that your most important items are secure.
Invisible and deadly, carbon monoxide is the silent killer. 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.
The only real way to protect you and your family from this danger is to get a carbon monoxide alarm. Your home should have a detector on each level, basement included, and the sleeping areas should all have a detector. Check with your fire department to see what local and state laws require in terms of placement. Have all of your appliances inspected periodically.
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.
Cracks in your foundation may seem harmless, but they could lead to deaths in the home. 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. 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.
Most people have no idea how quickly fires can spread in the home. 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. The smoke alarm will typically provide you with some time to escape, but you must also have a plan for your family to follow in such an emergency. 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. People generally think they are not likely to be victimized, but the fact is that every 14 seconds a house is burglarized. These are a few of the most effective ways to prevent thieves from gaining access to your home: solid core entry doors should be installed along with high-quality deadbolts; properly lighted entries; install metal grates over basement windows; and trim bushes so there are fewer places to hide. If you have a safe, this will set your mind at ease knowing that your most important items are secure.
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