Homeowners should prioritize the overall health and safety of their household. In a house with children, most importantly, it’s crucial to ensure a healthy home environment. Sadly, several hazards aren’t evident.
A home should make everyone feel safe and secure. However, various circumstances or objects can make it unhealthy and unsafe, such as pests, molds, and dangerous chemicals.
Additionally, lack of maintenance in your home can result in detrimental effects like potential health issues and hazards.
Here are some various measures to maintain a healthy and safe home environment:
Contents
Danger of Mold
When mold develops in certain parts of your house, they send out harmful clouds of invisible particles through the air.
The presence of mold can trigger various health conditions, such as asthma, allergies, infections, and other respiratory issues.
The best way to steer clear of these health problems is to keep your house mold-free as much as possible.
As mentioned, the buildup of mold in any house can be a health hazard that homeowners must avoid at all costs.
According to a mold removal Washington company, when you find uncontrolled mold growth, the best move is to consult a professional since they’ll get the job done efficiently, keeping your home safe.
Remember that any part of your house that’s exposed to constant moisture or dampness is likely to develop mold. You must check for the following:
- Water leaks in the plumbing or roof.When water ends up within the walls or beneath the carpet, mold is likely to develop, although you won’t always see it. A clear indication of mold growth is when the walls or rugs have light stains or exude a strong, musty odor.
- Mold formation in the basement after flooding.The excess moisture can also seep through the concrete foundation of your house. This can cause mold formation on the bottom of carpets or the interior of a finished wall.
- Water damage around the doors and windows.During winter, the moist air can liquefy on these surfaces and promote mold growth over time.
- Mold growth on the walls, floors, ceilings, and other objects in the house.You should check these if they have a musty odor, which is a clue that you’re having mold problems.
There are specific actions that you can do once you find mold in your home, such as:
- Eliminate small areas of mold by preparing a solution of hot water and dish detergent.
- When mold covers a vast area in your home, consult a professional to handle the task for you.
- Fix any water leaks and clean up right away when flooding occurs. Make sure that everything is dry again within 48 hours.
- Utilize exhaust fans while showering and cooking
- The stove, dryer, as well as kitchen and bathroom fans should all vent to the outside.
- Try to minimize or remove all clutter in the basement.
- Don’t store food, paper, fabric, or wood in moist areas, such as the basement. If possible, utilize plastic storage bins when storing these items.
- Maintain a low level of humidity by using a dehumidifier if necessary.
Fire Prevention
A fire can grow from a spark to a life-threatening emergency in just minutes. Fortunately, there are simple precautions to consider to avoid fire, such as:
- Always have functional smoke alarms in your house. Inspect the smoke alarms once every month and install new batteries every six months.
- Create a fire escape plan that all household members should know
- When a fire occurs, move out of the house and call for help immediately.
The majority of house fires originate in the kitchen. With this in mind, here are some of the additional fire precautions to consider:
- Keep towel racks, curtains, and paper towel dispensers at a safe distance from the stove burners.
- Make sure that the microwave vents don’t have any obstructions.
- A fire extinguisher should be readily accessible.
- Avoid throwing water on a grease fire. If this type of fire starts in a pan, cover it with a lid or use a fire extinguisher.
Fall Prevention
Falls, which can be a life-changing event, is the leading cause of injuries among elderly individuals throughout the years.
Here are several measures that’ll lessen the chances of fall accidents, improving the safety of your house:
- Get rid of any potential trip hazards around the house, such as loose wires, cables, and clutter. Remove any objects that you might trip over, especially on the walkways and stairs, including books, paper, shoes, and clothes.
- Prevent rug slippage.If you have small throw rugs, it’s best to remove them or place a double, non-slip tape to secure them in place.
- Install grab bars.You should install the grab bars next to the tub and toilet, which come in handy in providing support.
- Use non-slip mats in the bathroom.Make sure that you’ll only use non-slip mats in the bathroom or shower.
- Regular exercise.One of the significant risk factors that increase the likelihood of falls is weakness in the lower body. Regular exercise can keep the torso and legs flexible and strong.
- Be familiar with your medications.Certain medications, including sedatives, tranquilizers, or antidepressants, can affect one’s balance. It’s best to see your doctor if this is a concern.
- Use proper shoes. It’s crucial to ensure that your shoes fit correctly and in good condition at all times.
Monitor the Carbon Monoxide Levels
Carbon monoxide in low to moderate levels can trigger flu-like symptoms.
As this colorless and odorless gas increases, the toxic effects can be fatal, especially among children since the gas prevents oxygen from moving to the brain and heart.
It’s important to note that carbon monoxide originates from the incomplete combustion of fuels, including wood, coal, kerosene, oil, natural gas, and propane.
Carbon monoxide can also originate from cars, portable generators, power washers, and lawnmowers with an internal combustion engine.
The ideal way to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning is to ensure that all fuel-burning appliances are functioning correctly.
As part of routine maintenance for your home, inspect the heating systems every year to ensure optimum functionality.
Also, consider installing monoxide detectors outside the bedrooms and other sleeping areas in the house.
Testing for Radon
When naturally uranium breaks down in rocks, soil, and water, it releases radon, a radioactive gas.
Radon is one of the significant causes why non-smokers develop lung cancer, but you won’t know that you were exposed since you cannot see nor smell it.
Unfortunately, some houses have elevated levels of radon. Once the radon levels are high, you need to consult a certified radon-mitigation professional so they can install a piping system that’ll vent the gas out from under your house.
In case you’re building a new house, your contractor must utilize radon-resistant construction methods. Don’t forget to request a radon test as part of the inspection when buying a home.
Even if the tests yield negative results, it’s best to retest every two years or after renovations.
Window Safety
To keep every family member safe, it’s important to observe safety at all times, especially when it comes to the windows. This is why it’s essential to install window guards or stops on all the upper-level windows.
Window guards are bars that are four inches apart, which you can securely screw on the sides of the window frames. As for the window stops, they stop windows from opening more than four inches wide.
The Danger of Poisons and Chemicals
Several household products in the house can be dangerous for children. That’s why it’s vital to check the ingredients in these products to watch out for any allergies Learn more about plant based disinfectants. Every year, many children end up poisoned after ingesting common household products.
Aside from cleaners, medications, and caustic cosmetics, other products such as mouthwash, perfumes, aftershave, bath oils, and even vitamins can be harmful. Even paints, stains, windshield washer fluid, moth flakes, and balls can be dangerous when children are around.
You can keep your house safe from potentially dangerous chemicals by taking into consideration the following:
- Read the product labels. Make it a priority to check for any warning symbols since they indicate that the product can be hazardous.
- Carefully check and follow all the safety information and directions when using any chemical.
- When using chemicals, such as paints, paint strippers, varnishes, or cleaning products, open a nearby window to ensure proper ventilation.
- Take a break now and then when painting or performing household renovations.
- If you’re going to use moth flakes and mothballs, you should carefully read and follow the packaging directions since they can be harmful if not used correctly.
- Try using low-emission paints, glues, and varnishes. You should also check with the manufacturer for more information on specific products.
- Always use protective gloves to avoid direct contact with the skin.
- Store chemicals in their original containers and stash them away in a safe and secure location, which should be in a locked area so you can keep them out of reach of children.
- Safely dispose of hazardous household products. You can consult the local authorities on the proper disposal methods.
Pest Control
Every homeowner wants a home that’s free of any pest. In case you find pests, such as ants, cockroaches, or rodents in your kitchen, here are safe ways to deal with them:
- Put away any food, clean up thoroughly, and cover the trash and garbage to prevent access to pests
- Seal all openings to the outside and in between rooms to keep pests out
- Utilize traps, closed baits, and gels only if necessary
- Repair any leaks and wipe any spilled liquids
- Avoid using any foggers or bug bombs
After the trash is picked up from your property, you should spray bleach to the outside trash bin and rinse using a hose. Doing so will help lessen the odors and it won’t attract insects and pests.
Allow the trash bin to air-dry under the sun, too. You can even spray the container’s interior with insect spray before placing new trash to prevent the entry of pests.
Regular Cleaning and Maintenance
Cleaning the house is a crucial task that homeowners shouldn’t overlook. Eliminating dirt, debris, and harmful microorganisms via regular cleaning can maintain a safe environment.
However, cleaning will be an easier task if you don’t have to declutter every step along the way. Always make it a habit to keep all items in their proper places and ensure that all family members will help out in the process.
As part of your cleaning process, dust thoroughly and clean or replace heating and air conditioning filters. It would be best to clean vents and ducts thoroughly to minimize pollen and other airborne allergens inside the house.
During your regular maintenance routine, carry out the necessary repairs to ensure that everything is in good condition, such as a leaky roof or window gaps.
Safe Outdoors
Other than keeping the interior of your home safe, don’t overlook the outdoors, especially your garden or lawn. Make sure that you’ll do the following to keep your outdoor space clean and secure:
- Prevent pests from entering your home by repairing cracks, holes, and leaks. Get rid of any sources of standing water and food, as well as keep the trash bin secure with a lid.
- Regularly clean the roof along with the gutters and downspouts to prevent moisture from entering your home.
- In case you have a private well or septic tank, provide proper care and maintenance to prevent illnesses.
- When you have a backyard swimming pool, utilize self-closing and self-latching gates along with four-sided fencing to prevent children from unintended access.
- When you have playground equipment, keep your children safe by ensuring they’re in good shape. Deal with any repairs right away. Pay close attention to protruding bolts, guardrails, and chain attachments that can injure children.
Conclusion
Homeowners should take crucial steps to ensure a safe and healthy home environment for everyone. Although potential hazards are around, especially household chemicals and particular objects, having the right precautions will go a long way in keeping your household safe at all times.
With the help of these safety measures to keep your home safe and healthy, your house will be the ideal space that’s free of hazards and it’s going to be safe at all times.
