Home Safety Tips: How to Resolve 4 Common Home Hazards

The home is intended to be a place of respite in which occupants and guests can feel safe at all times. Staying on top of regular maintenance and being aware of common home safety hazards can prevent accidents that cause property damage and injuries. Keep reading to learn about home hazards that may go unnoticed and tips for prevention to keep occupants and the structure protected from the potential repercussions of these risks.

Watch Out For Trips and Falls

Trips and falling accidents in homes are a top cause of injuries that bring people into emergency rooms each year, with the predominantly affected parties being children and elderly adults. The primary causes are standing water on slick floors in baths and kitchens, falls in showers, and excessive clutter around the home. Install slip treads or rugs in water-prone areas to reduce falling due to moisture. Decluttering isn't just important when getting ready to move. Keep floors and pathways clear of boxes, toys, and wires that can get occupants tripped up unexpectedly.

Practice Fire Safety

Government sources like FEMA state that homes are hotbeds for fire hazards, with as many as 3,000 fires annually resulting from issues such as an overloaded dryer lint trap. A simple cleaning of this trap after each cycle is a good approach. Still, owners should use a bristle brush or special vacuum cleaner attachment once a month to remove any excess that escapes into the unit itself.

Many home fires are accidentally started by spilled grease, electrical problems, and unextinguished candles or cigarettes. Regardless of the source of the fire, having an extinguisher on hand can prove invaluable. Be sure to have extinguishers charged and inspected annually and make sure that there are ample fire detectors in place with functioning batteries at all times as an added measure of prevention.

Bolt Heavy Fixtures to the Walls

While it's not unusual to think that home appliances and furniture are mere conveniences that make occupants' lives more convenient and comfortable, they pose their own set of risks. Heavy appliances and furnishings like tall dressers, shelving, refrigerators, and stand-alone freezers are easy to topple over, especially if pets or small children attempt to get atop them.

Bolt these appliances securely to the walls. Keep in mind that even waist-level appliances like washers, dryers, and ovens are cumbersome but can still fall over and cause significant injuries. Stoves and dishwashers should stay securely latched to keep doors from falling open or pets and kids from climbing inside them during a game of hide-and-go-seek or out of plain curiosity.

Practice Outdoor Safety

Time spent outdoors is great, but only when no one gets hurt on the property while enjoying it. A top hazard involves the presence of pools and spas, which should be covered at all times when not in use. Statistics indicate that one in five people who drown annually in home pools are under the age of 14, which is a tragedy that can be prevented with affordable coverings.

Other risks outside the home include cracks in sidewalks or decking boards that lose their integrity. These are easy to trip over, but any problems can be prevented with routine inspection of these installations and making repairs as soon as they are noticed.

Home Safety Is in the Hands of Homeowners

Only occupants can take the time to look around their abode for common safety hazards. Contact the right professionals and contractors to find adequate preventive methods and perform inspections on complex systems that pose risks to the structure and occupants. Potential home hazards are one of the top things to look for before buying a home. Be sure to do that due diligence to keep these risks and hazards at bay!