There are few potential safety hazards in the average Holbrook home. But thank goodness that most of them can be avoided with a few simple precautions. With a little awareness regarding some of the most common household hazards – and how to stay away from them – can help you keep your home environment as safe as possible.
1. Falls
Research shows that injuries caused by falls are one of the most common household hazards. And most often, stairs and ladders are the primary reason. To improve safety around stairs, make sure that all staircases have sturdy handrails. In case you have wood or concrete stairs, use non-slip mats or grip tape to improve traction. Avoid using ladders and stepstools as much as possible. When you need to climb up a ladder or stool, make sure that the ladder or stool is securely positioned on a flat surface and have another person help steady it for you.
2. Slippery Surfaces
Other than stairs and ladders, slippery surfaces affect many of the most common household injuries. To keep yourself safe from harm, make sure to clean floors often to remove grease or spills. Apply the correct type of floor cleaner and avoid walking on wet floors. Another good tactic is to place rugs in kitchen and bathroom areas, as well as inside each exterior door. If your feet are wet after walking through the rain, always keep in mind that you need to remove or wipe your shoes carefully to avoid slips and falls.
3. Fire
One of the most fatal of the household hazards on our list is fire. However, serious injury can often be avoided by following a few proper precautions. For example, make sure that you have working smoke detectors in each room of the house. Also, it is a brilliant idea to place a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, garage, and other places where fires may occur.
Another approach to decrease the threat of fire is to be careful when cooking, especially when using oil for frying. Never leave pans of oil, candles, or other open flames unattended. Lastly, know your fire safety plan and how to put different types of fire. Never try to put out a cooking fire with water – it will make the fire bigger. Instead, how you should resolve this problem is to turn off the heat source and smother it with the pot lid, salt or baking soda, or use a fire extinguisher if it gets too big.
4. Mold
The idea of mold can be extremely disagreeable. But there is a lot you can do to prevent mold from growing in your house. One of the simplest and most effective ideas to maintain your property mold-free is to keep your plumbing in good repair, and all areas of your house dry. Airing out steamy bathrooms, ventilating rooms with condensation build-up, and other measures will do a lot to keep mold from growing and turn into a big issue. In case these procedures do not work, consider using mold-resistant products to prevent mold from growing in the walls.
5. Asbestos
If you live in an older home, you may be worried about exposure to asbestos. The good thing is that as long as the house is in good repair, your risk of being harmed by asbestos is low. When you feel that your home has asbestos-containing materials, do your best to leave those areas undisturbed. Avoid putting nails in the walls or otherwise damaging them. If you need to remodel, you will need to have qualified professionals come in to handle the asbestos-containing materials properly. Asbestos will only hurt you if the materials containing it are disturbed or damaged.
By taking a few simple precautions, it is possible to keep yourself and your household safe from these common hazards.
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