For the vast majority of people, their home is where they feel most safe – but that doesn’t mean there aren’t potentially serious risks lurking within.
It’s not simply a case of locking your doors or turning power outlets off at night, either. In this article, you’ll learn of three common dangers potentially present in any home that many people neglect to protect against.
Old Fire Alarms
Most people know they should have fire alarms installed in their homes: one in the hallway of each floor, and one in each room ideally.
However, while you may have your alarms set up correctly, were you aware that these devices need to be replaced after so many years? Even with a fresh battery, fire alarms have an expiry date of anywhere between six to ten years given that the components degrade after a time (even if when tested the alarm seems to be working perfectly).
Be sure to check each alarm in your home for the replacement date – it’s most commonly found on the base of the device.
Not Having a Carbon Monoxide Detector
While fire alarms are commonplace, far too many homes don’t have a carbon monoxide detector.
In many ways, this deadly gas is even more dangerous than a fire: you can’t smell or see high levels of carbon monoxide, which is why it’s commonly dubbed a silent killer. High levels of carbon monoxide can kill in seconds, and while relatively rare, protecting yourself with a quality detector is an absolute must.
Elevated levels of carbon monoxide most commonly occur due to a faulty boiler, which is why placing a carbon monoxide detector within the immediate vicinity of your gas and water systems is crucial. Again, these alarms have an expiry date, so be sure to remind yourself to replace them when necessary.
The Dangers of Radon
Radon is another big deal when it comes to home safety: it’s a naturally occurring radioactive gas that, similarly to carbon monoxide, is odourless and invisible.
The main risk with radon exposure is lung cancer: it’s estimated that over 1100 lung cancer deaths are due to radon, making this cause of lung cancer second only to the risks associated with smoking.
The first thing to do is check if your area is affected by high levels of radon in the first place by using UKRadon’s interactive map. If the map shows your home to be in a high radon part of town, purchasing a Radon detectors is your next step. Having been strategically placed in your home (ideally over three months), they report exactly how much radon is present in the building.
Once the results come back, you’ll be advised on the precautions you need to take to minimise any exposure.
Wrapping Up
The dangerous scenarios outlined above may be scary, but they also only require simple interventions to mitigate your risk. Each of the recommended protective solutions is cheap to implement, so with a bit of vigilance, you can easily protect yourself and your family against the risks that fire, carbon monoxide, and radon present.
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