Homes can help us feel safe, but they can also make us sick or injure us. You can look out for hidden dangers daily that will help protect you, your family, and your home. Let’s explore practical ways to create a safe and healthy home.
Kitchens
There are always ways to ensure your kitchen is safe and healthy. Never use the stove or oven as a means to heat your home. Avoid wearing clothing that has loose-fitting sleeves while cooking. Also, be sure you have a range hood fan or an exhaust fan with vents that lead outside. This vent design keeps the poisons and moisture from staying in the home. Don’t leave food unattended on the stove. Installing a carbon monoxide detector in the kitchen is another excellent idea to keep it safe.
Bathrooms
Be sure to go through and organize your medicine cabinet. Remove all expired medications. Additionally, make sure you seal the lids of medications you keep tightly and place the bottles out of your children’s reach. When using strong chemicals, be sure to turn on your exhaust fan and open windows and doors. You could become ill if you breathe in too much. Further, clean up moisture and mold in your bathroom.
Attics
The attic isn’t a place you visit often, but you need to check it for issues. Look around to spot any signs of water damage or leaks from the roof. Seal up the gaps around the attic openings and roofing to keep the insects and pests from entering your house. Take time to clean up any clutter to deny rodents and insects a place to nest. Don’t forget that older insulation could contain asbestos, so hire an inspector if you’re unsure about yours.
Basements, Crawl Spaces, Utility Rooms, and Laundry Rooms
Change your furnace and AC filter regularly. Create a reminder on your phone once a month, or mark your calendar so that you don’t forget. Additionally, set your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent burns. Finally, have the dryer vent cleaned once a year and the other vents around your home as well.
Living Spaces
Maryland law requires all homeowners to replace all battery-powered smoke detectors with 10-year lithium battery tamper-resistant smoke alarms with the silence or hush feature. Hard-wired, interconnected smoke detectors will send alerts all over the house to give occupants additional time to evacuate in the case of a fire. According to current National Fire Protection Association guidelines, there should be smoke detectors on each floor of the home, inside each sleeping area, and in the hallway leading to your bedrooms. At the same time, you should keep electrical cords and other clutter off the floor. If you own a house built before 1978, you should have the paint tested for lead.
There are many steps you can take to make sure you create a safe and healthy home. Stay on top of any issues that arise. If you need a home electrical repair service in Baltimore, MD, call Clinton Electric for all your electrical needs.