You may think that your home is a safe haven. If there is nothing obviously structurally wrong with your property, then many homeowners believe this. However, numerous hidden dangers can affect not only the structural integrity of your building but also your health.
Below you will find 6 of the most common home dangers, which often go unidentified until it is too late. There is also advice regarding what you can do to resolve any issues you may find.
1. The Presence of Radon Gas
Radon is similar to Carbon Monoxide in terms of its properties; it is colorless and odorless but kills over 20,000 Canadians yearly. It is also a major cause of debilitative lung diseases such as lung cancer. It is a very real threat that does not receive much media exposure.
Any home can be affected by Radon gas, and it is, therefore, advisable to regularly test for the presence of this gas. Test kits can be obtained from any reputable hardware store.
Suppose your test kit returns a positive result. In that case, you must contact a specialist who will be able to reduce the levels of radon present to safe levels.
2. The Presence of Organic Compounds
Organic compounds can cause dangerous air pollution on any property. The most worrying thing about organic compounds in your home is that they are often volatile at room temperature, which will pollute the air you breathe in daily, which can have serious health effects.
All standard household products, such as carpets, plastics, adhesives, and paint, can release harmful gases, and you will often be unaware of the harm that is being done until much later. The extent to which these products can affect you depends entirely upon you.
Unfortunately, every person reacts differently to different compounds. As such, you will only know how you react to such compounds when you contact them for long periods.
3. Mold
Mold is one of the most common issues to affect homes all across the world. It’s not easy to totally protect your home against mold occurring.
Still, one thing you can do is limit its growth and activity within your property. Not only can mold damage the structure of your home, but it can also lead to serious health issues, as it can seriously harm your respiratory system if left unchecked for long periods.
You’ve probably encountered sensationalist media stories about house-eating toxic molds. The truth is that mold spores are floating everywhere, in the air, inside and outside our homes. There’s no way to keep mold spores out of the air.
Controlling mold in your home is controlling moisture–mold thrives on moisture. If you locate mold growing within your home, a simple way to deal with it is to wash over it with detergent and water, which will solve most mold issues. However, if the problem is persistent, you may call professionals to eliminate it properly.
Some helpful tips for avoiding mold growth in the first place are to ensure that you have no leaking pipes and that your dryer vent points outside your property. This will all help to limit the moisture present in the air in your home, which will slow down the growth of any mold which may already be present.
4. Biological Contaminants
Bugs and insects that thrive off moist conditions can also cause home issues. For example, cockroaches, dust mites, and pollen can all to allergic reactions, which can be serious and even life threatening to those with the most serious allergies.
Simple steps to limit the effect these things will have on you and your home are to purchase a mattress and pillowcases case that is dust mite safe and to consider an upgraded air filtration system that can help to eliminate or at least severely limit the issues discussed.
5. Risks from Appliances
Normal household appliances such as your oven or boiler can release potentially harmful gases, the most serious being Carbon Monoxide. Carbon monoxide emission is most commonly associated with a faulty boiler system and is often fatal.
Unless you have a Carbon Monoxide detector, the chances are that you would not be aware of its presence as it is odorless and colorless, similar to Radon gas discussed previously. Steps to mitigate the presence of potentially dangerous gases are installing Carbon Monoxide alarms at regular intervals around your home and having your boiler serviced at least yearly. These will help limit the chances of a Carbon Monoxide leak going undetected.
6. Building Materials
Finally, a great danger in homes built more than 40 years ago is the presence of lead-based materials or asbestos, which can be very damaging to your health. Older homes are quite likely to have been decorated using lead-based paint, which, when disturbed through sanding down, for example, can cause harmful particles to be released into the air within your property, which you will, of course, breathe in.
Suppose you suspect lead-based paint has been used on your property at some point and are considering redecorating. In that case, it is always advisable to hire a professional to safely carry out the work for you.
In older homes, asbestos can also cause a problem. It is one of the leading causes of lung cancer and has been banned for more than 40 years. If disturbed, it can be very damaging to health wise and again, if you are considering redecorating an area of your home which you believe to contain asbestos, then you need to contact a professional.
To conclude, hopefully, this post will have demonstrated how dangers in our homes do not always reveal themselves in a visual format. Often, it is those dangers that we cannot see which are potentially the most dangerous.
