If we are fortunate, our homes are the safest of havens, a place to which we can retreat, rest, recharge, and share that comfort with the people we care about.   Too often though, our homes have hazards that put our well-being at risk.  Some threats are fairly obvious:  cracks in the wall, holes in the roof, or frayed wires.  Some dangers, however, are more inconspicuous and don’t reveal themselves until the damage has been done.  In the long run, uncovering these hidden hazards saves time and money, and protects everyone that lives in or visits that house.

Hidden Home Health Risks

Slipping, Tripping, and Falling -  Anyone can take a tumble, but older people are especially at risk.  Every year, people 65+ make more than 3 million trips to emergency rooms because of injuries related to falls.  Some simple remedies include:

• Better lighting at the tops and bottoms of stairs, and making sure that all commonly-traveled paths are well lit
• Non-stick treads on stairs with smooth surfaces
• Handrails on both sides of stairs
• Get rid of throw rugs, secure large rugs with non-stick pads, and use low-pile, rubber-backed rugs in the bathroom
• Use non-stick mats or decals in tubs and showers
• Run electric cords along walls, not across the room
• Mop up spills right away
• Put frequently used items where they’re easy to get to
• Use step stools (not chairs or other furniture) to access objects that are stored up high.

 
Getting Zapped - Make sure that you have GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter) outlets in your kitchen and bath.  They’re the ones with reset buttons, and they stop the flow of electricity if they detect variations in normal current.  Be on the lookout for signs of hidden electrical problems, and call an electrician if you discover any:  flickering, blinking, or dimming lights, blown fuses, warm or discolored wall plates, crackling, sizzling, or buzzing wall receptacles, small shocks when touching appliances or wall switches, or a burning odor from wall receptacles or switches. 

Dangerous Dining - Food that can make you sick may not always look or smell different from food that’s safe to eat.  Make sure your refrigerator and freezer are keeping food at safe temperatures (below 37 and 0 degrees, respectively ) and that door gaskets seal tightly.
 
Getting Clobbered - Heavy furniture tipping over sends almost 20,000 people a year to the ER.  Use anti-tip kits to anchor furniture and mount TVs to the studs in the walls, not drywall anchors or toggles.
 
Soggy Situations - Leaky pipes behind walls can be causing damage long before you notice it.  Blistering paint, warped walls, damaged wallpaper, cracked or buckling floor, loose tiles, and mold or mildew are signs you should call a plumber, find the leak, and prevent further structural damage or issues with mold.
 
Keeping Warm - Here in the Northland, keeping warm is a priority for much of the year, and we’ve got multiple options to do that. Space heaters can take the chill off, but nearly 1,700 house fires are caused by them every year.  Never leave one unattended or near flammable materials.  Before use, make sure the cord and plug are intact and don’t plug them into extension cords.  
 
Anything that uses combustion to produce heat (fireplaces, wood stoves, boilers, furnaces, or portable gas heaters) produces Carbon Monoxide (CO) - a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas.  Inhaling it can lead to CO poisoning - meaning that CO has built up in the bloodstream, replacing oxygen.  This can lead to tissue damage or even death.   Fireplaces and woodstoves can be the ultimate in coziness, but unseen creosote buildup can lead to chimney and house fires. Operating out of sight and often out of mind, boilers and furnacescan have unnoticed problems too. Check for a yellow or jumpy pilot light, and watch especially for cracked, rusting, and/or leaking flue pipes. 
 
Protect yourself and your family from hidden heating dangers by installing CO detectors and having your heating system checked and cleaned by a professional at least once a season.