11 of the Most Dangerous Items in Your Home
We are all aware that there can be many hidden dangers in our home, but it is not easy to be able to identify them in order to know how to keep our homes as safe as possible. As we all know how essential it is to keep our homes as safe as possible, particularly with children in the house, here is our list of the most dangerous items in your home so that you can identify the areas in your home that need updating in order to be safe and to protect the members of your family.
Extension Cords
Extension cords can be a home owners best friend as they allow us to extend the breadth and reach of where we can plug in our necessary electrical items. The convenience of being able to increase the number of electronic devices we can use in one room is an obviously very tempting but it can also present dangers in the home.
Overcrowding extension cords, or power strips as they are sometimes otherwise referred to, can, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation, cause the insulation to quickly deteriorate which can create a fire hazard and a dangerous shock. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation, extension cords cause almost 4,000 residential fire each year, injuring and killing more than 300 people on an annual basis. Therefore all homeowners must be careful to put extention cords away after using them, to not rely on them too heavily on a regular basis and to keep them out of reach of children.
Lead Paint
Normal house paint hasn’t contained lead for almost 40 years. However if your home was built before 1978 there is a possibility of lead-based paint exposure from any old paint around your house. If you are concerned about this you can contact the EPA in order to schedule a paint inspection and a risk assessment to make sure that your home is safe.
Food Containers
Food containers made from Polycarbonate plastics can also be posing a danger to the health of you and your family. This danger comes from the chemical BPA which reacts badly when it comes into contact with water. Scientific studies have been carried out to determine the extent of the danger that this chemical presents and when tested on animals it was found to be responsible for the enlargement of reproductive organs in female mice. Due to the seriousness of this potential dangers all homeowners should now be looking only for food storage that advertises that it is BPA free.
Candles
Not only are candles a potential fire hazard they have also been revealed to release toxic chemicals into the air which can be carcinogenic and damaging to your health. Therefore if you are a candle lover you will want to make sure that you are only buying safe candles that are made from organic, non-toxic materials that don’t pose a threat to you or your family. You will also want to make sure that you place them in high areas that children can’t reach and that they are not surrounded by any flammable materials that can potentially catch fire.
Mothballs
Mothballs aren’t used quite as much as they used to but as they are still in circulation it is important to know the dangers that they can present. The main ingredient in a mothball is an ingredient called ‘naphthalene’ which results in a breakdown of red blood cells in children with a genetic condition called ‘G6PD deficiency’. After naphthalene was linked to one baby’s death and the brain damage of two other children many pediatricians have called for a ban on this chemical.
Paradichlorobenzene is another harmful chemical that is found in mothballs. It has been found that exposure to Paradichlorobenzene can result in vomiting, nausea, dizziness, headaches, fatigue, eye and nasal irritation in humans and even kidney and liver damage in household pets. Therefore they are certainly to be avoided and instead homeowners should be looking to wash and dry clothes and shake them before putting them away. Storing clothes in an airtight container is also a way to combat moth problems as is vacuuming out wardrobes and drawers to stay on top of any potential larvae growths.
Humidifiers
Humidifiers are often a popular choice for people suffering from colds or for any rooms in the house that tend to suffer from dry air. However, when not properly maintained humidifiers can pose a real problem. If water is left inside the humidifier for too long it can harbor mould, bacteria and fungus. So if anyone continues to use this machine without properly cleaning it can be sending out all those germs directly into the air and you will be breathing them in. Therefore any humidifiers need to be emptied and cleaned after each use and should only be filled with distilled water.
Pressed Wood
Yes, we were surprised to find out about this one too. Pressed wood is not an obvious addition to this list but the evidence of danger is there all the same. Pressed wood contains a chemical called ‘formaldehyde’ which can cause burning sensations in the eyes and throat and can cause watery eyes. It can also trigger asthma attacks so any homeowners who suffer from asthma should stay away from pressed wood options in the home. Formaldehyde has also been found to cause cancer in animals and has been found to also potentially cause cancer in humans after long-term exposure. Pressed wood products come in the form of fibreboards, hardwood plywood wall panelling, particleboard and any furniture made with these kinds of products therefore you should be checking for these items in your home and looking to remove them.
Carpets
Again, a rather surprising entry on our list of dangerous items around the home. However the carpeting in your home could be emitting some potentially dangerous chemicals, which are known as ‘VOCs’, which stands for Volatile Organic Compounds. There is limited research about the other types of chemicals that carpets can give off however the glues and dyes in new carpets can be considered harmful.
These VOC chemicals however are at their most harmful when first being fitted into the home and generally these emissions subside after a few days. Therefore when laying down new carpets make sure that no one sleeps in this room for the first week or so and you keep the area clear for the first few days of fitting. Keep the windows open, vacuum everyday for the first week and close doors off to children and anyone with respiratory problems.
Clothes Dryers
People don’t tend to think of danger when they think of their clothes dryers, however they do present two major potential dangers. Firstly, they can be a danger to children who have a fascination trying to fit themselves into all varieties of nooks and crannies around the home. Therefore it is important to keep your clothes dryer closed off to toddlers and to explain appliance safety with slightly older children.
The second most common hazard when it comes to clothes dryers is the risk of fire caused by the accumulation of lint and reduced airflow. To make sure that you are avoiding these hazards you must make sure that you are regularly cleaning out your lint trap, after each washing load and make sure that there is enough space between the dryer and the wall to keep the area ventilated. You should also make sure that you only use this machine when you are home and when you are awake, so don’t be tempted to put on the dryer just before you go to bed.
Flame Retardants
Flame retardants are chemicals that are found in many everyday household items, in order to prevent them from burning too easily when exposed to fire. Flame retardant chemicals are most commonly found in items such as mattresses, stuffed animals and upholstery. Startling new research carried out by the Center for Environmental Health, tested a wide range of children’s sofas, chairs and other furniture, from major retailers, and found that all but four of them contained the flame retardant toxins that have been linked to cancer, birth defects, damaged I.Q. and a long list of other serious illnesses and problems.
Therefore all homeowners are advised to keep on top of the research developments that are happening over the flame retardants in order to be able to make the most informed decisions on the products that you are choosing to buy for your home and your family. As you may already own some items that have this chemical and as they are incredibly difficult to avoid you will want to make sure that you are dusting, vacuuming and cleaning very regularly in order to prevent the buildup of chemicals that you are touching and breathing in.
Space Heaters
Electric or ‘space heaters’ are very popular alternatives to central heating systems as they tend to be cheaper. However they are also one of the main causes of home fires. Electrical heaters cause more than 25,000 home fires every years so they can pose a serious danger in the home. Therefore make sure you are only using space heaters that have been safely tested and certified to be safe in your home.
