Protecting Your Home from Liabilities
You hear about it all the time on the news. Tragedies happen that change the lives of homeowners forever. Many of these situations can be prevented, if only people know what to look for, and how to guard their loved ones against common accidents taking place in or around the home. Such comforting surroundings should never be threatened by ominous dangers.
You might readily blame the kitchen for most accidents in your home. Without a doubt, you’d be onto something because there are so many things that can cause injury in this room. Bacterium spreads when items aren’t cleaned well, and food that is cooked below specific temperatures can cause quite a problem for those who eat it. Yet, even with so many well known hazards, the kitchen is not the most dangerous area of your home. While a lot of individual accidents happen here, your entire house is at risk from other imposing factors.
Danger Zone 1: The outside perimeter of your home is perhaps one of the most critical areas of concern. Large trees can cause roof damage if they are not properly trimmed. Dead branches can break off causing cave-ins, and property destruction. Heavy brush left close to the house is a fire hazard. Water features like pools and ponds are a huge threat. While drowning may be the first thing that comes to mind, unkempt water features are breeding grounds for insects carrying disease.
Danger Zone 2: Carpeting is one of the worst dangers in your home, especially if it has been frequently cleaned for pets, or has been exposed to excessive moisture. Black mold tends to develop in little patches when people walk on carpet after a shower, or when coming in from the pool. Padding absorbs the moisture, and mold grows underneath, silently spreading for years.
Danger Zone 3: Wiring in your home is also a hazard. It doesn’t matter if it’s hidden within your walls, or pushed behind your entertainment center, faulty wires are dangerous. You should notice if lights are flickering unexpectedly, or walls are getting warm to the touch. Examine your switches and outlets regularly, even taking off the protective plate to see that they are in proper working order. Check your exposed cords too, in case an unsuspecting pet or rodent nibbled at them.
Danger Zone 4: Uninvited rodents and pests cause lots of problems for home owners. Their waste spreads disease, and they invade walls to breed without being noticed. As they unsuspectingly nibble in your pantry, germs get passed from one host to another, and then to you.
Danger Zone 5: Tainted air is not only dangerous, but can be deadly. Chemicals, smoke, carbon dioxide, and even dust cause severe problems for people. Open your windows regularly to let fresh air flow throughout your home. Use an air filter to cleanse the air, and maintain your heating and cooling system to prevent breathing problems.