Do You Have These Hidden Health Hazards in Your Home?
When you think about health hazards, your thoughts are probably extending outside of your home. After all, there are plenty of health hazards that lurk outside your front door. But even inside, there may be more health hazards than you think. If you’re not sure whether your home could be harming you, here are a few hidden health hazards to check for.
Paint and Solvents
Whether you have old paint cans lying around your home or you live in an old building, paints and solvents can be extremely hazardous to your health if you’re not careful. While lead was banned as a paint ingredient in 1978, there are still almost 57 million buildings that still have lead paint in them. Lead is poisonous if consumed. And since lead paint tends to flake and chip over time, there may be small pieces on the floor that could be consumed by children or animals. If you suspect there’s lead paint in your apartment or home, make sure you have some tests done. But lead-based paint isn’t the only paint hazard in your home. Even newer paints can be dangerous if you’re not careful. Many of them contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can have a negative impact on the air quality in your home and subsequently even cause respiratory issues. Fortunately, many brands now carry VOC-free paints. So if you’re thinking about painting a room in your home, make sure you opt for a VOC-free brand if possible.
Slippery Carpets
Carpets can often be a huge help in your home, especially if they’re movable area rugs. They help keep your floors clean, they’re easy to shake out, and they add a nice decorative touch to the place. That being said, they can also pose a serious hazard for slip and fall injuries if you’re not careful. In fact, an estimated 25% of elderly people may die after experiencing a serious fall in their own home. Fortunately, there’s a simple way to remedy the issue of slippery carpets. Rubber carpet pads can provide some much-needed friction to keep your area rugs firmly in place on the floor until you’re ready to intentionally move them.
Mold
Humidity might not seem like a big problem in your home. A little bit of condensation here and there in your basement is no big deal, right? Wrong. Excess moisture combined with warm temperatures in any home is the perfect storm for mold growth. And when you consider that mold not only grows quickly but uses spores to do so, your respiratory health could be in danger. So if you notice a tiny leak in your sink or a pipe in your basement, make sure you get it fixed as soon as possible. Not only can it contribute to mold growth, but a leaky faucet can waste almost 30,000 gallons of water annually. When you stay on top of dehumidifying moist areas in your home and fixing small leaks, you should be relatively safe from the dangers mold growth can pose to you and your family.
When you’re in your own home, you deserve to feel safe and healthy. If you make sure to keep an eye out for these hidden health hazards, you and your family will be much safer and have some peace of mind.
