Your home is the fortress you go to relax, recharge, and let your guard down. Not all nooks and crannies of your house are quite so secure. In some cases, those places that seem so safe are places that hide risks you’d never think to look for, from structural vulnerabilities to health hazards that were overlooked. If you’ve never worried about your home before, maybe it’s time to start.
Imagine your house is a puzzle with some missing pieces that are the unseen risks we typically choose to overlook. Whether it’s sneaky mold growth or the burglar’s favorite entry points, being aware of these overlooked spaces can help keep your home and family safe. And so, let’s have a look at some of those places that you may not have thought about before, and how you can make them safer.
Attic Storage Areas
While the attic is a seemingly safe place to store keepsakes and holiday decorations, it can also be a hot bed for trouble. Poor insulation and ventilation can result in condensation, a mold disaster. In addition, these undisturbed spaces are loved by rodents and insects.
Garage Storage Shelves
Boxes and shelving are stacked haphazardly and precariously in garages. Faultily loaded or improperly secured shelves can fall over causing accidents or damaged items. According to the experts, it does not hurt to anchor shelves to the wall and distribute weight evenly to prevent accidents. Remember, though, that there are some things you never want to store in a garage, most notably paint or propane tanks because of the extreme temperature fluctuations.
Underneath Large Furniture
When you do have access to cleaning tools and cleaning solutions, the areas under heavy furniture, such as beds and sofas, are prime cleaning blind spots. Over time dust mites, crumbs, and even mold can build up here. But what you might not know is that beyond cleanliness, these spaces are notorious hiding places for allergens. If you’ve been sneezing a lot more than normal, you could blame the dust bunny army.
Basement Corners
Basements may seem like good shelters but corners are moisture traps where mold and mildew grow. In America, 60 percent of homeowners battle basement leaks, which can cause health problems such as asthma, according to Ohio State Waterproofing. However, this space can become dry and safe by using waterproofing solutions and regular dehumidification.
Your Medicine Cabinet
To most people, their medicine cabinet serves as a safe storage for their essential health items, but improper storage jeopardizes medications, because hot and humid bathroom showers can break down the chemical composition, they become less effective. To prevent risking your health with weakened prescriptions, pharmacists recommend storing them in a cool, dry place, such as a hallway closet.
Behind Appliances
The gap behind your refrigerator or stove isn’t just a dust trap, it’s a fire hazard. If your appliance overheats, lint, grease, and debris can build up and spark fires. Nearly 17 percent of house fires start from kitchen appliances, as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports. A fridge or stove cleaning once a year will prevent you from having a major scare.
Window Sills
Windowsills are part of safety inspections, and are a weak point during storms. If water gets in, and as it often does through rotting wood or improper sealing, it can cause the window to lose its stability. Annual inspection of sills for cracks or rot can help prevent expensive repairs.
Ceiling Fans
For most people, their ceiling fans are simply a part of the everyday scenery, but loose mounting brackets can be dangerous. It can fall if not installed correctly or if screws loosen over time. You can check for wobbling or find if the machine is making unusual noises before the problem increases.
Chimney Flues
Even if you don’t use your fireplace that often, you can’t ignore the chimney. Scheduling an annual inspection with a certified chimney sweep is the best way to keep this cozy feature hazard free; creosote buildup inside the flue is a leading cause of chimney fires, responsible for over 25,000 incidents annually in the U.S, according to Environmental Chimney Service.
Under Sink Cabinets
Hidden leaks, mold growth hide in the cabinets under your kitchen and bathroom sinks. For months it can go unnoticed until it has already caused water damage and even warped your cabinetry. These areas should be checked regularly for leaks, and items stored in waterproof bins to prevent damage, plumbing experts say.
Pet Food Storage
Your pantry bag of kibble might actually be an invitation for pests to come on in. Improperly sealed food will attract mice and bugs, once they find it they don’t leave. To prevent the risk of contamination, and to keep away infestation, pet food should be kept in airtight containers.
Air Ducts
Air ducts, while key components of your HVAC system, can also trap dust, mold, and bacteria. That can affect air quality and is bad for people with respiratory problems. Cleaning your ducts every three to five years can greatly improve air quality indoors, and also reduce health risks.
Behind The Toilet
You can easily ignore the area behind your toilet, but it’s a small place that’s full of hidden grime, mold, and even plumbing leaks. Over time, they can seep into your flooring, as well as cause structural damage, given that they are hard to see. You can catch these issues early with a quick monthly check with a flashlight.
Electrical Outlets
Electrical outlets are surprisingly risky, especially in homes with outdated wiring. Sparks or fires can be caused by loose connections or overloaded circuits. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), 51,000 electrical fires occur each year — many of which are caused by outdated outlets. If you have a very old house, over 30 years old, it may be worth having an electrician have a look at the wiring.
Bookshelves
To be quite honest, bookshelves can be unstable, especially when overloaded. But they’re not properly anchored, which is a serious tip over risk especially in homes with children. According to the CPSC, young kids suffer nearly 460 such injuries each year involving furniture. A simple, but effective safety precaution is to secure shelves to the wall.
