Can you detect all the accidents waiting to happen in your home?
Let’s be honest: our homes can be a minefield of potential accidents waiting to happen, especially if you’re known for your occasional clumsiness. From precarious ladders to slippery floors, there’s always a chance for a mishap lurking around the corner.
Your home may even have issues with structural support you weren’t aware of when you bought your place. But don’t worry! The American House is here to help you turn your home into a sanctuary… not a hazard zone.
We’ve rounded up 8 accidents waiting to happen in your home and have included practical tips to help avoid those embarrassing, not to mention painful, accidents.
So put on your safety goggles and get ready to learn how to prevent those “oops” moments before they can even occur.
Old electrical wiring
Homes that were constructed before the 50s didn’t have to conform to the exact requirements for power that are now common in home construction. And older wiring can’t handle the demands of this era’s high-tech gear.
Breakers grow less reliable as they age, switches and sockets can wear out, and heavy use of extension cords can lead to a fire.
But you can stop your worries about these accidents waiting to happen with a thorough electrical system inspection every 20 years. If your home doesn’t meet the present code, consider replacing the entire electrical system to avoid a significant fire hazard.
Slips and falls
Falls are among the most standard household accidents and occur most frequently in seniors. Stairways are the most typical locations for accidents waiting to happen and where falls occur, but wet surfaces are another significant contributor.
These include bathroom floors, showers, slick hardwood, and icy sidewalks and driveways. Shockingly, The Worldwide Health Organization says that 37.3 million falls happen yearly and are severe enough to require medical attention.
The same data shows that roughly 646,000 people a year pass away from falls, most of whom are 65 plus. While age is the most significant factor in household falls, it’s not the only one.
Other factors that increase household falls include overcrowded housing, poverty, medical conditions like neurological problems, and substance abuse.
Interestingly, the WHO also reports that male falls are more likely to prove fatal, but females are more likely to suffer non-fatal falls. So how can you prevent this accident waiting to happen? The Mayo Clinic suggests these tips on making your home a safe space:
-Keep high-traffic areas free of clutter and furniture.
-Keep walkways, bathrooms, bedrooms, and halls well-lit.
-Use grab bars in the shower or tub and handrails on stairways.
-Secure loose rugs with tacks, double-faced tape, or a slip-resistant backing.
-Install non-slip mats in your shower or bathtub, and have a bath seat in the shower.
-Outside your home, it’s a good idea to have salt or sand on hand to spread on icy surfaces during the winter. You should also hire someone to regularly shovel driveways, porches, and sidewalks.
Note: Medical alert systems for seniors usually come with fall detection technology, meaning help can be sent in an emergency without even pressing a button!
Dryer vent
The many loads of laundry that go through your dryer every year create a ton of lint. And even though the dryer’s removable filter captures the bulk of it, some will inevitably accumulate in the dryer vent hose and ultimately clog it.
A dryer vent that’s blocked with lint causes your dryer to work ten times harder to dry clothes, shortening its life. But more importantly, all that lint and the high heat the dryer creates form a severe fire hazard, resulting in an accident waiting to happen!
Lower the fire risk and extend your dryer’s life by pulling out your dryer, detaching the hose, and cleaning your dryer vent about once a year to prevent this accident waiting to happen.
HVAC Unit and furnace
When your heating is broken and you have to replace the furnace, you’re probably looking at an expense of more than $6,000. Thorough maintenance of your furnace and a yearly inspection by a professional will ensure you won’t have to wipe out your emergency savings.
Another easy way to improve air quality and efficiency and extend the life of your unit is to replace the furnace’s filter at least once every 90 days.
But we recommend doing this more often if you have pets or allergies. Otherwise, it could turn into an accident waiting to happen!
Old plumbing
If you live in a residence that was built earlier than the 80s and it still has its original plumbing, there’s a good chance you have copper pipes or galvanized steel running through your home.
As time goes on, oxidation, hard water, drain cleaner, and many other substances will gradually eat through these pipes. And if you leave them unchecked, this is just an accident waiting to happen.
It could lead to a leaky drain pipe or burst water supply line, resulting in thousands of your hard-earned dollars in flood damage. So, if you live in a home with metal plumbing, the best thing to do is to ask a professional plumber to inspect those pipes yearly.
Falling items
When mounted TVs first became a popular household feature, reports about people being struck by inadequately mounted or unstable screens also began.
Unfortunately, product instability is still a leading cause of household injuries, making them common household accidents waiting to happen.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 28,300 individuals were brought into emergency rooms between 2015 and 2017 due to what they’ve tagged “tip-over incidents.”
Now, here are some stats: 37% involved adults aged 18-59, half of the tip-over incidents involved children (14,000), and 13% involved seniors over 60. How can you prevent it? Here are some household safety tips to avoid injuries due to product instability:
-Keep TVs on low and sturdy surfaces.
-Completely hide TV and other electronic cords.
-Attach furniture to the walls.
-Install anti-tip brackets into kitchen ranges and freestanding stoves. HERE is a fantastic option from Amazon!
Foundation
A little crack in the brick of your home’s exterior isn’t a big deal. Or is it?
Even though this kind of issue can be solved with a quick cosmetic fix, it may be an accident waiting to happen because it could also indicate an accident waiting to happen because of an issue with your foundation.
When you doubt whether foundation cracks are a big deal, hiring a structural engineer to assess them is a good idea. If a troublesome crack is caught early enough, a repair might cost a few thousand dollars. Suppose you need more time to repair foundation damage.
In that case, you may be looking at one of the most costly home repair jobs possible. Foundation repair costs are significant and can quickly run into tens of thousands of dollars if you wait too long.
Water heater
As a water heater matures and collects sediment, the pressure inside the tank grows. And even though water heaters are equipped with a temperature relief valve that frees this pressure, these valves can fail.
When something like that happens, the pressure inside the tank can build up to the point that it causes the water heater to burst at the bottom, launching it through the home’s upper floors and even through a roof.
The force of the blast is even capable of cracking your home’s foundation. Prevent this accident waiting to happen by ensuring your water heater is getting serviced once a year to flush out any sediments. And always make sure the pressure valve is in working order.
Were you aware of all these accidents waiting to happen? Be sure to share your own experiences with our readers in the comments section below.
And if you liked this article, we highly recommend you also read: 12 Unnecessary Home Upgrades That Are a Huge Waste of Money
