7 Hazards In Your Home

7 Safety hazards in your home. Be informed and protect your family

While on inspections we tend to find a few safety hazards that stick out and we would like to share them with you. 

#1 Electrical Wiring- Handyman wiring can be dangerous and could cause a potential fire if the “handyman” is unlicensed and untrained. 

#2 The Garage- Having a garage in Colorado is a wonderful thing but it can also house safety hazards such as fire separation, combustibles and not to mention roll up door attached to a giant spring. 

#4 Decks and patios- While entertaining friends in the summer we spend a lot of time on the deck or patio. Ensuring the deck or patio coverings has not reached the end of their life is essential to summer safety.  Balusters that are too wide or in the wrong orientation are a major cause of injuries to the young ones. 

#5 Water heater- Water heaters have what is called a “Temperature Pressure Relief " valve or simply TPR Valve. You should operate this valve once a season. Ensuring the TPR is working properly prevents you water heater becoming a bomb. Check out this Myth Busters video https://youtu.be/9bU-I2ZiML0  

#6 Rodents: Rodent like to make homes in places like crawl spaces and garages. They carry diseases and make a mess. Hantavirus is a concern in Colorado as the “Deer Mouse” calls Colorado it’s home.  Hantavirus is an incurable virus that often ends in death. Here is more information from the CDC https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/index.html

#7 Handrails-  We see many different kinds of handrails but only a few are approved for use. They need to be graspable in the event of a fall and at the top of the stairs they should terminate into the wall so a shirt or laundry basket doesn’t get caught and cause a fall. 

These are 7 of many safety hazards we see on inspections.

Are they lurking in your home ? 

Have Western Home Inspections stop by for a safety visit today !