Home safety is an area of home maintenance homeowners shouldn’t overlook. Here are five tips that will help you keep your family safe.
Whether you are buying a home, selling a home or plan to stay in your home indefinitely, regular and routine checks are critical for home safety.
Smoke detectors: While most people take for granted the presence of smoke detectors in a home, their presence and functionality should not be overlooked. In fact, according to the National Fire Protection Association, 3 out of 5 home-fire deaths result from fires in properties without working smoke alarms. The group also reports that 37 percent of home-fire deaths result from fires where there are no smoke alarms present. The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms.
Carbon monoxide alarms: Colorado’s law requiring carbon monoxide alarms is actually relatively new. Alarms should be placed near bedrooms and on every floor of a home that is heated with fossil fuel, has a fuel-fired appliance, fireplace or an attached garage.
Electrical systems: Other potential safety concerns revolve around electrical systems. One of the top concerns to consider are ground fault circuit interrupters, which monitor the current flowing into a circuit and shut off the power when there is a problem. They are designed to protect people from severe and fatal shocks. Another area to consider is aluminum wiring. Typically, new and remodeled homes built from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s have aluminum wiring, which can potentially overheat and cause fires. Finally, most homes now feature three-pronged plugs. The bottom hole (the “ground”) protects people from electric shock when they use metal-encased appliances.
Radon: According to the Environmental Protective Agency, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who do not smoke. Fortunately, radon can be mitigated. In my experience, the best course of action is to have your home tested for radon. A simple radon test can measure the amount of radon present in a home. Radon is measured by picocuries per liter of air, or pCi/L. This test measures the radioactivity. The U.S. surgeon general and EPA recommend fixing a home with 4 pCi/L or higher.
Mold: In general, mold is fairly common. Mold spores function outdoors by breaking down dead organic matter. The mold spores float through the air and land on moist surfaces to produce indoor mold growth. In the Four Corners area, we do not often see the types of mold that cause serious health conditions, but it is possible that a person with a compromised immune system or past reaction to mold will react to the types of mold we have. Mold can also cause serious damage to the structure of a home. The mold can be tested and mitigated. Often, removing the source of moisture is the first step, followed by eliminating the mold and providing a deterrent to keep it from coming back.
Don Ricedorff is a Realtor at The Wells Group in Durango and a past president of the Durango Area Association of Realtors. He can be reached at don@durangorealproperty.com.
