We think of our homes as havens from the world—places where we can retreat, relax, and feel safe. But according to the Home Safety Council, about one-third of all injuries (and 20% of all fatal injuries) happen at home. So maybe it’s not thieves we should be worrying about but what already lurks inside our house. Beyond stairs and slippery bathtubs, here are the areas experts recommended safeguarding (and we plan on checking out right away).
Toy chest: Two things here: First, if you’re not careful, it can become a giant germ bin. Then, if kids throw toys into it (and what kid doesn’t?), the usual outcome is broken pieces…that can be swallowed. Dislodged magnets are especially dangerous. If a child eats some, they can pinch intestines closed. Toys with lead paint are another hazard. (You can get help ID’ing them at recalls.gov.) So aim to clean out that toy chest frequently, discourage kids from putting toys in their mouth, and have them wash up after playtime.
Home gym: The recent death of Mike Tyson’s 4-year-old daughter in a treadmill accident tragically brought attention to the dangers here. Power cords, elastic bands, cables, weights, exercise machines…they’re all fascinating and dangerous. Try to keep gear in a locked room, or safeguard it as best you can. You could unplug and wrap machine cords after use, and ask hubby to put his barbell on the floor rather than perched on a rack.
TV room: Flat screens look great, but when mounted incorrectly, they can topple, especially when kids are playing active video games. It’s best to get big, wall-mounted models professionally installed. Check that any on stands are pushed back as far as possible from the edge.
Stove: Open your oven door and push down on it. If the whole stove pivots forward, then either it was never secured to the wall or its anti-tip bracket wasn’t installed. Call an appliance service immediately.
Water heater: Home inspectors say this is the most dangerous thing in the house because it can actually explode. If yours is older than 5 years (most serial numbers begin with the year of manufacture), check for leaks or other trouble signs every so often. Also, make sure the pressure-release valve isn’t leaking or the pipe is capped. And take the temperature of the water from your tap. If it’s higher than 125 degrees, turn down the tank’s dial.
Garbage disposal: Replace its rubber diaphragm if it’s torn or frayed so dangerous material won’t fly out. And if its switch is mounted on the face of a lower cabinet, get it relocated. You could accidentally turn it on with a knee.
Sinks: Water and electricity don’t mix, so check your Ground Fault Interrupters (GFIs). These should be located next to wall sockets in bathrooms, kitchens, and laundries. Plug a hair dryer into the outlet, turn it on, and press the GFI test button. If it shuts off, the interrupter is fine. (Press the GFI reset button to reactivate.) If not, call an electrician.
Comments from Members
These are very important factors to look for. Everyone should know about this.
The thought of a stove falling on someone, especially our baby, is terrifying. I will check that today. I appreciate all of these tips!
The stove tip is a great one, but I don't think I'll try that with ours. I'm afraid it would tip. It's not in wonderful shape. It came with the house we bought as a foreclosure and has broken parts on it and an oven that doesn't work worth a dime. It's not even consistently off by the same amount or necessarily in the direction. Now, when we replace it, soon, I will test the new one to be sure.
One the water heaters... being in Earthquake country myself here in Central California, another good tip for water heaters is to either 1 be sure it is outside of your house and securely fastened down OR 2 if it is in your house, (illegal in California unless it was already in the house and the unit is not a rental), fastened securely to a wall to prevent it from tipping over, in our case, from an earthquake. Having been from the East Coast originally and having lived in the South in the past, I would also imagine that this would be good to do with your hot water heaters as well, to prevent it from falling over, in say a tornado or hurricane.
On toy boxes, especially if they are homemade or made of wood, it is a good idea to check for rough spots on them, as little fingers can get some might deep splinters. We found it best when mine was young to just round the edges of it to be sure it was nice and smooth so that there weren't any sharp corners on it anywhere and no where for it to easily splinter.
The hot water tank always did seem scary to me, I mean with that open flame! And hubby stores paints and such in the same area. We did just replace it this past year...our old one was almost 20 years old!!
We recently replaced our water heater. Unfortunately it started leaking and made a big mess. I wish we had done it before we did.
Our house has one of those tankless hot water heaters. That's the way some of the contractors are building new houses. It's really nice, doesn't take up much space and lowers energy costs too since you only heat water when you need it. Just remember there is water in the pipes so it'll take a few minutes for the cold in the pipes to run out before the hot water starts. I love mine.
Most of these things don't require hiring someone else. I do all the plumbing, electric, remodeling etc... I'm just as good as a contractor and a whole lot cheaper! Don't be afraid of taking care of your own home like the author is!
Thank you for reminding me to check the anti-tip bracket on the stove. As a new mom I'm still learning about all the dangers there are in your own home.
I just checked our stove and it is secure did not tip over. Thank you for warning me... ;-)
Thanks for all the tips we don't always think of all these things.
I am aware that the new toy boxes have the SLOW hinges on the cover. So if that little kid goes into the toy box to retrieve that one special toy and the lid falls, it won't hit or trap the child. But...we received a toy box made by Grandpa, piled the toys in and after only one day, our son was trapped inside with bleeding head. It is great to get those special homemade toys from relatives, but check them over carefully.
Another good idea to check is to make sure bookcases or chest of drawers are fastened to the wall, all it takes for it to topple is to climb the shelf or pull out a draw and step on it to reach that toy they so desperately want and an accident to occur.
We make furniture for our grandchildren including toy boxes and bookshelves. My husband made sure to use slow close hinges on the toybox and when we delivered the bookshelves we mounted them to the wall to prevent one from toppling over on our little ones. It takes very little time to think these things out ahead of time before an accident happens.By Trude
Awesome ideas, I always look around before I let the grankids play, I usually get down on my hands and knees to see what they may be seeing. You never know what may have fallen on the floor or what may look fun for them to play with when it could be dangerous, since they are not around all the time its easy to overlook things.
Thanks!
these are all areas that i have checked for years and Before i move into to a new rental place.
Thanks!
Great tips, thank you!
These are good suggestions even for a home without children. I imagine older people in older homes seldom consider some of these safety issues. It might be a good idea to offer these tips to our parents if necessary.
I'm glad I took a minute to read this article because unlike other places I've lived (we're renters), the only GFI we have in this house (that I'm aware of) is in the garage. It took us over a year to figure out that our fusebox is OUTSIDE the house. Thankfully our daughter is 10 so the toybox issue isn't one to worry about anymore, but I will check the others for those times when I have friends with small children come over. Thanks for all the tips!
Thanks for the good tips! I babysit my 3 yr. old granddaughter & its good to be awear of these things.
Thanks for the tips, I will be going around the house double checking everything.
Have a good tip regarding water heaters given to me by my plumber. Mine is gas, but this applies to all water heaters. Once a month attach your garden hose to the overflow outlet, run hose out to driveway and turn valve on. Let water run untill it is clear. It only takes about a minute. This will make your water heater last longer because you are removing the silt that lies at the bottom of the tank. Lynda
Help, I'm having an ant problem. Give me some good ideas. They are in my bathroom and I have placed a ring of flour so they can't get out into my bedroom. I have two cats and don't want to put down anything that will make them sick. Give me your ideas, PLEASE, Lynda
The toy chest is a good thing to mention. My son was super quiet for a while I went in his room to check on him. I could not find him and my heart was beating a thousand miles a minute. I start to yell his name and hes started to cry. Yup, from inside his toy chest. He said he fellin and got stuck because the lid was heavy and there were toys on the lid to help add to the weight. Needless to say, all of his toys are stored in big plastic tubs with no lids.
