6 Silent Killers

Are there deadly, silent hazards lurking in your home? Would you know if there were? There are six common hidden household hazards that can cause serious sickness, accidents, or fatalities in your household.

1. Mold. The dangers of black mold have grown in public awareness over the years, but this deadly fungus can still lurk in even brand new homes. To help eliminate molds in your home, switch your air conditioning unit to fan only for a 10-20 minutes after running the air conditioning for an extended period of time. This will help dry out the component and your air ducts so that condensation doesn’t get the chance to form mold.

Clean up any standing water in your basement as soon as possible, and inspect your drains, faucets, and appliances for leaks regularly. Repair roof leaks promptly, and call in a professional if you suspect you have a mold problem. Deadly molds can appear as black, pink, green or orange discolorations on walls, floors, and fixtures.

2. Carbon Monoxide. Most homes now have several smoke detectors and at least one carbon monoxide detector. Carbon monoxide is an especially silent killer, since leaks can come from appliances at any time. Keep your detectors in working order and install one near the stove, furnace, and hot water heater.

If you suspect a carbon monoxide leak, remove all people and pets from the home as soon as possible and call 911. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headaches, dizziness, nausea, light-headedness, shortness of breath, and dizziness.

3. Trip and fall hazards. There are many hidden hazards in the home, but one the most dangerous hazards to both young and old are scatter rugs. Throw rugs pose a potential trip and fall hazard in the home and should only be used if secured with grip pads (on wooden floors) or two sided carpet tape. Even with proper securing, throw rugs can still pose a hazard to anyone who has balance, gait, or mobility issues.

If you are accident prone, have a toddler, are over the age of 60, or have any mobility or balance issues, remove all scatter rugs from your home. A bath rug outside the bathtub is often acceptable, but should be picked up off the floor after each use and hung up to dry. Otherwise, all other throw rugs pose a potentially fatal hazard in your home.

4. Radon gas. Radon gas is commonly found in homes that are built over or near strip mines, landfills, and mineral mining areas. This silent deadly gas does have a slight odor sometimes, since it may be emitted in combination with other gases trapped in the earth’s surface, but most often, this radioactive gas is odorless, colorless, and nearly undetectable.

There are rarely any observable symptoms of radon exposure, and for many people, the first sign that radon is present in the home is when a family member develops lung cancer. Radon is breathed in, and decays in the lungs, causing radioactive damage to the lung tissue. It may also cause damage to other areas of the body and surface as blood or bone cancers, but lung cancer is the most common since the lungs are the first contact source for the gas inside the body. Special radon detectors and ventilation fans are the only way to protect your home from this silent, deadly intruder.

5. Cleaners and Chemicals. Accidental poisoning is a common cause of accidental deaths in the home. Mixing cleaners can release deadly fumes that can overwhelm a person in a matter of seconds. Always read the manufacturer’s directions for all cleaning products and don’t mix your chemicals, for any reason. Keep all cleansers, bleach, ammonia, bug sprays and cleaning supplies out of reach of children and anyone who is mentally disabled. If a poisoning occurs, call your local poison control center immediately and follow the operator’s instructions.

6. Medication. The misuse, abuse, or failure to follow dispensing directions for common over the counter and prescription medications is a common, and often deadly problem. Always read the drugs packaging before taking any medication, even if you think you familiar with the drug. Never mix medications unless directed by a doctor. Never take any medications that are prescribed for another person. And never adjust a dosage outside of the manufacturer’s dosing recommendations. Common medications like Children’s Tylenol and Infant’s Tylenol can be easily confusing when it comes to administering the right amount. Always double-check the directions on the package before administering. Throw out expired or unused medications and never keep any loose, unlabeled pills. If an accidental overdose or drug reaction occurs, call 911 immediately and follow the directions given by the dispatcher.

Silent killers are lurking in many homes. How many of these are waiting in your home?

Jamie Simmerman is a registered nurse and freelance writer. Follow her on Twitter

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