5 Hidden Dangers That Could Be Lurking In Your Home

In the past 6 months, we’ve all had cause to reevaluate the function of the home. Yes, it’s a place that brings us warmth, shelter and respite from the outside world and all its stressors. But for many of us, it has become a whole lot more in 2020. It has become a place of physical and psychological refuge. It has become our protection from a world that seems a whole lot more dangerous than it did at the start of the year, before the breath of a stranger became such a terrifying and life-threatening prospect. For many of us, our homes have also become our workplaces, and we’ve had to learn to compartmentalise our time and our living space to ensure a healthy work / life balance.

Image by Daniela Dimitrova from Pixabay.

Now, more than ever, we rely on the home to grant us respite. To allow us to close the door (quite literally) on the world’s problems. For those of us with families, our homes offer us even greater comfort and reassurance. They help us to feel that the most precious things in the world to us are safe, protected and insulated from risk and danger. But unbeknownst to us, our homes can become invaded by harmful presences that could prove damaging or even fatal to us and our loved ones. 

As vigilant as we may be in the battle to keep COVID-19 out of our homes, and as diligently as we might ensure that our home security is up to scratch, even the most impenetrable home can still be vulnerable. There are some threats to our health and wellbeing that can sneak past even the most intricate CCTV setup. Threats that can sneak into your home, even if your doors are equipped with the most sophisticated locks. Here, we’ll look at some hidden dangers that could be lurking in your home right now… 

Rodents

They’re small, they’re furry and they’re even kind of cute. Rats, mice, shrews and other rodents have been a part of our lives for so long that we’ve even been domesticating them for centuries. Yet, while rodents (and rats in particular) can be intelligent, loyal and loving pets, their wild cousins can actually be significantly harmful to your little ones. Especially if you have babies or toddlers in the home. 

Rats, mice and other rodents are persistent scavengers who will stop at nothing to get at food sources in your home. They’ll find a way to scamper onto any surface, gnaw through any barrier and do all that they can to make your home their own. While the likelihood of a rodent biting your child is fairly low, it can nonetheless be very harmful to their health. Furthermore, when little ones come into contact with the urine of rodents it can also lead to the contraction of serious diseases.

This is why it’s important to be vigilant and know the signs of rodent infestation when you see them. You don’t necessarily have to kill them. There are plenty of non-lethal traps on the market. However, you do have to take decisive action when you spot the signs.   

Termites or Woodworm.

Timber has been a staple of construction since time immemorial. However, those of us who live in wooden structures can find ourselves very vulnerable when the wrong insectile pests take residence in our homes. Most of the time, insects are simply a nuisance in the garden that can do no more damage than ruining fruits or flowers. 

However, some international readers will be mortified to learn just how much damage termites can do when they establish a colony. They can gnaw voraciously through wooden structures making your home less safe for your children. Which is why it’s so important to call out termite inspection pest control if you see damage to your woodwork or drywall that looks like water damage, even though there are no sources of water nearby. Still, readers in the UK should be aware that woodworm can also do damage to floorboards, joists and other laid bearing wooden structures that could prove comparable to termite damage.

Image by Karolina Grabowska from Pixabay

Foodborne Bacteria.

The kitchen is often seen as a place of comfort and nourishment. A place where the whole family comes together to enjoy delicious home-cooked food that’s made with love. However, you may be surprised to learn just how many dangerous bacteria can lurk in the kitchen. Even if you’re the kind of meticulous parent who wipes down every surface regularly. 

There are all kinds of food-born bacteria that can cause illness when ingested by youngsters. And not all of them are abated by ensuring that cooking and food preparation surfaces are clean. Foodborne bacteria like listeria, campylobacter and salmonella can thrive in undercooked meat and eggs or unpasteurised dairy products. Even those on a plant-based diet aren’t immune from foodborne bacteria. They can be transmitted through the droppings of farm animals that can get onto produce, which is why it’s so important to wash fruit and veggies thoroughly before preparing and eating. 

Carbon monoxide

You’ve likely already heard carbon monoxide referred to as “the silent killer”. Indeed, it can be fatal when inhaled, especially when inhaled by vulnerable young lungs. Carbon monoxide can be a serious risk to children, adults and pets in your home. It occurs in spaces wherever any kind of fuel is burned, which is why it’s so important to have adequate ventilation in the kitchen. 

Legionella

Finally, if your home has air conditioning you may be surprised at how much of a risk it represents if you don’t have your AC unit cleaned and serviced regularly. Recirculating the air in your home might help you to feel blissfully cool on a hot day. But it can also blow pollen, dust and pet dander around the air in your home, exacerbating allergies. Worse still, unclean air conditioning units can become home to the bacteria legionella which can enter the lungs through tiny droplets of water and give rise to legionnaire’s disease. So make sure that if you’re lucky enough to have air conditioning in your home, you invest in regular servicing and cleaning. 

Pin it!