8 Horrid Health Dangers in the Home ...

If you have a gas heater in your home, make sure that it is regularly serviced – this is one potential health danger that you don't want to neglect, as it can kill if it leaks carbon monoxide. A carbon monoxide detector is cheap and could be a lifesaver, so don't forget to buy one.

You don't have to be elderly to fall in the home. It's very easy to trip up over a loose rug, or carpet that's not properly fitted. You can buy sticky pads to keep rugs in place, and loose carpets should be fixed down. Also watch out for loose cables – tuck them out of the way rather than let them trail where someone could trip.

The average home is full of all kinds of chemicals, from those used in furniture construction to the products used for everyday cleaning. One way of reducing our exposure to chemicals, which can cause health problems, is to use natural methods for cleaning, instead of bought products. Also look at other ways of reducing the presence of chemicals in the home.

Mould looks unpleasant, but you might not realise that it can actually be hazardous to your health. Breathing in those spores can be especially dangerous if you have asthma. Keep bathrooms well aired, and if you see mould start to appear, tackle it before it gets worse and because a serious health danger.

If you have to call in a pest controller, chemical methods are the usual way of dealing with any unwanted guests. Some of these products can be so strong that the room being treated will actually be unusable for a few days. Wherever possible, try to use alternative methods, and be careful to keep pets and children away from chemical treatments.

You may not be able to see them, but chances are these mites are very much present in your home. They are another of the health dangers that will affect anyone with breathing problems. To deal with them, vacuum your bed regularly (yes, really), and wash bedding at a high temperature.

New carpets contain a lot of chemicals that can be pretty toxic, so ideally should be aired before being fitted. If this isn't possible, air the room well after a carpet has been fitted there. If you have older carpets cleaned, the same advice applies.

Radon is another invisible nasty that can cause major health problems, and you will have no idea if it is present. However you can have a test to see if your home is affected; for more information, check out epa.gov.

Health dangers in the home are something that we should be aware of, without being too paranoid. Mostly it's a question of being informed about which health dangers exist and taking some simple precautions that will reduce or remove any problems. Are you concerned by health dangers in the home, or do you just not worry about anything?

Top Photo Credit: weheartit.com