QUIZ: Is Your Home Safe?

By Karen

Each year thousands of people are injured due to silent killers invading their home. Sometimes these hidden dangers are culprits that you cannot detect with the naked eye. The good news is that most of these injuries can be avoided if you take a few precautions. Take this quick quiz to test your knowledge of the potential dangers lurking in your home.

1. What gas is colorless, odorless and tasteless, and can cause brain damage, loss of sight or even death depending on the amount of exposure?

1. Carbon Dioxide

2. Carbon Monoxide

3. Radon

Answer B: Carbon Monoxide. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels like gas, oil, coal and wood used in fuel appliances like boilers, oil burners and water heaters. When CO enters the lungs, it displaces oxygen from the bloodstream causing injury to the heart, brain and other vital functions of the body. Low levels of CO cause flu like symptoms. Higher levels can cause loss of consciousness, coma, or death. Since CO has no taste, smell or odor, CO detector alarms are the best way to alert you to dangerous levels of CO. Install them near each sleeping area and on each floor of your home. However, prevention is your best defense. Make sure that your home’s furnace, fireplace or space heaters are in good working condition and provide good ventilation for all heating appliances. If suspect CO poisoning, get out of the house and call 911.

2. What poisonous substance in your home can be found in water pipes, paint, gasoline, and pottery, and if ingested, could lead to learning and behavior problems as well as damage to the hearing and nervous system?

1. Lead

2. Mold

3. Mildew

Answer A: Lead. Lead poisoning is one of the most serious health threats for children in and around the home. In fact, dust from lead paint is the biggest threat among young children. Although laws have been passed banning the use of lead in certain products, it can still be found in the paint, water pipes or the soil of older homes. Find out if your home has lead by getting a lead testing kit from your local state department or hardware. If you suspect, lead poisoning, ask your doctor for a blood test and rectify the problem immediately.

3. What substance thrives on moisture and can cause health problems such as asthma or allergies? 

1. Gasoline

2. Oil

3. Mold

Answer C: Mold. Mold produces tiny spores that can get into your lungs and trigger asthma attacks, cause wheezing, sneezing, itching, coughing, watery eyes, headaches, tiredness or trouble breathing. It grows quickly in wet, damp surfaces such as in basements, leaky bathrooms, sinks or roofs, in closets, under carpet or wallpaper or in your air conditioner. Use preventative measures by eliminating any moisture problems. If you find mold, clean it up and fix the moisture problem right away. Prolonged exposure is what poses the risk, so do not wait.

4. What gas can be found in the earth and rock beneath your home and is the leading cause of lung cancer in the United States?

1. Radon
2. Carbon Monoxide
3. Carbon Dioxide

Answer A: Radon. Radon is an extremely toxic, colorless gas that occurs naturally in soil and rock and appears in the air of your home. It can also be found in well water and building materials. Studies show that prolonged exposure to radon can cause lung cancer with increased risk to smokers. Radon problems vary from area to area. Local geology, construction materials, and home construction are among the factors that can affect radon levels in homes. The only way to detect radon is to test for it. The EPA has declared January as National Radon Action Month. If you have not already, purchase a radon test from your local hardware store or call the National Radon Hotline at 1-800-SOS-RADON.

5. Which substance in your home can transmit bacteria, viruses, waste, lead, copper and other harmful chemicals like pesticides?

1. Dust

2. Water

3. Air

Answer B: Water. Sometimes your water supply may not be safe particularly if you water is supplied by a private source such as a well. Germs can enter the water supply transmitting diseases that can cause stomach upset, diarrhea and more serious conditions like learning and behavioral problems in children, kidney or liver damage and cancer. Make sure your water is safe. Know where your water is coming from. If you have a private supply such as a spring or a well, call your local or state health department to see how you can get your water tested. If it is a public supply, your water is tested many times over before it reaches your home, but many times the water comes from a river or lake nearby. Therefore, in both cases, use preventative measures by protecting your water supply. Dispose of chemicals and waste properly by reading the labels and taking care of your environment.

Children are the most vulnerable to these hidden dangers. Protect them by educating yourself on the potential hazards that can affect the harmony of your home. Make your home a safe haven for you and your loved ones by investing the time and energy in making sure your home is not hazardous to your health.

Resources

To learn more about how to keep your children safe at home, read the “Help Yourself to a Healthy Home: Protect Your Children’s Health” booklet from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Learn more about the dangers of radon.

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