The horrors in your home

Be wary of thieves who might want to invade your home.

A lot of people love a good scare. Scary movies, ghost stories, mystery books—all these find favor among the young and old.

They provide spine-tingling entertainment, for as long they are remain mere creations of the mind. But what happens if the horrors hit close to home? What if you realize that different kinds of horror actually reside with you, hidden in plain sight?

You may not know it, but there are many things in your home that can produce frightening circumstances.

Simple household items can harm you when stored or used improperly. Everyday appliances can become deadly if they malfunction or left on for too long. Many people may love horror fiction, but no one loves it once they become part of a scary situation right within the comfort of their own home.

This Halloween, it’s time to be prepared against household horrors. The reality is, you don’t have to venture outside to be terrorized. Some of the scariest things that can happen to you can happen right in your home.

Fire

From unsupervised candles to overheated Christmas lights, many things at home can cause fires. While we are often warned against more common sources, there are less recognized hazards that we have to consider.

For one, a gas water heater can actually cause fire when overused and situated near fabrics that are flammable. Extension cords also provide threat especially when they run under rugs. Greasy pans left heating over a hot stove can produce deadly fumes. Cigarettes left burning on a bed can cause fire and fumes that actually lull a person into deeper sleep.

Many accidental fires can be avoided with common sense.

Keep combustible objects at least 900 mm or about three feet away from open flame and heat sources. Connect appliances directly to wall outlets as much as possible. If you have to use an extension cord, limit live connections and turn them off before sleeping. Do not leave the stove open in the kitchen. Never smoke in your bed.

For additional protection, install a smoke detector in areas susceptible to fires. Check every 10 months if they are working properly and replace batteries if they malfunction.

Home invasion

Real-life villains are perhaps the scariest elements that can attack your home. Bad people often don’t look the part. They can easily exist among the usual faces you see in the neighborhood. Thankfully, there are simple ways you can deter them by modifying the features of your home.

Increase visibility at your house front. Keep your plants from growing above your window ledges and provide see-through fences. Throw boxes of newly-bought appliances discreetly so as not to advertise in your garbage bin the potential items that can be stolen.

Install multiple locks on all your accessible doors and windows, not just the main entrance. Install motion-activated lights outside your home to maintain visibility without wasting electricity.

Befriend your neighbors and allow trusted ones to maintain your home if you have to be away for a while. You’ll never know when a bad person takes interest in your home, and so it pays to be vigilant at all times.

Poisoning

Many unassuming items around the house are lethal if accidentally ingested.

Cleaning items, household plants and prescribed medicine can easily catch the attention of a curious kid or dog. To prevent accidental poisoning, keep chemicals and drugs well out of reach of children and pets.

Check if your house plants can cause any adverse side effects and suspend them in hanging pots if your pets roam around. Store cleaning materials in locked cabinets and keep them in their original containers as much as possible.

In addition, there are sources of poisonous fumes or chemicals that you have to be mindful of. Turn off gas burners right after use. Have a technician repair leaking air conditioners immediately because aleaking refrigerant can cause dizziness, nausea and respiratory problems.

Do not use fuel-powered appliances intended for outdoor use inside your home to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Seek professional help immediately should you see warning signs or experience poisoning symptoms.

Overall, your house can actually be harboring many little horrors that you are unaware off. The items mentioned here are only some of the many real things that beat fictional frights. Do not let fear, however, keep you from enjoying the comfort of your home.

Instead, be responsible and make your living space a safe place to be. Many of these horrors are preventable with proper upkeep and vigilance. Limit the frights this coming Halloween and keep things safe in reality.

(Sources: kidshealth.org; www.familyhandyman.com; www.rd.com; energyair.com; www.health.state.mn.us)

The author is a licensed architect and currently works for DSFN Architects. She enjoys a scary movie now and then but hates real-life horror and gore.