Canadians spend a lot of time indoors, so it’s important to ensure that our homes are safe, healthy places to live. By learning about health hazards that can exist in our homes, we can better protect our health and the health of our family and visitors.
When cleaning, updating, or painting our home we open up our home to potentially hazardous chemicals. This is why no matter if your simply going about your regular home maintenance or taking on a new project that you know about potentially hazardous chemicals and how to prevent them from effecting those in your home.
Aside from materials used during a home renovation, common household products contain chemical substances that can be harmful to health as well. Young children in particular need extra care and protection from products that contain chemicals – they are naturally curious and don’t easily recognize hazards.
Whether you’re renovating your home or just cleaning it, here is a checklist you can post as a reminder of ways you can protect yourself and family from unwanted chemical hazards:
- Have emergency phone numbers posted near or on your phone.
- Keep chemical products such as cleaning liquids and powders, polishes, drain cleaners, paint thinners, and windshield washer fluids locked up and away from young children.
- Make sure that child-resistant closures are working.
- Read and follow all labelling information carefully in order to use products safely and learn the meanings of all warning symbols.
- Teach children what hazard labels mean.
- Learn about a chemical before I use it and look for other options that may be a healthier choice.
- Never mix household chemicals together.
- Open windows when painting or varnishing.
- Change air filters regularly for things like furnaces and ventilation systems and cooking exhaust fans. Also ensure kitchen and bathroom vents send air outside.
- Keep the door between the garage and the house firmly closed.
- Ask all family members and visitors to remove their shoes when coming in to keep floors free from harmful bacteria and other substances that can be tracked in.
- If completing a home renovation that requires you the use of chemicals it’s smart to hire an educated contractor who knows how to work with the materials safely.
Every day, countless families are exposed to avoidable household hazards. By following simple steps, you can help to keep your family safe and healthy.
If you’re thinking of renovating your home with fresh paint, you can easily eliminate health hazards but hiring a skilled and experience painter such as Natik to get the job done. Contact their team today for a free estimate.