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Archicentre
Home Safety Checklist
Page Two
Fire
Hazards
See
Smoke
Alarms
and Chemicals
Fireplaces
Fireplaces
should have screens to protect hot surfaces and prevent sparking.
Burning timber will release irritants, so fireplaces are an
asthma and allergy risk. Good ventilation will reduce the risk.
Fireplaces should have an adjustable damper to minimise heat
loss from the room when not in use.
First
Aid kit
All
homes should have a basic First Aid kit. Parents should also
learn first Aid and CPR (Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation).
Flammable
Liquids
See
Chemicals
Furniture
Furniture
should have rounded edges or sharp-edge protection where small
children are present. Timber chairs, vinyl and leather couches
are best for discouraging dust mites. Your local Asthma Foundation
can provide advice on fillings for couches which will not harbour
dust mites.
Glass
To
prevent severe or fatal injury, laminated safety glass is recommended
where falling through is likely especially in the living room
and children's bedrooms. Visible stickers should be applied
to glass doors and large windows at eye level.
Garden
- Excessively
dry gardens will cause soil to shrink, footings to drop and
walls to crack resulting in structural problems and vermin
entry. Excessively wet conditions will cause damp and condensation
problems. Your garden should be evenly moist all year round:
refer to Archicentre's technical sheets.
- Install
drip watering systems rather than spray watering which ruptures
pollen grains, causing asthma and allergies.
- Remove
rye grasses. The best plants to choose are camellias. Rhododendrens,
azaleas, proteas and other plants and ground covers which
are bee-pollenated and release little airborne pollen.
- Cut
back dense bushes around the house since they encourage condensation
dampness.
- Consider
removing poisonous oleanders and rhus trees which can cause
rashes.
- Prune
branches that are eye hazards and remove decaying tree limbs.
Heating
Heating
produced by combustion appliances inside the house carries an
asthma and allergy risk. Electric or hydronic panel radiators
are considered safest, (protected from children's reach) or
slab heating. Running costs are higher however. Avoid electric
radiators in the presence of small children. All heaters should
have safety guards.
Hot
Water Systems
A
thermostatic hot/cold mixing valve will enable you to reduce
your hot water temperature to 50ºC in the bathroom where
young children may be at risk from scalding. Contact a licensed
plumber or your State's Kidsafe Foundation for more information.
Insects
Cockroaches,
silverfish, termites and ants: see Condensation.
Insulation
Fibrous
roof insulation has potential for harbouring dust mites and
mould growth. Since there is also risk of generating airborne
particles from insulation materials, the safest insulation varieties
are foil and polyester. Ceiling insulation will help keep the
house warm and reduce condensation problems.
Illegal
Building
Some
illegal building is structurally hazardous. Archicentre's pre-purchase
inspection statistics show that in some areas one in five houses
has illegal building work. If buying a house you can often spot
suspicious signs of illegal building, but it is wise to have
the house checked. Never undertake renovations or structural
alterations without building approval. Your architect can advise
you when a permit is needed.
Kitchen
See
Design
Issues,
Stoves
and Furniture
headings.
Mould
See
Condensation.
Pets
Pets
with fur (especially long hair) and feathers can cause asthma
problems. Restricting these pets' access especially into bedrooms
will help. Your local Asthma Foundation may be able to help
provide more details.
Pools
and Spas
Install
isolation fencing with a child proof self locking gate to prevent
the high incidence of small children drowning. Appropriate locks
on adjacent doors and windows should be fitted. Contact your
State's Kidsafe Foundation for further information.
Plumbing
Leaks
Particularly
those causing sub floor dampness should be remedied immediately.
See sub floor.
Play
Equipment
Check
play equipment for any faults. Equipment should have soft landing
material around it such as pinebark or sand. Edges and splinters
are further considerations when selecting building materials
and play equipment. All vertical bars on cots, play pens, stairs
and verandahs should be between 50-85mm apart.
Roof
Space
Possums
and rats carry germs and fleas and can cause structural and
electrical damage. Ensure possible points of entry are sealed.
Your roof space should be insulated, well ventilated and secure.
If you are unsure, Have Archicentre check it for you. Also check
that exhaust fans are not venting into the roof space, but are
ducted outside to avoid build-up of moisture.
Sheds
Store
all dangerous substances in them and keep them locked. Sheds
are often illegally built and could be structural or electrical
deathtraps. Apply all the tests described in this leaflet to
see how healthy your shed is. Repair sheds or demolish the hopeless
cases.
Showers
and Baths
Showers,
baths and other water vapour producers need fan forced ventilation
to the outside of the house or apartment. (See Condensation.)
Leaking shower bases will cause timber rot and sub-floor damp
problems. Non-slip shower and bath bases are available.
Smoke
Alarms
Install
alarms in hallways, kitchens and bedrooms to warn against fire.
Practice fire drills especially where children are involved.
Keep a torch near the bed. Residential-size fire extinguishers
are a good idea. Buy a fire blanket for the kitchen where most
fires start. Check the batteries of your smoke detectors regularly.
Staircases
Stairs
should be well lit but not glary. When designing, avoid spirals
and have short flights between landings or turns. If small children
are around, stairs should have child proof to prevent falls
and moveable gate barriers to prevent access.
Stove
Buy
a stove guard if you have small children and consider installing
a gate barrier to keep them out of the kitchen. Make sure there
is a fire blanket nearby.
Stranger-Danger
and Theft
Install
good lighting such as movement sensor lights to the front door,
and consider peepholes or security screens to doors. Keep your
view to the front gate clear, by eliminating dense planting.
Install deadlocks to doors and windows and take precautions
such as mail collection, timer activated lights, washing on
the line when on holidays.
Sub
Floor
The
sub floor harbours many disease-causing pests like rats, cockroaches
and ants, and destructive things like termites and mould-spore-producing
dry rot. The drier and more ventilated the sub floor the healthier
it is. Vents need to be cleaned and sometimes added. Debris
particularly timber needs clearing away, and dampness needs
attention. A house with a clean dry floor is a much healthier
house. If in doubt, have an Archicentre
inspection.
Vermin
Cockroaches,
silverfish, termites, ants and house dust mites all thrive in
sheltered moist humid conditions. Keep your house clean, remove
papers, soiled clothing and food scraps. Refer to Condensation.
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