Things You Should Monitor in Your Home

As a homeowner, it is vital that you are monitoring your home for things such as black mold, methane gas, carbon monoxide, and radon gas. To ensure that you will be able to properly monitor for each dangerous thing, you will want to learn more about self-monitoring alarms or kits. 

Of course, to understand why this is such a serious issue, you will need to learn more about each danger that could be lurking in your home:

Black Mold

Stachybotrys Chartaurum, otherwise known as black mold, is a dangerous mold that can grow and rapidly spread throughout your entire home. It is especially dangerous for infants and the elderly, as they do not have as strong of immune systems. According to the CDC, those who have been exposed to mold in their homes for an extended amount of time can suffer from upper respiratory tract infections, coughing, wheezing, and fungal infections in their lungs. To prevent a problem with black mold, you will need to locate and fix all water leaks as soon as you realize that water is getting into your home. You will also want to keep the humidity levels in your home on the lower side. This will prevent any mold that may already be there from growing and spreading anymore. 

Methane Gas

Methane gas is produced from sewage and it should never be found in your home. If you do have methane gas coming back into your home through the drain pipes, you will most likely notice a rotten egg smell. The reason this is dangerous is because as your home fills with methane gas, it is being depleted of the oxygen that you should be breathing in. Also, this is a high explosive gas. Should your home fill up with a lot of it and you light a match, an explosion could occur. To help prevent the back up of methane gas in your home, you will need to keep an eye on the condition of your septic drain pipes. If you have a septic tank on your property, you will need to keep up with the emptying of it so the waste and the gas does not come back up the pipes and into your home.

Carbon Monoxide

This is a deadly gas that can build up in your home and you would never know it unless you had the proper alarms in place. This is because carbon monoxide is a gas that is odorless and tasteless. You cannot see it. If you are poisoned by carbon monoxide, you may experience an upset stomach, chest pains, weakness, headaches, and confusion. It can lead to death if you are not promptly moved to fresh air and then receive medical treatment. To reduce your chances of dealing with a carbon monoxide problem, you will need to maintain your natural gas or oil furnace. Also, never use a kerosene heater or gas generator inside of your home.

Radon Gas

This is a decay product that comes from the uranium that is commonly found in the rocks and soil below the foundation of your home. It can rise through the landscape and if there is a crack in your foundation, the gas can then make its way into your home. Testing for radon is vital because it is an invisible gas that is also tasteless and odorless. It is so dangerous that it is actually the second leading cause of lung cancer within the United States. To reduce your chances of having a radon gas leak, you will want to locate any cracks or openings in your foundation and seal them shut. 

With all of this in mind, along with having safety equipment such as wireless fire alarms, you need to have tests for the previously mentioned dangers. This way, you and your loved ones will always be as protected as possible.