Are You Living in a Haunted House of Hazards?

Boo! A little scare can be thrilling — and we love Halloween for all its spooky decorations, campy horror movies and creepy costumes that promise fun fright in the night. But did you ever wonder whether there might be some real terrors hiding under your rug or up your chimney? Read on to find out if you could be living in a haunted house of hazards.

Eerie electromagnetic energy. If your lights are flickering on and off, it’s probably not a friendly ghost playing pranks. Instead, damaged wiring in your lamp switch, the extension cord or even your wall socket may be the culprit. Inspect plugs and cords for fraying or exposed wires. Take lamps and appliances with faulty switches for repair or replacement, and don’t run cords under rugs where they can become both fire and tripping hazards. Never overload wall sockets, and have a qualified electrician inspect the condition of the wiring in your home — particularly if it’s on the older side.

Sinister smoldering scourge. Combustible hazards aren’t typically as attention-grabbing as your flaming Halloween jack-o’-lantern — they often result from mundane items used frequently in your home. According to the National Fire Protection Association, heating equipment is the No. 2 cause of home fires in the U.S. Don’t ever leave a space heater unattended (ditto for burning candles). Extension cords and power strips can cause house fires by overloading electrical space heaters. Always check a heating unit’s cord and plug for damage, and never run a kerosene heater indoors.

When it comes to fire extinguishers, you need more than one. Place them on each floor of the house, in every bedroom, the garage, basement, attic and kitchen. Make sure the type of extinguisher you buy is appropriate for the space (for example, one intended for grease fires kept near the stove) — and be sure to inspect extinguishers on a regular basis.

Mysterious malicious mist. Is that cloud forming near your fireplace some kind of supernatural apparition from beyond? Don’t call the ghostbusters — ring up a chimney sweep instead! Smoke backing up from a clogged chimney can be deadly. It’s important to have your chimney cleaned and inspected annually — before you light it for your first scary movie night of the season. For additional safety, a first and obvious step to prevent smoke back-up is to always be sure the flue is open when in use. You can also install carbon monoxide detectors and practice good fireplace safety by using a screen, not placing flammable objects anywhere near the hearth and never leaving a burning fire unattended.

Frightfully fraught flight. Witches are skilled at flying through the air, but it’s something you should try your best to avoid. And that’s exactly what might happen if your ladder slips when cleaning out your gutters. One study found that 97% of ladder accidents occur in the home. Send old, rickety wooden ladders to their final resting place and upgrade to safer, lighter and more stable aluminum varieties rated for their intended use. Place ladders on level ground. Carefully secure extension ladders before using them to hang holiday decorations. A few other tips for avoiding an unintended flight: Never leave objects on your staircase, secure area rugs and floormats with appropriate pads, and properly anchor furniture and bookcases to the wall to prevent dangerous tip-over accidents.

We Insure will be here for you should something ominous ever go bump in the night. But now that you’ve hopefully exorcised these household safety demons, see our list of hair-raising haunted house movies to enjoy this All-Hallows’ Eve, and let us know if we’ve missed any of your favorites.

We Insure wishes you a happy — and safe — Halloween!

Top 10 Halloween Haunted House Movies

1. The Amityville Horror

2. House on Haunted Hill

3. The Shining

4. Poltergeist

5. House

6. The Others

7. Monster House

8. The Haunted Mansion

9. Beetlejuice

10. The Haunting

Sources

https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/NFPA-Today/Blog-Posts/2020/10/30/guide-to-fire-extinguisher-inspection-testing-and-maintenance

https://safetymanagement.eku.edu/blog/10-most-common-causes-of-house-fires/

https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Top-fire-causes/Heating

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/ss/slideshow-common-household-hazards

https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/11-home-hazards-to-know-and-avoid-47723

https://www.consumerreports.org/home-safety/your-home-has-hidden-dangers-these-fixes-will-keep-you-safe/

https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to/a9631/dont-be-an-idiiot-how-to-use-any-kind-of-ladder-safely-16123359/