Many home hazards are easy to spot and fixable.

Check your current or prospective home for these common ones.

Stair and deck railings

Stair and deck railings in older homes often have spindles spaced farther apart than today’s standard. If you have small children, consider installing some kind of barrier to prevent nasty falls.

Even modern stair and deck railings can pose unintended hazards. These horizontal bars are a climbing attraction for young children.

In addition, very wide handrails can be difficult to grasp to prevent a fall.

Pet doors

Pet doors are extremely convenient. However, cutting them into the door or wall between the house and garage compromises the firewall. 

If the pet door has been cut through a door in the garage firewall, replacing the door is an easy fix. Consider cutting any future pet door through a house wall directly to the outside. 

Underground drains

Underground drains are commonly used to move water away from the house but are prone to freezing in the winter. With Colorado’s frequent thaw-freeze cycles, they can create pools of ice on walkways, especially on the north side of a home. They may even heave the sidewalk. Installing an open drain with a grate avoids these problems.

Dryer vents

Dryer lint is highly flammable and house fires have started from clogged vents. It’s not uncommon these days for dryer vents to run vertically through the roof or have a very long horizontal run before exiting the house. These can fill up with compacted lint. In addition to cleaning the trap in the dryer with every use, it’s a good idea to know how your vent discharges and have the duct cleaned out regularly. 

Egress windows

Egress windows are required in basement bedrooms as emergency exits. However, if the basement window is higher than 44” off the floor, or the top of the well is more than 44” from the bottom, a ladder is also required. This is sometimes overlooked. In addition, installing a cover or grate over the well prevents falls.