Serving King and Snohomish Counties

Home safety concerns are those issues that can result in accidental injury or death. Accidents of any kind can certainly happen; however, many can be avoided with simple safety precautions. The list below is certainly not comprehensive, however covers most safety concerns I find at homes during an inspection.

Smoke and Carbon monoxide detectors

Code requirements for these items have changed over the years. It is always best practice to have a smoke detector located in the hallway of each level and within each bedroom. Although not practical to retrofit a home to have all detectors hard wired and interconnected, several new wireless options are available.

Carbon monoxide detectors are required by Wa. State law to be located at each level of the home and in the hallway area adjacent to the bedrooms. There is an on-going debate about placing the detectors low to the floor or at the ceiling. All new construction homes have combination smoke-carbon monoxide detectors located at the ceiling of the hallway areas.

It is always good to periodically test the detectors and replace them once they reach their 10 year anticipated useful life expectancy

Barricades and graspable handrails

Barricades at any stairs or decks are recommended to be updated to current code. Wider spacing of balusters is a fall and/or hanging hazard for small children. Although current code compliant, horizontal barricades are a potential fall hazard as they create a climbing ladder.  Graspable handrails should be installed at any set of stairs with 4 or more risers. Steep stair or stairs with inconsistent tread run or rise can be a fall-safety hazard

Horizontal barricade

Unsecured balusters

Windows

Windows in some older homes have very low sill heights which can be a fall-safety hazard. It is a common misconception that a window screen with keep someone from falling out of a window.

Tempered glass is important at windows located adjacent to doors and at stairwells. The purpose of tempered glass is to break into small pieces in order to minimize cuts.

Many older homes have very marginal or no reasonable emergency egress from bedrooms. The home inspection is not a code compliance inspection. I will comment on whether or not the egress appears to be “reasonable”

This bedroom has no reasonable emergency egress. The low awning windows only open 4" +-

The sill height is 6" above the floor level. The window is 15' to the concrete below

Doors

Any door to an attic space should have a lock installed. Children like to play in small areas. If they step off of the framing, they could fall thru the ceiling to the floor below

Laundry Chutes

The access point for a laundry chute should be high enough to prevent a child from falling into it. Surprisingly, many older homes have laundry chute at floor level. The chute in the image below is a chute at floor level with a 20’ + vertical drop

Floor level access to the chute

The chute is a 20' + vertical drop

Electrical

Aside from other “general safety concerns” in wiring and the electrical panel, it is recommended that any electrical outlet located in “wet areas” be ground fault protected. The purpose of this type of circuit/outlet protection is to prevent electrocution. Plate covers should be installed at any open electrical junction box, outlet, or wall switch

Garages

Heat registers should not be cut into the garage as they are a breach in the fire separation of the home and could allow carbon monoxide to enter directly into living spaces, such as bedrooms.

Garage door openers should have photocell reverse sensors. The purpose of the sensors is to prevent someone from being crushed by the door. It is best to set the sensors within 8” of the slab

Safety bollards should be installed as needed to protect the any mechanical equipment (furnace and water heater) from vehicular impact. This is especially important with gas fired appliances

Decks

In addition to the comment above regarding barricades and handrails, decks should be properly lag bolted to a home to prevent the deck from pulling away and collapsing.  Any raised nail heads on the decking boards should be set flush or countersunk to prevent foot injury

Raised nail head

Proper lag bolting of the deck to the house

 Site

Any lid for a catch basin or septic system should be properly secured to prevent accidental fall or drowning incidents. Surprisingly, I get push back on this item from builders of new homes

Unsecured catch basin lid. This 12" diameter basin is approximately 3 feet deep

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