Hidden dangers in your home

You wouldn't think that your home could actually be very dangerous, as a person you do the best to always ensure your family and your home is safe and secure, but there are some dangers that lurk where you cannot see them! To keep your loved ones safe you need to learn the top hazards that could be in your home and how to prevent them.

MOLD 

Mold can be anywhere in your home, especially in rooms that have a lot of moisture like you bathroom, basement or cupboards, if any of these places have a musty odor there could be mold present. Mold can cause sinus and nasal congestion and even asthma attacks, in order to prevent mold you need to check your plumbing for any leaks, keep all your rooms well ventilated or install an oscillating fan in your bathroom.

CARBON MONOXIDE

Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colourless gas that can kill you and you may not even realise it is in your home! This killer gas often comes from fire places, wood stoves, furnaces, gas water heaters, tobacco smoke and exhaust fumes. The solution to this problem is to install a carbon monoxide detector, make sure you get it installed by a professional and test it regularly.

PESTS

Pests like termites, ants or bees can hide deep inside your homes walls where you cannot see them and they can be living in your home for months without you even noticing them! You might notice some signs that these pests are in your home; swelling, rotting wood or dirt piled up near a wall or on the floor. If you suspect that your home might have pests call a qualified inspector immediately and he will kill and maintain your property to make sure they never return again.   

FIRE HAZARDS

Fire can spread incredibly fast, leaving no time to grab your valuables or even make a phone call, fires can be caused by simple household items like your stove, fireplace, electrical cords that are worn out, overloaded power strips and space heaters. Here are some tips to make sure you and your loved ones are safe from fire: Install fire/smoke detectors, keep a fire extinguisher in your house and regularly check and inspect the items in your home that could cause a fire.

Check for these hidden dangers lurking in your home and use the preventative measures to make sure your home is a safer, healthier and happier place for yourself and your family.

If you ever need a professional security service, contact SIS – Security Investigation Services and they will make sure your home or business is a safe, secure place! Some of their services include; guarding, technical services and security services. 

Written By: Christine Romans 

“Urban crime legend” – Marking of homes by attackers

You live in South Africa, if you didn't know before you should know now that the crime rate is very high and some of us still believe that criminals cannot be incredibly creative and tactile. What was once called an “urban crime legend” is now proving to be cold, hard fact.

The “legend” is the marking of homes of victims by the attackers; the attackers use this to give information about the people living inside the home and the home securities that they have. There are a variety of different markings that the attackers leave in front of your home to send messages, some include:     
                    - Cans
                    - Empty bottles
                    - Leaves with markings
                    - Piles of stones
                    - Plastic packets
                    - Shoe soles
                    - Paint marks

Often these markings are not noticeable and may not seem suspicious at all, you need to make sure you, your family and your friends are informed properly about safety, especially in a country where there is a lot of crime.

Keep in mind that not all litter in front of your home means you have been marked, the wind could have blown some rubbish onto your lawn or someone could've just left an empty bottle lying around. If you ever find any of these markings in front of your home first think about your neighbor break-in and crime history, but even if it’s just litter it’s always safer to just pick it up! Here are some of the crime codes in the UK: 

Most of us South Africans believe that owning a dog will protect you and your home, they are wrong! Criminals can easily lace meat with a poison like rat poison or insecticides, feed it to your dog and then wait for your pet to become sick, allowing them to attack your home.

In South Africa you cannot rely on the poor man’s alarm system(a dog) to protect yourself, your family and your home, you need to keep your eyes open for markings remove them immediately, throw them away and then notify your neighbours. 

Get in touch with SIS - Security Investigation services if you want to ensure you and your belongings are safe the right way, they offer guarding, farm protection and technical and security services.

Written By: Christine Romans