Five Warning Signs that Tell You a Home is Unsafe

We all want a home that feels cosy, looks the part and offers plenty of practicality. However, above all else, your home must be safe.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at five warning signs that tell you your home is unsafe. We’ll explore how to spot these warning signs and what to do if they arise. Let’s dive in!

Internal Cracks

One of the main household hazards to watch out for is known as subsidence. In general, subsidence refers to a downward movement of the Earth’s surface.

In the context of property subsidence, it sees the ground beneath a property sink which, among other issues, can cause a house’s foundations to become unbalanced. All in all, subsidence is a serious issue and can obviously make a property unsafe.

Natural occurrences or/and human activities may lead to subsidence. There are also similar issues to subsidence (which we’ll touch on shortly) that can lead to the problems that subsidence can.

Most of the warning signs discussed in this article will relate to subsidence and one such warning sign is the appearance of internal cracks inside your home.

Of course, seeing a single crack in an internal wall doesn’t automatically mean that there is a serious problem like subsidence at hand.

With that said, if you see a newly formed internal crack, you should have it inspected by a professional like a structural expert. Along with subsidence, internal cracks may be the result of other serious concerns such as failing foundations or even a landslip. If a crack is above a quarter of an inch, this should be seen as concerning and you’ll want to have it looked at by a professional as soon as possible.

Doors/Windows are Challenging to Close

Another potential sign of subsidence is if you find that your doors or/and windows do not close easily like they used to. Windows/doors jamming more frequently may be an early warning sign of subsidence.

More specifically, you may notice that the frames of your doors and windows have become a little askew. Further, there might even be tiny gaps between the frames and the walls next to them. These issues would point to subsidence and help explain the increased jamming.

External Cracks

Just as internal cracks may point to an unsafe house, so can external cracks. External cracks to your home’s render or brickwork may point toward an issue with your property’s structural integrity (e.g., settlement or subsidence).

While it’s not extremely rare for hairline cracks to appear on a house’s exterior that doesn’t mean you should dismiss small cracks off the bat as harmless. If you have any concerns, you should have it inspected by a professional. Either way, if you notice an external crack greater than a hairline, you should certainly have it checked out promptly.

Uneven Floors or/and Floors with Cracks

One of the clearest warning signs of subsidence is if your floor is sloping. Further, if you notice cracks on tiles or in a concrete floor appearing, these can also point to subsidence.

One way or another, uneven floor or floor cracks should be taken seriously and looked at by a professional as there’s always a chance that you’ve found some warning signs that your home’s structural integrity is being undermined by subsidence.

Electrics are Unsafe

This is not so much a single warning sign but a type of warning sign which may consist of various pieces of evidence pointing toward unsafe electrics.

One of the most urgent signs of dangerous electrics is if you notice sparking coming from a fuse box or circuit breaker. If this happens, call out an electrician ASAP.

Here are some other key issues that may point to unsafe electrics:

• Sparking appliances
• Circuit breaker is tripping frequently
• Outlets or/and switches are charred or discoloured
• Outlets or/and switches produce buzzing sounds
• You get slight electric shocks from switches and outlets
• Burning odour from outlets *
• Light flicker or dim
• Wires and cables are frayed, damaged, or/and exposed

*It should be noted that in some cases, new appliances can produce a smell for the first several times it uses. However, a distinct odour or/and burning smell from an outlet can be a sign that your electrics are unsafe. Also, you should know that if there is an electrical fire it can produce a somewhat acrid plastic burning scent.

It goes without saying that electrical safety is paramount to keeping your home safe. While not legal requirements in most cases (exceptions include if you are a landlord), it’s best to have an EICR every five years and PAT testing every five years.

Other Concerns

Again, it’s important to clarify that the issues listed above that relate to subsidence are not the only potential explanations of subsidence or similar issues. Other warning signs of subsidence include gaps beneath skirting boards and cracks where an extension meets a house (if you have one of course).

Another major consideration is gas safety. Of course, the main warning sign of an immediate and serious gas safety hazard would come in the form of the smell of gas. If this occurs, you and all household members should evacuate immediately. Only when outside should you call 0800 111 999 (for England, Wales and Scotland) or 0800 002 001 if you’re based in Northern Ireland.

It should be noted that noticing the smell of gas will help spot a gas leak but not the odourless and colourless carbon monoxide gas. Of course, we strongly recommend you install carbon monoxide alarms throughout your home (one on each floor and certainly one in the same room(s) as your gas appliances).

Signs of a carbon monoxide leak include:

• Black and sooty mats on gas fires
• Yellow flame coming from gas appliances
• Plants appearing strange (e.g., upward curling)

Evidence of a carbon monoxide poisoning include:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Upset stomach
• Vomiting
• Chest pain
• Confusion

If you suspect you have carbon monoxide poisoning, evacuate your home, call the suitable emergency number listed earlier and go to hospital to get a check-up.

To spot warning signs that your boiler may be hazard, you’ll want to consider evidence that your boiler is on its way out or/and at an increased risk of posing a hazard:

• Visual evidence of sooting, black spillage marks or scorching
• Pilot light goes out often or goes yellow
• Plenty of condensation in the area of the room where your boiler is installed