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Is Your Man Cave a Health Hazard?

The increasing popularity of converting basement space into a man cave stems from a man’s desire for solitude after a long day’s work and at the end of an arduous work week. Sure, he eventually needs to crawl out from the darkness and tend to the lawn and spend time with his family, but most guys will agree the ability to experience isolation is an essential part of maintaining sanity.

While no one disputes this value of the man cave, one inherent challenge for many homes with one is keeping it from becoming a health hazard. Even if a gal is lucky enough to find a clean freak for a husband, there are still other risks to watch out for when a man is allowed to assemble his own private getaway down in the depths of the household.

Folks ought to be mindful of the following, which tend to be the most common health hazards associated with man caves:

Electrical

Unless he’s an electrician, it’s probably best to leave the installation of new outlets and fixtures for a man cave to the professionals. Find a lighting services provider that takes safety seriously and has an extensive reputation for getting the job done right. Amateur or otherwise poorly done electrical installations are among the leading causes of electrocution in the home, and although a husband may appear completely confident in his ability to rig up a light over his pool table, it’s better to outsource the project to prevent a costly accident down the line.

Ventilation

Most man caves are positioned in the basement and most basements have poor ventilation in terms of what’s needed for habitable living space. Failure to account for proper airflow through a basement man cave can lead to dank smells developing over time, but worse it can slowly deprive those in the basement with a healthy supply of oxygen. Furthermore, if the boys are down there smoking cigars while watching the game, it’s imperative for there to be a way to get fresh air into the man cave and the air inside moved outside. Otherwise, this nasty air will only linger and leak into the upstairs.

Waterproofing

Ensuring a basement is free of moisture and at reduced risk of flooding is essential in any situation, but more so if parts of it are being occupied by people for extended periods of time. Black mold is downright dangerous to the health of everyone in the house, let alone those in the basement where it’s growing if waterproofing measures aren’t undertaken. In the event of a torrential downpour or busted plumbing leading to leaks in the man cave, it’s imperative for homeowners to immediately seek a water damage service.

Shelving

Movies, games, memorabilia, gifts from the kids – men want a place to put this stuff and show it off, and what better place than their man cave? If this calls for installing shelving in the basement, it’s crucial for the proper steps to be taken before getting started. A tip over or collapse of shelving, depending on what’s on the shelves, can be a case of broken glass on the floor or over 100 pounds of stuff crashing down to the floor. Needless to say, nobody wants to be there when it happens, but the point is it doesn’t have to if the installation is done correctly.

Pest Control

Leftover bags of chips, a few sips of soda left in a can, and unwiped crumbs scattered in a basement setting means a paradise breeding ground for a variety of unwanted pests. If the man of the house has the trappings of a slob, improved cleanliness is a priority, even in his own private downstairs getaway. Reason being, these encroaching critters will quickly determine there’s more to be found upstairs and will bring disease and allergy triggers with them when they make the vertical transition, putting the whole family at risk. If a bug or rodent problem is already present, pest control services need to be called.

Lastly, a simple measure to put in place to keep man caves from becoming a health hazard is routine inspections. Now, this sounds like taking all the fun out of a man cave, but we’re not talking about flipping over cushions to find contraband. Rather, this means keeping an eye out for developing problems. Keeping bad wiring, poor airflow, leaks, and other potential health risks from developing into full-blown problems will keep a man cave the place of refuge it was meant to be.

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