When you go back to your parents’ hometown, you may see that the home is full of nostalgia. Old toys and old furniture can lead you into the tunnel of memories. Frugality is a good thing, but not everything in your home is worth keeping for decades. If the elders in the family still insist on using some things, sometimes there may be collateral dangers (whether physical or not). Next time you go home, help check these old things!
Check out these old items at home that may still be usable but may not be safe
It’s not just your ex-girlfriend’s photos that are dangerous if your wife finds them. Old household products can also cause problems in a variety of ways. Over time, the materials used to make these products are likely to prove to be hazardous to health, and the way in which older items are stored can cause fire hazards. Some technology-related hazardous materials are relatively new, but they are still dangerous, but they are not harmful to personal health but to network security and bank accounts.
To help you keep things in check, we’ve put together a list of items that you probably still have in many homes but really should be replaced. It’s easy to identify, but it’s up to you to convince your parents to throw it away and replace it with a new one.
Check if your router is not running WPA2
Although routers may seem fine to elders, being out of date can bring some dangers. Recently, the Wi-Fi world took a big step: the old security protocol WPA2 was left in the past in favor of WPA 3. WPA3 actually debuted in 2018, and starting in 2020, all new Wi-Fi devices have it built in as standard. Even though WPA2 is still supported, WPA3 has a much higher level of encryption and is certainly worth the upgrade.
Support for WPA 2 is coming to an end, making the situation even more urgent. Outdated Wi-Fi security protocols can leave your home network and every device connected to it wide open until potential attackers can discover and exploit them. While your elders may not trust online banking, there’s still likely to be a lot of personal information stored on any phones, tablets and computers your family members use. Professional and high-end routers can be more expensive, but there are many routers on the market that are very reasonably priced. You can show your respect by upgrading your parents’ internet security and giving them a higher-speed connection on a shoestring budget.
Is the old tablet not updated?
Tablets are a simple way to easily perform various computing tasks. Elderly people may be troubled by the various operating systems that computers run, but products like iPads that come with apps for browsing the web, checking emails, watching videos, and playing casual games are an easier way. But just like the operating system running on the computer, during the limited support period of the tablet, the operating system version update will be stopped first, which means that you will miss new features, and the updated version of its application may no longer run properly on the device. Security updates tend to be available for longer, and devices that have stopped receiving security updates should probably keep them in a drawer forever.
But there are exceptions. The risk is much lower if the device is only used offline or not connected to any sensitive accounts. However, if the tablet user has social media accounts, email accounts, or banking apps installed, it’s time to upgrade. Hardware issues are never an issue as things like batteries can be easily replaced when they’re past their prime.
Is the elder’s computer operating system still supported?
Like tablets and mobile phones, the computer operating system support time is also limited. If the computer of an elder in the family is still running Windows 7, Windows 8 or even Windows XP, then the operating system needs to be updated at least because of the security risks involved. Modern operating systems tend to be more demanding than in the past, and Windows 11 has a particularly high threshold. In view of this, you may have to choose an alternative operating system or buy a new computer for your elders.
If you did manage to coax your elders into upgrading to Windows 10, you should know that it is the next operating system that Microsoft will stop supporting. Support for non-enterprise editions will end in 2025, which means that Windows 10 has less than two years left in its lifespan. You have to choose between finding a replacement system (this is a bit difficult, and the elders have to learn all over again) or buying a new computer.
Do electrical products have energy efficiency ratings?
There are certain reasons for manufacturers not to use the production methods of the past, although not all reasons are directly related to consumers. Putting aside manufacturing quality, the functionality and production of electrical products have made great progress in the past few decades. Although old washing machines, refrigerators, and air conditioners are still in service, it may be time to retire them. If the device was manufactured before the 1990s, it most likely will not have an energy efficiency rating. Simply put, energy efficiency ratings tell consumers how much energy a product consumes when operating. Compared with similar machines, higher ratings require less energy. Environmental benefits aside, higher energy efficiency ratings can help you save significant money on electricity bills over the life of your equipment.
Old appliances are more dangerous than you think. There’s a good chance that dirt has accumulated in your old machine, which will both impede its performance and increase the level of danger it poses. If there’s a lot of dirt, dust, and debris on the back of your refrigerator, or if there’s a lot of lint built up on the inside of your dryer, these can be serious fire hazards. Checking the age of your elders’ major appliances and the condition they are in can prevent a major disaster.
What is the plastic part of the old product made of?
Plastics and the chemicals in them are very controversial in modern times for a number of reasons. People are worried about the impact of this common material on human health. Among them, the most commonly discussed plastic material closely related to health problems is BPA (bisphenol A). Scientists have studied BPA in the past and found that it causes health-related problems including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, reproductive disorders and some cancers, so it is best to avoid using it, especially if it comes into contact with food or heats it with products containing BPA. BPA is rarely found in modern products, but it was once used in a variety of appliances and containers.
Fortunately, checking plastic products for dangerous chemicals is easy. Carefully inspect plastic products that you are concerned may contain BPA and look for a triangular classification designation with a number on it. If the number written on the triangle is 3, 6 or 7, then the plastic used most likely contains BPA and you should stop using it and throw it away as soon as possible. (Although some products will clearly say that they are BPA-free, they may not actually be as safe as you think)
Are you still using incandescent light bulbs?
People tend not to like change, and despite the many benefits of energy-saving light bulbs, the warm yellow glow of white light bulbs is still the choice in many homes. Still, this change is definitely worth considering, because in addition to altruistically helping the climate, switching to energy-saving light bulbs can also save households money on their energy bills. The savings in electricity bills and the longer life of the energy-saving light bulb itself are completely worth its relatively expensive initial price.
In terms of practicality, modern LED bulbs have more choices. You can connect many of them to a smart home system or app, and you can set the brightness and color of the bulbs to your liking. These bulbs can also be programmed to have on and off schedules or controlled remotely, which can be used as a safety tool when you’re not home. Energy-saving light bulbs are also safer because they save energy because they don’t generate as much heat. When you pick up an incandescent light bulb that has been lit for a period of time, you will find that it can already burn people. The heat it generates is essentially useless, but a potential problem. Replacing these bulbs with LEDs will save you from burning your fingers and save you money on your monthly energy bill.
Source: KOCPC Chinese