For many, home is the place where they feel the safest and most at ease. However, there are many hazards within the average house or apartment that can have dangerous, and even deadly, consequences if left unchecked. Luckily, most of these threats are easy to identify and even easier to avoid with just a little bit of knowhow.

Here are 12 common household hazards and how to eliminate them:

Calgarians have had more than their share of weather challenges this summer, including several nasty bouts of hail. Thankfully, a little preparation can help your home's roof emerge unscathed the next time golf-ball-sized ice chunks starts falling from the sky.

A devastating hailstorm ripped through parts of Calgary on Saturday, shredding siding, breaking windows, pummeling vehicles and flooding streets.

Thanks to Mother Nature's rotating extremes of freezing snow and thawing chinooks in the Calgary region, our rooftops require special attention. Like a solid foundation, the roof is essential to a home's structural integrity. Poor maintenance can result in major damage, inside and out.

Many homeowners look after their property with great care, staying up to date on maintenance and completing any repairs needed to keep their home in tip-top shape.

However, not everyone is so thorough, so when buying a home, it pays to keep your eyes open for any maintenance red flags that could indicate potentially expensive problems.