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And even in newer homes, there are by- products of new construction materials and techniques that qualify as actual hazards for many people as mentioned in the previous pages. To conclude this section on healthier homes, we've capsulized important information here on the specific hazards that might threaten you in your own home: Lead-Based Paint
Pregnant women and kids up to 6 years old are particularly at risk. Adverse effects
include reading and hearing disabilities, hyperactivity and sterility. The Department of Housing & Urban Development estimates that 74% (57 million) of all U.S. houses built before 1980 have some lead-based paint. Adding to that figure, HUD says most homes built before 1960 have significant amounts of lead-based paint.
Have Your House Tested It's often impossible and impractical to make a house lead-free. However, it isn't difficult to make a home lead-safe. Professional and home test kits are available, but there are some problems:
If you're not going to hire professional, you should still test the paint. One affordable way is to mail a few paint chips in a plastic food storage bag to a local laboratory. Check with the aforementioned agencies to recommend a lab and proper sampling procedures.
Sources of Lead-Based Paint Contamination
Protect Yourself During Remodeling If you're in a situation where you have to start work and can't test the paint, take these precautions:
Controversy over how hazardous asbestos was dragged throughout the 1970s. As a
result, asbestos use was gradually phased out from 1973 to the early 1980s. When
disturbed, tiny asbestos particles can stay suspended in the air for hours. These
abrasive particles are easily breathed in and damage lung tissue. Asbestos was a popular building material commonly used in heating pipe/duct insulation, flooring and mastic, siding, ceiling tiles, joint compound, plaster.
Asbestos Removal
Ceiling
panels and pipe wrap should also be removed by professionals. Too much
dust is generated that hangs in the air an incredibly long time. Even without
the help of air circulation, asbestos may hang in the air for days.
Contact
your local environmental waste management group before removing asbestos. They
can provide you with more details about safety, necessary paperwork, and dump
sites in your area. There will probably be a dump site fee. In most cases, asbestos
must be wrapped in 4 or 6-mil plastic, clearly labeled, and taken to a designated
waste site. Treat any old material you suspect as if it does contain asbestos.
Radon gas is produced by decomposing uranium and is found in rock, soil
and water. It's a natural process, but not in your basement.
Radon is known to cause lung cancer and should be tested for in your home -- especially
homes with basements and crawlspaces.
Radon gas may seep through the foundation of any home, not just old houses.
It's odorless, doesn't render immediate symptoms, and levels of the gas
can fluctuate over time. Recommended EPA tests take from 2 days to around 6 months to a year. Also, in some parts of the country, radon can be a problem in private water wells.
Contractors
to hire for installing radon prevention systems are certified with "Radon
Contractor Proficiency" (RCP) by the Environmental Protection Agency. Contact your state health Department or city hall for free information on Radon.
Carbon monoxide is an odorless exhaust gas produced by combustion sources like
gas appliances, fireplaces and automobiles and is difficult to detect.
Small carbon monoxide leaks may cause moisture build up and rust around exhaust
vent areas. Brief exposure to the gas causes symptoms such as sore throat, headaches
and drowsiness.
It poses a health risk (especially in well-sealed homes) from backdrafting,
which is a condition resulting from more air leaving the house than is being replenished.
For example, a home's dryer and exhaust fans might force air out, creating a vacuum,
but if there's no fresh air coming in then dangerous carbon monoxide gas in the
furnace exhaust could be sucked back into the house instead of pushed out through
its vent. A way to prevent backdrafting gases is to install sealed combustion gas furnace and appliances. These self-contained units have a sealed air intake and a sealed exhaust that don't mix with indoor air. A backdraft in the house can't suck the carbon monoxide and other exhaust gases from this type of system.
Formaldehyde
is a substance frequently used in the 1970s and 1980s in resins and glues
to make particleboard, fiberboard, cabinets, countertops, paneling, furniture.
Now, formaldehyde is not used very much in new building materials and it's
not a common problem. But strong outgassing is thought to be possible for
up to five years after a product is installed. Mobile
homes, made mostly of pressed board, were sources of high formaldehyde outgassing.
To a lesser degree, new and remodeled homes may develop problems. Gas levels are
usually higher in winter when the house is sealed up. Formaldehyde may cause nasal and respiratory problems and exposure to small amounts may produce flu-like symptoms.
Detectors & Tests The
best, but most expensive, way to test your home for hazards is to hire a professional
testing service. Certification varies among states, so contact your local or state
environmental agencies to recommend companies. Professional inspectors, often listed in the phone book under Environmental Services, can conduct a complete and accurate evaluation of your home. One
of the least expensive and fairly accurate testing methods is to mail samples
to a local laboratory for analysis. It's not as thorough as a professional test
because the results are limited to your sample areas which may not accurately
reflect your whole house.
Because there are varying degrees of home kits on the market, it's not a preferred
method of testing that we recommend. However, the Environmental Protection Agency
does approve certain types of home test kits. Radon
testers look like thick hockey pucks with holes. A combination of short and long-term
tests are recommended to give you accurate results. Short-term testers are usually
placed in the basement 2-7 days. Long-term testers take 6 months to a year. Then
the "puck" is mailed to a lab for analysis.
We discourage you using a home lead- based paint test kit. There are a
couple different types -- some approved, others unapproved. Recently the Environmental
Protection Agency deemed certain kits as highly unreliable. If
you can't afford to hire a professional to come to your home, mail a few
sample chips to a laboratory. Often, samples are taken from different suspect
areas, labeled, and sealed in a food storage bag. Testing labs are pretty common
in larger cities, so check with them or a government agency to get sampling directions.
Asbestos can also be tested and sent to a testing lab. Contact your local, county or state hazardous materials agencies to recommend testing sources and procedures.
Formaldehyde home kits are available, but not reliable enough for us to recommend. If you and your nose suspect formaldehyde outgassing, it's best to have a professional test your home. They can accurately sample the air in numerous areas of the house and can often pinpoint the problem source. Typical fees range from $200 to $300. | |||
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Any home built, or more specifically, painted, before 1978 may
have lead-based paint. Lead-based paint becomes hazardous when it chips
off or turns to dust. It can cause permanent side-effects when inhaled
or swallowed which can go so far as to impair intelligence. It's a big risk to
everyone, especially young children. 
Asbestos is the hazard that most of us have heard about. The man-made
material is an excellent insulator and is fire resistant. However, it can cause
sever health problems for some people, even cancer, when inhaled. 
The best solution for dealing with asbestos is to leave it undisturbed.
However, if dust is being created, it needs to be dealt with. Widespread
deterioration should be handled by professionals. 
Flooring tiles or mastic adhesive may contain asbestos. Any 9"x
9" floor tile made before 1973 contains asbestos and if you're dealing with
flooring installed before 1970, it probably contains asbestos. 
Carbon
monoxide testers can be hardwired or self-contained like smoke detectors.
Similarly, some carbon monoxide detectors can sound an alarm when the gas is present.
Some ventilation systems have a control sensor that detects carbon monoxide and
triggers an air exchange. Another patch-like detector turns a different color
when gas is present. Carbon monoxide detectors should be installed in the home
near combustion appliances like the furnace, fireplace, and near the attached
garage door. 