Jack Stapleton's Daily Blog

Health Hazards in residential housing

Today, environmental assessments are needed for residential and commercial loans. Appraisers are expected to report obvious contamination on or near the appraised property. Common environment hazards and problems include:

• Radon
• Asbestos
• Lead
• Mold
• Formaldehyde Gas

Radon

Radon is a radioactive gas that cannot be seen, smelled or tasted. Radon gas is a natural substance that can be found in the dirt and rocks beneath houses, in well water and in some building materials. It can enter homes through soil, crawlspaces, foundation cracks, floors and walls. Once inside, it can sometimes become trapped in your home. All homes have some radon gas. Breathing high levels of radon can put you at risk for lung cancer. To see if your house has dangerous levels of radon, you should test it.

Radon is measured in picoCuries per liter of air (pCi/L). Radon levels inside houses below 4 pCi/L are considered acceptable. If your home has radon levels above 4 pCi/L, you should take action.

Test your home:

• Use a 2-day test kit or 90-day test kit (90-day test kits take longer but the results are more accurate).
• Follow test kit instructions closely.
• You may also hire a professional to test for radon for you (Contact your state’s radon office for a list of qualified testers).
Fix your home if you have unacceptable levels of radon: Hire a professional contractor.
• Contact your state’s radon office for guidance and assistance if you are thinking about fixing your radon problem yourself.
• Re-test your home after repairs to make sure the problem was fixed.
Follow these additional tips:
• Do not smoke in your house. Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer from radon.
• Keep your home ventilated by opening windows and using fans and vents to circulate air. (This will only temporarily reduce radon levels.)
• Seal cracks in floors and wall with plaster, caulk or other crack sealants.
• You can cover the earth floor in crawl spaces with a high-density plastic sheet. A vent pipe and fan can be used to blow the radon from under the sheet and vent it to the outdoors

Whom can you call?

Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse (to find a state radon contact) 1-800-438-4318

National Radon Hotline (to order a radon test kit) 1-800-767-7236
National Safety Council/EPA Radon Hotline (for questions about radon) 1-800-557-2366
Radon Fix-It Hotline 1-800-644-6999
Spanish Language Radon Hotline 1-800-725-8312

Asbestos

What Is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a mineral fiber. It can be positively identified only with a special type of microscope. There are several types of asbestos fibers. In the past, asbestos was added to a variety of products to strengthen them and to provide heat insulation and fire resistance.

How Can Asbestos Affect My Health?

From studies of people who were exposed to asbestos in factories and shipyards, we know that breathing high levels of asbestos fibers can lead to an increased risk of:

• lung cancer;
• mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the chest and the abdominal cavity;
• asbestosis, in which the lungs become scarred with fibrous tissue.

The risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma increases with the number of fibers inhaled. The risk of lung cancer from inhaling asbestos fibers is also greater if you smoke. People who get asbestosis have usually been exposed to high levels of asbestos for a long time. The symptoms of these diseases do not usually appear until about 20 to 30 years after the first exposure to asbestos.

Most people exposed to small amounts of asbestos, as we all are in our daily lives, do not develop these health problems. However, if disturbed, asbestos material may release asbestos fibers, which can be inhaled into the lungs. The fibers can remain there for a long time, increasing the risk of disease. Asbestos material that would crumble easily if handled, or that has been sawed, scraped, or sanded into a powder, is more likely to create a health hazard.

Where Can I Find Asbestos And When Can It Be A Problem?

Most products made today do not contain asbestos. Those few products made which still contain asbestos that could be inhaled are required to be labeled as such. However, until the 1970s, many types of building products and insulation materials used in homes contained asbestos. Common products that might have contained asbestos in the past, and conditions which may release fibers, include:

• STEAM PIPES, BOILERS, and FURNACE DUCTS insulated with an asbestos blanket or asbestos paper tape. These materials may release asbestos fibers if damaged, repaired, or removed improperly.
• RESILIENT FLOOR TILES (vinyl asbestos, asphalt, and rubber), the backing on VINYL SHEET FLOORING, and ADHESIVES used for installing floor tile. Sanding tiles can release fibers. So may scraping or sanding the backing of sheet flooring during removal.
• CEMENT SHEET, MILLBOARD, and PAPER used as insulation around furnaces and woodburning stoves. Repairing or removing appliances may release asbestos fibers. So may cutting, tearing, sanding, drilling, or sawing insulation.
• DOOR GASKETS in furnaces, wood stoves, and coal stoves. Worn seals can release asbestos fibers during use.
• SOUNDPROOFING OR DECORATIVE MATERIAL sprayed on walls and ceilings. Loose, crumbly, or water-damaged material may release fibers. So will sanding, drilling, or scraping the material.
• PATCHING AND JOINT COMPOUNDS for walls and ceilings, and TEXTURED PAINTS. Sanding, scraping, or drilling these surfaces may release asbestos.
• ASBESTOS CEMENT ROOFING, SHINGLES, and SIDING. These products are not likely to release asbestos fibers unless sawed, drilled, or cut.
• ARTIFICIAL ASHES AND EMBERS sold for use in gas-fired fireplaces. Also, other older household products such as FIREPROOF GLOVES, STOVE-TOP PADS, IRONING BOARD COVERS, and certain HAIRDRYERS.
• AUTOMOBILE BRAKE PADS AND LININGS, CLUTCH FACINGS, and GASKETS.
Examples of Where Asbestos Hazards May Be Found In The Home
• Some roofing and siding shingles are made of asbestos cement.
• Houses built between 1930 and 1950 may have asbestos as insulation.
• Asbestos may be present in textured paint and in patching compounds used on wall and ceiling joints. Their use was banned in 1977.
• Artificial ashes and embers sold for use in gas-fired fireplaces may contain asbestos.
• Older products such as stove-top pads may have some asbestos compounds.
• Walls and floors around woodburning stoves may be protected with asbestos paper, millboard, or cement sheets.
• Asbestos is found in some vinyl floor tiles and the backing on vinyl sheet flooring and adhesives.
• Hot water and steam pipes in older houses may be coated with an asbestos material or covered with an asbestos blanket or tape.
• Oil and coal furnaces and door gaskets may have asbestos insulation.

What Should Be Done About Asbestos In The Home?

If you think asbestos may be in your home, don’t panic! Usually the best thing is to leave asbestos material that is in good condition alone.

Generally, material in good condition will not release asbestos fibers.

Check material regularly if you suspect it may contain asbestos. Don’t touch it, but look for signs of wear or damage such as tears, abrasions, or water damage. Damaged material may release asbestos fibers. This is particularly true if you often disturb it by hitting, rubbing, or handling it, or if it is exposed to extreme vibration or air flow.

Sometimes the best way to deal with slightly damaged material is to limit access to the area and not touch or disturb it. Discard damaged or worn asbestos gloves, stove-top pads, or ironing board covers. Check with local health, environmental, or other appropriate officials to find out proper handling and disposal procedures.

If asbestos material is more than slightly damaged, or if you are going to make changes in your home that might disturb it, repair or removal by a professional is needed. Before you have your house remodeled, find out whether asbestos materials are present.

How to Identify Materials That Contain Asbestos

You can’t tell whether a material contains asbestos simply by looking at it, unless it is labeled. If in doubt, treat the material as if it contains asbestos or have it sampled and analyzed by a qualified professional. A professional should take samples for analysis, since a professional knows what to look for, and because there may be an increased health risk if fibers are released. In fact, if done incorrectly, sampling can be more hazardous than leaving the material alone. Taking samples yourself is not recommended. Material that is in good condition and will not be disturbed (by remodeling, for example) should be left alone. Only material that is damaged or will be disturbed should be sampled.

For more information on asbestos in other consumer products, call the CPSC Hotline or write to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207. The CPSC Hotline has information on certain appliances and products, such as the brands and models of hair dryers that contain asbestos. Call CPSC at 1-800-638-CPSC. A teletypewriter (TTY) for the hearing impaired is available at 1-800-638-8270. The Maryland TTY number is 1-800-492-8104.

Lead

Facts about lead

FACT: Lead exposure can harm young children and babies even before they are born.
FACT: Even children who seem healthy can have high levels of lead in their bodies.
FACT: You can get lead in your body by breathing or swallowing lead dust, or by eating soil or paint chips containing lead.
FACT: You have many options for reducing lead hazards. In most cases, lead-based paint that is in good condition is not a hazard.
FACT: Removing lead-based paint improperly can increase the danger to your family.
If you think your home might have lead hazards, read on to learn about lead and some simple steps to protect your family.

Health effects of lead

Childhood lead poisoning remains a major environmental health problem in the United States.

• People can get lead in their body if they:
o Put their hands or other objects covered with lead dust in their mouths.
o Eat paint chips or soil that contains lead.
o Breathe in lead dust, especially during renovations that disturb painted surfaces.
• Lead is more dangerous to children because:
o Babies and young children often put their hands and other objects in their mouths. These objects can have lead dust on them.
o Children’s growing bodies absorb more lead.
o Children’s brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead.
• If not detected early, children with high levels of lead in their bodies can suffer from:
o Damage to the brain and nervous system
o Behavior and learning problems, such as hyperactivity
o Slowed growth
o Hearing problems
o Headaches
• Lead is also harmful to adults. Adults can suffer from:
o Reproductive problems (in both men and women)
o High blood pressure and hypertension
o Nerve disorders
o Memory and concentration problems
o Muscle and joint pain

Read more on the health effects of lead.

Where lead is found

In general, the older your home, the more likely it has lead-based paint.
• Paint. Many homes built before 1978 have lead-based paint. The federal government banned lead-based paint from housing in 1978. Some states stopped its use even earlier. Lead can be found:
o In homes in the city, country, or suburbs.
o In apartments, single-family homes, and both private and public housing.
o Inside and outside of the house.
• In soil around a home. Soil can pick up lead from exterior paint, or other sources such as past use of leaded gas in cars, and children playing in yards can ingest or inhale lead dust.
• Household dust. Dust can pick up lead from deteriorating lead-based paint or from soil tracked into a home.
• Drinking water. Your home might have plumbing with lead or lead solder. Call your local health department or water supplier to find out about testing your water. You cannot see, smell or taste lead, and boiling your water will not get rid of lead. If you think your plumbing might have lead in it:
o Use only cold water for drinking and cooking.
o Run water for 15 to 30 seconds before drinking it, especially if you have not used your water for a few hours.
• The job. If you work with lead, you could bring it home on your hands or clothes. Shower and change clothes before coming home. Launder your work clothes separately from the rest of your family’s clothes.
• Old painted toys and furniture.
• Food and liquids stored in lead crystal or lead-glazed pottery or porcelain. Food can become contaminated because lead can leach in from these containers.
• Lead smelters or other industries that release lead into the air.
• Hobbies that use lead, such as making pottery or stained glass, or refinishing furniture.
• Folk remedies that contain lead, such as “greta” and “azarcon” used to treat an upset stomach.
Where lead is likely to be a hazard
Lead from paint chips, which you can see, and lead dust, which you can’t always see, can be serious hazards.
• Peeling, chipping, chalking, or cracking lead-based paint is a hazard and needs immediate attention.
• Lead-based paint may also be a hazard when found on surfaces that children can chew or that get a lot of wear-and-tear. These areas include:
o Windows and window sills.
o Doors and door frames.
o Stairs, railings, and banisters.
o Porches and fences.
Note: Lead-based paint that is in good condition is usually not a hazard.
• Lead dust can form when lead-based paint is dry scraped, dry sanded, or heated. Dust also forms when painted surfaces bump or rub together. Lead chips and dust can get on surfaces and objects that people touch. Settled lead dust can re-enter the air when people vacuum, sweep or walk through it.
• Lead in soil can be a hazard when children play in bare soil or when people bring soil into the house on their shoes. Contact the National Lead Information Center (NLIC) to find out about testing soil for lead.

How to check your family and home for lead

Just knowing that a home has lead-based paint may not tell you if there is a hazard.

To reduce your child’s exposure to lead, get your child checked, have your home tested (especially if your home has paint in poor condition and was built before 1978), and fix any hazards you may have.

• Your family
o Children’s blood lead levels tend to increase rapidly from 6 to 12 months of age, and tend to peak at 18 to 24 months of age.
o Consult your doctor for advice on testing your children. A simple blood test can detect high levels of lead. Blood tests are important for:
 Children at ages one and two.
 Children and other family members who have been exposed to high levels of lead.
 Children who should be tested under your state or local health screening plan.
o Your doctor can explain what the test results mean and if more testing will be needed.
• Your home
o You can get your home checked in one of two ways, or both
 A paint inspection tells you the lead content of every different type of painted surface in your home. It won’t tell you whether the paint is a hazard or how you should deal with it.
 A risk assessment tells you if there are any sources of serious lead exposure (such as peeling paint and lead dust). It also tells you what actions to take to address these hazards.
o Have qualified professionals do the work. There are standards in place for certifying lead-based paint professionals to ensure the work is done safely, reliably, and effectively. Contact the National Lead Information Center (NLIC) for a list of contacts in your area.
o Trained professionals use a range of methods when checking your home, including:
 Visual inspection of paint condition and location.
 A portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF) machine.
 Lab tests of paint samples.
 Surface dust tests.

Note: Home test kits for lead are available, but studies suggest that they are not always accurate. Consumers should not rely on these tests before doing renovations or to assure safety.

What you can do to protect your family

• If you suspect that your house has lead hazards, you can take some immediate steps to reduce your family’s risk:
o If you rent, notify your landlord of peeling or chipping paint.
o Clean up paint chips immediately.
o Clean floors, window frames, window sills, and other surfaces weekly. Use a mop, sponge, or paper towel with warm water and a general all-purpose cleaner or a cleaner made specifically for lead. REMEMBER: NEVER MIX AMMONIA AND BLEACH PRODUCTS TOGETHER SINCE THEY CAN FORM A DANGEROUS GAS.
o Thoroughly rinse sponges and mop heads after cleaning dirty or dusty areas.
o Wash children’s hands often, especially before they eat and before nap time and bed time.
o Keep play areas clean. Wash bottles, pacifiers, toys, and stuffed animals regularly.
o Keep children from chewing window sills or other painted surfaces.
o Clean or remove shoes before entering your home to avoid tracking in lead from soil.
o Make sure children eat healthy and nutritious meals as recommended by the National Dietary Guidelines.

Children with good diets absorb less lead.

• Additional steps:
o You can temporarily reduce lead hazards by taking actions such as repairing damaged painted surfaces and planting grass to cover soil with high lead levels. These actions are not permanent solutions and will need ongoing attention.
o To permanently remove lead hazards, you must hire a certified lead “abatement” contractor. Abatement (or permanent hazard elimination) methods include removing, sealing, or enclosing lead-based paint with special materials. Just painting over the hazard with regular paint is not enough.
o Always hire a person with special training for correcting lead problems — someone who knows how to do this work safely and has the proper equipment to clean up thoroughly. Certified contractors will employ qualified workers and follow strict safety rules set by their state or the federal government.
o Contact the National Lead Information Center (NLIC) for help with locating certified contractors in your area and to see if financial assistance is available.
Are you planning to buy or rent a home built before 1978?
Many houses and apartments built before 1978 have paint that contains lead (called lead-based paint). Lead from paint, chips, and dust can pose serious health hazards if not taken care of properly.
Federal law requires that individuals receive certain information before renting or buying a pre-1978 housing:
• Residential Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Program
o LANDLORDS have to disclose known information on lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards before leases take effect. Leases must include a disclosure form about lead-based paint.
o SELLERS have to disclose known information on lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards before selling a house. Sales contracts must include a disclosure form about lead-based paint. Buyers have up to ten days to check for lead hazards.
o More information on the disclosure program

Mold

Why is mold growing in my home?

Molds are part of the natural environment. Outdoors, molds play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees, but indoors, mold growth should be avoided. Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air. Mold may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet. There are many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture.

Can mold cause health problems?

Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins). Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis). Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people. Symptoms other than the allergic and irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold. Research on mold and health effects is ongoing. This brochure provides a brief overview; it does not describe all potential health effects related to mold exposure. For more detailed information consult a health professional. You may also wish to consult your state or local health department.

How do I get rid of mold?

Molds gradually destroy the things they grow on. You can prevent damage to your home and furnishings, save money, and avoid potential health problems by controlling moisture and eliminating mold growth
It is impossible to get rid of all mold and mold spores indoors; some mold spores will be found floating through the air and in house dust. The mold spores will not grow if moisture is not present. Indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling moisture indoors. If there is mold growth in your home, you must clean up the mold and fix the water problem. If you clean up the mold, but don’t fix the water problem, then, most likely, the mold problem will come back.

Urea-Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a chemical gas used extensively in the manufacture of many products including building materials and chemical preservatives. Formaldehyde gas has no color but in high quantities, its smell is pungent and can be toxic or irritating. In construction, harmful levels of formaldehyde gas are most likely to be found in a foam product called urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI).

UFI was used as an effective insulation product in many homes until the 1980’s when the presence of high levels of formaldehyde gas was determined to be a health hazard.

Common Sources

Formaldehyde is a common chemical and a by-product of combustion. It can be found in its natural state both in the human body and in the air. Often it is found in a water solution as a preservative or disinfectant; it is also present in tobacco smoke, vehicle exhaust, and fireplace, furnace, and wood stove fumes.
Most formaldehyde in a home is likely to come from urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI). Developed during the 1950’s as an efficient insulator, UFFI is usually mixed on-site during a home’s construction and injected into the wall where it can “cure” and become an insulating agent. In the past, sometimes a small excess of formaldehyde was added to ensure complete curing of the UFFI substance, but this is generally regarded as unsafe. After a short period during which small levels of formaldehyde will escape from the walls, the UFFI is usually quite safe unless it is not well sealed or it becomes wet and/or exposed, in which case it may begin to release harmful levels of formaldehyde gas into a home’s air supply. Because of potential harmful release of formaldehyde, UFFI is not in common use today and is banned in many places.

Other sources of formaldehyde in a home can include:

• New carpets, which may trap formaldehyde emitted from other sources and release it when temperature and humidity change
• New plywood, particleboard, waferboard, etc, where formaldehyde is used as an adhesive
• Gas stoves and kerosene heaters

Formaldehyde in the atmosphere of a home, even in levels that are negligible or not harmful, can still devalue a home slightly if proper measures are not taken to control the release of this substance into the air. Also, formaldehyde release from any substance already containing it (such as UFFI) is directly related to its temperature. This means that release of the gas will increase as the substance’s temperature increases, and release will decrease as the substance’s temperature decreases.

Health Effects

Under most normal conditions, even with some formaldehyde release into a home, no adverse affects will be noted from elevated formaldehyde levels. However, sensitivity to formaldehyde varies from person to person, and there are several symptoms that can be attributed to formaldehyde exposure, including:

• Eye irritation
• Nose and throat irritation
• Skin irritation
• Cough
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Difficulty breathing
• Asthma attacks in persons already suffering from the condition
• Fatigue

Prolonged exposure to exceptionally high formaldehyde levels has also been known to cause cancer in lab animals, and may have a similar effect on humans. However, typical elevated levels are usually much lower than the levels known to cause cancer in animal subjects.

Testing

If you suspect that there may be excess levels of formaldehyde in your home, then you should have it tested to determine if there is a significant health threat. Home test kits are available but they are not accurate and can yield misleading results.

For an accurate measurement of formaldehyde levels in your home, you should hire a trained professional to do the testing. Professionals will usually:

• Test for the presence of formaldehyde vapors
• Determine the source of such vapors, if any are present
• Determine the best procedure for removing of the source if levels are dangerous

Trained professionals can correctly interpret the test results and accurately determine the source of excess formaldehyde in your home. For instance, the formaldehyde may not come from urea-formaldehyde foam insulation in your home, but instead from sources such as fresh paint, new furniture, or other new pressed-wood products. In addition, since formaldehyde levels can decline over time, the professionals may determine that no serious action is necessary for remediation of formaldehyde exposure.

Control/Remediation

If formaldehyde in your home is an irritation or problem, there are some steps you can take to reduce your exposure to it and to help prevent more formaldehyde from escaping into the air.

• Reducing exposure to formaldehyde:
 Avoid the use of products that are known to release formaldehyde or that have been tested and determined as a possible source
 Use pressed wood products that are labeled “exterior-grade” (they emit lower levels of formaldehyde)
 Increase ventilation in your home
 Remove the source of the formaldehyde from your home.
• Controlling formaldehyde release and levels:
 Maintain moderate temperature
 Reduce humidity levels through the use of proper ventilation and/or a dehumidifier
 Seal the surfaces of products containing formaldehyde with an approved laminating or coating product.

In the case of formaldehyde fumes emanating from UFFI, the most common procedure is to seal off the outlet of the vapors. This can be done by sealing the cracks and applying several coats of vapor barrier paint (effective for sealing at least half of the vapors and usually lasts for two years), and then putting up mylar or vinyl wallpaper. Aluminum foil is also an effective barrier against formaldehyde vapors. UFFI can be removed completely from walls and replaced with a different form of insulation, but the procedure can be costly and is often unfeasible. If high formaldehyde levels are caused by urea-foam formaldehyde insulation, you should consult a professional about the best methods of sealing and controlling any leakage or release of
formaldehyde in your home.

NOTE: Although treatment of a surface with strong ammonia can temporarily reduce formaldehyde levels, ammonia can be toxic and is very dangerous. This procedure is strongly discouraged, since ammonia presents its own serious hazards.

Exposure Guidelines

Normal formaldehyde levels in both outdoor and indoor air are generally under 0.3 ppm (parts per million). Since formaldehyde is naturally present in the air, these levels can be affected by anything from proximity to a large city to the presence of formaldehyde-containing products. Formaldehyde levels are generally considered to be “elevated” when they exceed 0.3 ppm, but for persons who are extremely sensitive to the gas, levels over 0.1 ppm may be enough to cause irritation.

For more information about formaldehyde in the home, formaldehyde testing, and formaldehyde health concerns contact the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). EPA online at: http://www.epa.gov; HUD online at: http://www.hud.gov