Healthy Homes
Why Should you be Concerned?
People spend 90% of their time indoors. Some serious health problems may start at home. Did you know that your home might have hidden dangers to your health? Ask yourself the following questions:
Is the air in your home clean and healthy?
Do you or your children have breathing problems, like asthma and/or allergies?
Is there mold in your home?
Do you know the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning?
Are there lead contaminants in your home?
Are the household products you are using making you sick?
The Healthy Home sections listed below will give you answers to questions like these and help you determine if your home is safe and healthy. Also listed are numerous links that may be helpful.
Indoor Air Quality
You will spend about half your life inside your home. Is the air in your home safe for your family to breathe? It is not always easy to tell. We see smoke and notice bad smells, but carbon monoxide, radon, mold spores, and other dangers can hide from our senses. Take these steps to help ensure better air quality in your home:
Test Your Home for Radon. Radon is a cancer-causing gas found in many basements. Radon test kits are cheap. Pick one up at your local hardware store, or call your local health department for more information.
Don’t Smoke in Your Home. Don’t smoke in your home or car. Never smoke near children.
Open Your Windows. Let the fresh air in whenever someone uses chemicals in the home or garage.
Be Careful with New Carpeting. Ask the carpeting salesperson to unroll a new carpet and let it air out before bringing it into your home. Put in new carpet when you can open your windows. Vacuum your old carpet before removing it to control dust.
Be Careful with New Furniture. Air out new furniture and building materials for a few days before bringing them inside. Look for products made with non-toxic chemicals and materials. Sometimes green building products cost more. Decide whether the cost is worth protecting the health of your family.
Indoor air quality web links and contact information:
National Radon Information Hotline (800) SOS-RADON or (800) 767-7236
National Lead Information Center (800) 424-LEAD or (800) 424-5323
American Lung Association (800) LUNG-USA or (800) 586-4872
Asthma & Allergies
Millions of children in the U.S. have asthma which makes it difficult to breathe. It is the number one reason children miss school and go to the hospital. Asthma has no cure, but it can be controlled.
Even more people have simple allergies. Allergies are an unusual reaction to something, like food or a plant that is normally harmless. Persons with allergies suffer from a stuffy or runny nose, itching, and/or a rash.
Follow these steps to clear the air of allergens and asthma triggers:
Take it Outside. One of the most common asthma triggers in the home is secondhand smoke. Until you can quit, smoke outside, not in your home or car.
Good Night, Little Mite! Dust mites are also triggers for asthma. For mite population control, cover mattresses and pillows with dust-proof (allergen impermeable) zipper covers. Wash sheets and blankets once a week in hot water.
Play it Safe. Ozone and particle pollution can cause asthma attacks. Watch for the Air Quality Index (AQI) during your local weather report. When AQI reports unhealthy levels, limit outdoor activities.
A Little Goes a Long Way. Reduce everyday dust build-up by regularly dusting with a damp cloth and vacuuming carpet and fabric-covered furniture.
Stake your Claim. Household pets can trigger asthma with their skin flakes, urine, and saliva. Keep pets outdoors, if possible.
Uninvite Unwelcome Guests. Cockroaches can trigger asthma. Do not invite them into your home by leaving food or garbage out. Always clean up messes and spills and store food in airtight containers.
Think Before you Spray. Instead of pesticide sprays, control pests by using baits or traps. If sprays are necessary, always circulate fresh air into the room being treated and keep asthma sufferers out of that room for several hours after spraying.
Break the Mold. Mold is another asthma trigger. The key to controlling mold is controlling moisture. Wash and dry hard surfaces to remove and prevent mold. Replace moldy ceiling tiles and carpet.
Air it Out. Reducing the moisture will control asthma triggers like mold, cockroaches, and dust mites. Use exhaust fans or open windows when cooking and showering. Fix leaky plumbing of their unwanted sources of water.
Plan Before the Attack. Work with your doctor or health care provider to develop a written asthma management plan for your child that includes information on your child’s triggers and how to manage them.
Asthma & Allergies web links and contact information:
American Lung Association (800) LUNG-USA
Soap and Detergent Association, Cleaning to Control Allergies and Asthma (202) 347-2900
Allergy & Asthma Network, Mothers of Asthmatics (800) 878-4403
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Asthma and Indoor Environments
Mold & Moisture
Mold is a living organism that produces tiny invisible spores in the air. When you breathe in the spores, you can experience health problems. Mold is almost everywhere, but you should try to avoid living where it grows.
You probably do not need to test your home for mold. Looking for evidence of water damage and visible mold growth should be a first step. There are no standards for acceptable levels of mold. If you know you have mold, spend your time and resources getting rid of it and solving the moisture problem causing it.
To rid your home of mold, keep everything dry. Mold needs moisture to grow. Quickly dry or throw away anything that has gotten wet. Fix plumbing leaks or other moisture problems. Consider purchasing a dehumidifier if one or more of the rooms in your home is damp.
Look for mold in these common areas:
In bathrooms, especially around the shower or tub, and on the walls, ceiling, or floor
In wet or damp basements and crawl spaces
Around leaky bathroom and kitchen sinks
In attics under leaking roofs
On wet clothes that are not dried quickly
On windows and walls where condensation collects
In closets
Under wallpaper or carpet
In your air conditioner
Mold and Moisture web links and contact information:
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly gas that you can’t see, taste, feel, or smell. Over 500 people in the U.S. die from CO inhalation every year. Persons with CO poisoning display symptoms similar to the flu. People who survive often suffer brain damage, heart problems, or loss of sight or hearing. CO is particularly harmful to children, unborn babies, the elderly, and asthma sufferers.
To keep CO in your home under control, keep an eye on fuel-burning appliances. Most gas appliances that have been put in and taken care of properly meet safety standards. Check for improperly installed or unvented appliances. Watch out for these common sources of CO:
Gas and oil furnaces, boilers, and water heaters
Wood-burning fireplaces and stoves
Gas and charcoal grills
Gas appliances like ovens, stoves, and dryers
Gas and kerosene space heaters
Cars, trucks, campers, tractors, and other vehicles
Gasoline and liquid propane powered small equipment, including lawn mowers, snow blowers, chainsaws, pressure washers, and electric generators
Recreational vehicles, including boat motors, all-terrain vehicles, ski boats, and generators in campers and houseboats
Tobacco smoke
House fires
Blocked chimneys and flues
Safety Checklist
Turn off appliances that start making different noises, that start producing soot, producing a yellow or orange flame, or smell unusual. Call a repairman.
Read the instructions that came with your appliances to make sure they are properly vented.
Keep wood, paper, cloth, and other flammables away from heating appliances.
Get your furnace checked every year by a qualified heating and cooling technician. Ask him or her to inspect your chimney or other venting system.
Improper insulation and weather-striping can block ventilation. Call a heating contractor to make sure it is done right.
If your smoke detector or CO detector alarm goes off, or if you smell gas, get out and call 911.
Carbon Monoxide web links and contact information:
American Lung Association (800) LUNG-USA
Lead
Lead poisoning is a very serious health threat to children. Lead ingestion causes learning and behavioral problems, and can cause permanent damage to hearing and the nervous system.
Lead poses a particular risk to children because they often explore their environment with their mouths. They sometimes eat chips or dust of lead-based paint. Paint on your walls and window sills might contain lead. Drinking water sometimes contains lead from older water pipes. Old pottery and gasoline may also contain lead. Children who crawl on the floor, put toys in their mouths, or play in soil can be poisoned.
Children with lead poisoning may not feel or look sick. A blood test is the only way to know for sure. Ask your doctor.
Most lead-based products are now illegal; however, many older homes still have lead in them. The older your home, the more likely it is to contain lead-based products.
Test your home for lead, especially if you have small children.
Lead web links and contact information:
For a packet of materials or questions about lead, call the National Lead Information Center (800) 424-LEAD
For information on lead in drinking water, call the EPA Safe Driving Water Hotline (800) 426-4791
Contact HUD about healthy homes and lead hazard control (800) HUD-FHA -HUD
Hazardous Household Products
Some common household products can be very dangerous to children:
bleach
rat poison
mothballs
charcoal
lighter fluid
oven cleaner
batteries
mercury thermometers
gas
oil
wood polish
toilet and drain cleaners
shoe polish
bug spray
and many other common household products
How are children harmed by these products?
Children can be poisoned if products are stored or thrown away unsafely. Children’s bodies are small, so even a small amount of some chemicals can cause big problems. Eating or drinking the products is dangerous. Sometimes, they can burn skin and eyes just by touching them. They can make you sick when they get into your body through your skin or when breathing in dust or fumes.
How do I know if my child was exposed to a hazardous chemical?
Sometimes the symptoms of chemical exposure are obvious: the child feels sick or dizzy, their skin could burn and itch or their eyes might water. Some health problems might not occur until a much later date, such as damage to the lungs or cancer. Consult your doctor if you have any suspicion that your child may have been exposed to a dangerous chemical.
What can I do to avoid exposure?
First, follow the instructions on the product. Follow these steps, too:
Buy what you need to do the job and nothing more.
Use safe products whenever possible.
Read and follow the directions on all products.
Keep hazardous products out of the reach of children, including bleach.
Keep poison control center telephone numbers readily available.
Never mix two products unless you are sure it is safe. For example, never mix ammonia and bleach.
Do not burn containers.
Recycle household products where possible.
Give leftover products to someone else.
Keep everything in its original container.
Only buy chemicals in childproof containers.
Hazardous Household Products Web Links and Contact Information:
