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Before the 1970′s, household paint often contained lead. Although it is no longer sold, it can still post a serious danger. As lead paint ages, it can chip or crumble into dust. If you live in or own an older home, you need to know how to protect your family. Lead-based paint is a major source of lead poisoning for children and can also affect adults. In children, lead poisoning can cause irreversible brain damage and can impair mental functioning. It can retard mental and physical development and reduce attention span.  In adults, it can cause irritability, poor muscle coordination, and nerve damage to the sense organs and nerves controlling the body. Lead poisoning may also cause problems with reproduction and may increase blood pressure. Young children, fetuses, infants, and adults with high blood pressure are the most vulnerable to the effects of lead

If your home was built before 1978, there is a very good chance that there is lead paint.  If you are buying a home or even leasing a home, federal law requires a lead-based paint disclosure be supplied.  It is possible that the current owner has no idea or if the home is for sale by bank they have no prior knowledge of the contents of the home.  Because of the wide spread usage of lead paints before 1978, it is a good possibility that you will find evidence of lead paint.  Home kits are available and while they will tell you if there is lead they are not a good predictor of hazard.  A paint inspection can be requested with or without a risk assessment.  The EPA recommends hiring a trained and certified testing professional who will us a XRF machine, lab tests of paint, dust and soil samples.

While paint isn’t the only source of possible lead contamination; it is the most common.  If you think your family may have been exposed, it is important to get tested. Children who may have been exposed to lead-based paint should have a blood test to see if they have elevated blood levels.

You might have heard a few stories on the news or possibly have known someone who found Radon gas in their home. Most people are unclear as to exactly what Radon is and unfortunately are unaware of just how dangerous it is. Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that can pose a serious health risk if it becomes trapped under your house. Radon typically enters the home via underground crawl spaces, sump pumps, gaps in the basement and even the water supply. It can pollute your indoor air with its toxic vapors, and is held responsible for more than 20,000 lung-disease-related deaths every year. Radon is assumed to be present in millions of American homes and most homeowners have no idea.

In order to know if you have this dangerous gas in your home you will need to have your property tested by a professional. Many contractors are licensed or certified by state and/or local agencies. They will conduct diagnostic testing to determine if radon gas is at acceptable levels. If levels are dangerous, the contractor can install a radon reduction system. Ask the contractor for references documenting the results of past work in other homes. Make sure the company checks the house after the system is installed, to verify that it is reducing the radon levels.

Radon is a very serious and deadly gas. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and the Surgeon General’s Office have estimated that as many as 20,000 lung cancer deaths are caused each year by radon. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon-induced lung cancer costs the United States over $2 billion dollars per year in both direct and indirect health care costs.

If your home has high concentrations of radon there are ways to reduce it to acceptable levels. Most radon problems can be fixed by a do-it-yourselfer for less than $500. If you want or require the assistance of a professional you may wish to look at the list of certified radon mitigators for your state.