Home
owners beware: Several dangers may lurk in a home. If you’re not
careful, they could make you sick. Pillar to Post, a home inspection
company, reviews how to spot these dangers in the home and encourages
you to contact a home inspector if your home may be at risk for any
of these potential dangers.
1.
Radon:
a colorless, odorless gas that can seep into the home from the
ground. Radon has been called the second most common cause of lung
cancer.
What
to look for:
Basements or anything with protrusion into the ground offer entry
points for radon. The Environmental
Protection Agency
publishes a map of high prevalence areas for radon. A radon test can
determine if high levels of radon are present.
2.
Asbestos:
a fibrous material once popular in building materials because it
provides heat insulation and fire resistance. But asbestos was banned
in 1985. It may still be found in older home’s insulation
materials, floor tiles, roof coverings, and siding. If disturbed or
damaged, it can enter the air and cause severe illness.
What
to look for:
Homes built prior to 1985 are at risk of having asbestos within
construction materials. Home owners should especially be careful when
remodeling because disturbing insulation may cause the asbestos to
become airborne.
3.
Lead:
a toxic metal used in home products for many years that can
contribute to several health problems, especially among children.
Exposure can occur from deteriorating lead-based paint, pipes, or
lead-contaminated dust or soil.
What
to look for:
Homes built prior to 1978 may have lead present. Look for peeling
paint and check old pipes. To get a HUD-insured loan, buyers must
show a certificate that homes built prior to 1978 are lead-safe.
4.
Hazardous products:
stockpiles of hazardous household items — such as paint solvents,
pesticides, fertilizers, or motor oils — that can create a
dangerous situation if not properly stored or disposed. They can
cause illness or even death if small amounts are ingested.
What
to look for:
Make sure these items aren’t tucked away in corners, crawl spaces,
garages, or garden sheds. Home owners often don’t realize these
products can pose a danger and may forget they’re storing them. But
buyers don’t want it to become their problem — and expense — to
dispose of. If these products are found, make sure the buyer requires
their removal and gets a disposal certificate prior to closing, which
proves the products were disposed of properly and not just dumped in
the backyard.
5.
Groundwater contamination:
the result of hazardous chemicals that are illegally disposed of and
then seep through the soil and enter water supplies. A leaking
underground oil tank or faulty septic system can contribute to this.
What
to look for:
Look for any conditions that may be conducive to leakage. Homes near
light industrial areas or facilities may be at risk. Also a concern:
areas once used for industry that are now residential. Pillar to Post
offers a Neighborhood Environmental Report that details any dangers
or remedies of environmental incidences and sources of contamination
that have occurred at a specified address and within its vicinity.
Source:
Pillar
to Post