Every day, we are exposed to thousands of chemicals and toxic elements — in our homes. We’re not sure of the long-term health impacts of all of them, but some are very clear:
Lead
In many municipalities, lead is still found in drinking water. This is usually found in houses built before 1950 when lead was used in plumbing supply lines, or in the solder used to connect copper pipes.
There is no safe exposure for lead, which can cause serious damage, especially to developing children. Lead is more easily absorbed into growing bodies, therefore, infants, children and pregnant women are more vulnerable to lead exposure.
If you suspect you have lead water lines, you need to have your water tested. Call your municipality. The pipes will need to be replaced — you’ll be responsible for the part that is on your property, between the property line and your meter. The city has to cover the property line to the street service lines.
Until you are able to get your lead pipes replaced, flush the standing water out before you drink it. Run the water for at least five minutes — that will remove the stale water that’s been sitting in the pipes. But remember, it’s not a permanent fix.
Lead is also found in oil-based paint. If your house has paint from around the 1960s or before, there’s a good chance there is lead in it.
Lead can enter the air in a house when surfaces covered with lead-based paint are scraped, sanded or heated with an open flame during paint-stripping procedures. Once it’s in the air, it can be easily inhaled. Lead particles freed in fine dust or vapour can also settle into carpet fibres and fabrics, then can be re-circulated by normal household cleaning such as sweeping and dusting.
You can buy test kits for lead paint at most building supply stores.
If you suspect you have lead-based paint it’s best to leave it undisturbed if it’s in good condition, and there’s little possibility that it will be eaten by children. Otherwise, you should replace the painted surface. It’s better to tear out wood trim than risk releasing that lead into the indoor air.
Asbestos
At one time, asbestos was thought to be a near-perfect building material. It’s common — a fibrous material found in rocks and soil all over the world — strong, durable, a good insulator, and it’s fire-resistant. Also, it’s versatile. Combined with other materials, asbestos was used in floors, walls, ceiling tiles, exterior cladding and fire-retardant materials for heating and electrical systems.
In the middle part of the last century, asbestos was widely used. More recently it has been linked with cancer.
Once inhaled, asbestos fibres lodge in the lungs. Because the material is durable, it persists in the tissue and concentrates with repeated exposure.
The fibres can cling to clothing, tools and exposed flesh.
Asbestos can be found in older homes in many places: around pipes and furnaces as insulating jackets, some vinyl flooring material, ceiling tiles, exterior roofing, shingles, siding, some wallboards and even drywall compound. It might be mixed in with other materials and trowelled or sprayed around pipes, ducts and beams. It also can be found in patching compounds or gaskets in stoves, furnaces and ovens.
When remodelling an older home, activities such as hammering, drilling, sawing, sanding, vacuuming, scraping or scrubbing can dislodge small asbestos fibres. Extreme care should be exercised in handling, cleaning or working with material suspected of containing asbestos.
If you suspect you have asbestos in your home, call a qualified professional. You need to have it tested, and professionally removed. That is not just common sense, it’s the law.
Formaldehyde
More recently, formaldehyde has come under question. This is a colourless gas that is emitted by many construction materials and consumer products. It’s common in a lot of bindings — glues and resins — and it’s also found in preservatives. Formaldehyde was also an ingredient in a foam insulation that was very popular for home insulation in the 1960s.
When people started to retrofit their houses to make them more energy-efficient, many used something called urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI). Because it was a spray foam, it was easy to insulate an existing building and UFFI became popular. There were even government grants available to help pay for UFFI insulation. Formaldehyde has been found in another spray insulation product: RetroFoam.
Above-normal levels of formaldehyde in the home atmosphere can trigger asthma attacks in people who have this condition. Other health hazards linked to formaldehyde include skin rashes, watery eyes, and a burning sensation in the eyes, throat and nasal passages.
Materials containing formaldehyde were widely used in the construction of prefabricated and manufactured homes. It was especially prevalent in the manufacture of furniture and cabinets.
Regulators are aware of the dangers of formaldehyde and some places have strict regulations governing how much formaldehyde can be “off-gassed” by building materials.
Unlike lead and asbestos, formaldehyde sources reduce with age. The highest levels of formaldehyde happen during the first two years the construction material has been exposed to the air. This means the danger is greatest in new homes, and with new furniture. Most builders will be able to provide you with information about formaldehyde use in specific products.
— Canwest News Service
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