Watch Out for These Home Health Hazards
So, you’re buying a home—or thinking of buying one. Finding a new home is an exciting and stressful time. And it’s easy to get so swept up in finding the right place that you might not consider how it impacts your health. On top of that, health hazards can also cost you thousands of dollars to get fixed.
Home hazards can be nearly invisible, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for. That’s why, before you buy a house, you should have a professional, independent home inspector take a look before you buy. Even if you’re not looking to move, it doesn’t hurt to check again for any health hazards where you’re already living.
What home inspections cover
The goal of a home inspection is to inform you of any safety issues that may be present. Inspections usually look at these aspects of the house:
- Structure
- Plumbing
- Drainage
- Heating
- Cooling
- Electricity
While some issues like electrical wiring might seem obvious, other issues would otherwise be hard to notice. For example, blocked heating, cooling or ventilation can seriously put you at risk for exposure to carbon monoxide, a dangerous, odorless gas. Just a few minutes of breathing high levels of carbon monoxide can make you very sick.
Additional inspections
Homes built after 1978 are required to be tested for lead-based paint, but it’s not required as part of a home inspection. Lead has been shown to impact development in children and can affect adults, as well.
Also, consider testing for mold if you have asthma or severe allergies. Mold can cause flare-ups for these conditions, plus contribute to other health risks.
And then, there’s radon. Radon is another odorless, colorless gas that can cause cancer. Most states require testing for radon, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends you test for it anyway. If the home has already been tested, be sure to verify the results.
Source:
https://www.webmd.com/women/features/home-safety-tests
