Steps to Healthier Houses

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Steps to Healthier Houses

• Start with People
• Keep It
• Dry
• Clean
• Pest-free
• Ventilated
• Safe
• Avoid Contaminants
• Maintain the House

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Sources of Contaminants

• Bring It In
• Construction
• Everyday
• Soil
• Building Structure
• Off-Gassing
• Decay
• Building System
• Furnace
• Mold
• Living Things
• Plants
• Pets
• Dust Mites

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Contaminant Priorities

• Lead and Lead-Based Paint
• Environmental Tobacco Smoke
• Radon
• Biologicals (see Keep It Dry)
• Combustion By-Products (see Keep It Ventilated)
• Pesticides (see Keep It Pest-Free)
• Asbestos
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
• Sewer Gas

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Lead and Lead-Based Paint

• Peeling, Chipping Paint / Deteriorated Paint
• Dust
• Soil
• Drinking water
• Consumer Products such Pottery, Cribs, Jewelry,
  Candle Wicks
• Cultural Items
• Contaminated Sites

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Why Avoid Lead?Related Health Effects

• Reduced IQ
• Learning disabilities
• Impaired hearing
• Reduced attention spans, behavior problems
• Anemia
• Kidney damage
• Damage to central nervous system
• Coma, convulsions, death

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Peeling paint outside
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Lead Age of Housing Matters
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American Housing Stats Related to Paint

• Conditions that Deteriorate Paint
• 18.2 of homes exterior problems that can
  deteriorate paint.
• In past twelve months,
• 8.3 of homes had interior water damage
• 10.7 of homes had exterior water damage
• 2 of homes have deteriorated interior paint
• More than 8 by 11 of peeling paint is one of
  six factors.
• Severe problem is five of six problems present.
• Moderate problem if three of six problems present.

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Available Testing

• Paint chip
• Dust - Clearance testing
• 40 micrograms of lead per square foot on floors
• 250 micrograms of lead per square foot on window
  sills.
• Bare soil
• 400 ppm in play areas
• 1200 ppm in other areas
• Drinking water

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Lead Training

• Federal courses teach
• Lead inspection (paint, dust and soil testing
  inspection protocol)
• Risk assessment (inspector, plus soil testing and
  guidance on hazard control options risk
  assessment protocols)
• Sampling technician certified in some states
  (dust testing) clearance testing in non abatement
  and other dust testing
• Lead-Safe Work Practices

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Lead Disclosure

• At property transfer, provide buyer/renter
• Lead warning statement
• Summary of information on lead hazards (yes, no,
  dont know)
• Documents on specific information about
  lead-based paint and lead hazards.
• Tenant signature
• Rentals
• Common Area results must be disclosed to all
  tenants.
• At lease signing
• Applies to oral leases.
• Federal courses teach

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Housing Code Provisions Related to Paint

• 304.2 Protective treatment.
• All exterior surfaces, including but not limited
  to, doors, door and window frames, cornices,
  porches, trim, balconies, decks and fences shall
  be maintained in good condition.
• Exterior wood surfaces, other than
  decay-resistant woods, shall be protected from
  the elements and decay by painting or other
  protective covering or treatment.
• Peeling, flaking and chipped paint shall be
  eliminated and surfaces repainted.
• 304.6 Exterior walls. All exterior walls shall be
  free from holes, breaks, and loose or rotting
  materials and maintained weatherproof and
  properly surface coated where required to prevent
  deterioration.
• 305.3 Interior surfaces. All interior surfaces,
  including windows and doors, shall be maintained
  in good, clean and sanitary condition. Peeling,
  chipping, flaking or abraded paint shall be
  repaired, removed or covered. Cracked or loose
  plaster, decayed wood and other defective surface
  conditions shall be corrected.

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Asbestos
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Why avoid asbestos?

• Health effects
• - Lung Cancer
• - Mesothelioma
• - Asbestosis
• Smokers are at greater risk!

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How to handle asbestos

• LEAVE IT ALONE (if in good condition).
• Look for signs of wear or damage such as tears,
  abrasions, or water damage but avoid touching the
  material.
• If damaged or renovation might disturb it, repair
  or removal by a licensed professional is needed.

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Environmental Tobacco Smoke
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Tobacco Spikes in Particle Levels
RSP (cpm)
1000
750
500
250
3
1
2
Time (hours)
SourceIndoor Air Quality, Infiltration and
Ventilation in Residential Buildings NYSERDA
1985 5
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Why Avoid ETS Related Health Effects

• Increases the number of episodes and severity of
  symptoms for children with asthma
• Risk factor for new cases of asthma in children
• Responsible for 150,000 to 300,000 lower
  respiratory tract infections in infants and
  children less than 18 months of age
• 60 of US population has biological evidence of
  exposure to second hand smoke

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Smoke-Free Home RulesState Performance
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Non-smokers Exposed to Tobacco Smoke Have
Increased Risk of Acute and Chronic Disease

• Respiratory illness (including arrested lung
  development)
• Asthma attacks and development
• Middle ear effusions
• Irritant effects
• Children affected by smoking caretaker

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What Can You Do About Tobacco Smoke in Homes and
Cars?

• Quit, if youre ready theres help
• Dont smoke around children
• Smoke outside
• Exhaust vent the places where people smoke

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Volatile Organic Compounds

• Environmental Tobacco Smoke
• Paints
• Cleaning chemicals
• Carpets
• Pressed wood furniture
• Air fresheners
• Vinyl floors

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Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

• EPA found concentration of VOCs to be 2-5
  times greater in the home.

During or immediately after paint stripping
activities, VOC levels can be 1,000 times higher
than outdoors.
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Why Avoid VOCs?

• Potential Health effects of VOCs
• Eye, nose, throat irritation
• Headaches, nausea, coordination
• Liver, kidney, and brain damage
• Some can cause cancers
• Child development

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Steps to Control VOCs

• Control the source
• Avoid using products that contain VOCs
• Use lower VOC options (i.e. paints)
• Keep containers sealed
• Store away from air draw sources
• Remove unwanted products from home
• Ventilate
• Open doors and windows

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Reduce Potential Sources

• Dont use it if you dont have to.
• Substitute with a product that has
• low VOC and particle emission
• low toxicity and irritancy characteristics
• low risk of chemical reactivity
• low risk of fungal contamination
• low maintenance requirements

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Radon A Serious Health Concern

• Radon is a naturally occurring gas produced by
  the breakdown of uranium and radium in ground.
• Radon
• 2nd leading cause of lung cancer after smoking
  with more than 20,000 deaths annually
• Leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and
  people who have never smoked.

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How Radon Gets into a Home

• Cracks in solid floors
• Construction joints
• Cracks in walls
• Gaps in suspended floors
• Gaps around service pipes
• Cavities inside walls
• Other openings
• Water supply

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Testing for Radon

• Short Term
• Minimum 48 hours - 10-20
• Useful results (home sales, rental, occupancy)
• Long Term
• 91 days to 1 yr - 20-30
• Better indicator of need to mitigate
• If result is 4 pCi/L or higher take a follow-up
  test OR fix the home

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Testing for Radon, contd

• Testing Options
• For kits call 1-800-SOS-RADON, purchase retail,
  or from certified company
• Hire a professional

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Interpreting Radon Results

• Short term test gt 4 pCi/L
• Take second short term test or long term test
• Short term average or long term test gt4 pCi/L
• Fix home for radon

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Radon Reduction Systems

• New Construction
• Passive Sub-Slab Depressurization System
• Active Sub-Slab Depressurization System
• Existing Housing
• Active Sub-Slab Depressurization System

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Passive Sub-Slab Depressurization System (New
Construction)

• Gas-Permeable Layer
• Plastic Sheeting
• Seal and Caulk
• Vent Pipe
• Junction Boxes

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Fans Makes It An Active System
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Radon Fixes Existing Housing

• Seal floor and cracks
• Vent radon gas from below slab
• Fan sucks air from below slab active system
• Sump suction reduces radon gas entry

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Label Radon Systems
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Radon Mitigation Costs
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Maintaining a Radon System

• Check fans
• Active System Run fan continuously
• Check warning device
• Fans may last 5 years or more
• Retest home every 3-5 years AND before and after
  remodeling

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Finding a Qualified Contractor

• Contact
• State radon offices
• EPAs web site www.epa.gov/radon/proficiency.html
  
• 2 Private National Proficiency Programs
• National Environmental Health Association (NEHA)
  www.neha-nrpp.org/
• National Radon Safety Board (NRSB) www.nrsb.org

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Resources

• State Radon Contacts
• www.epa.gov/iaq/whereyoulive.html
• Coupons for Test Kits 800-SOS-RADON (767-7236)
• Radon Mitigation 800-644-6999
• Other Questions 800-55RADON (557-2366)
• IAQ Questions 800-438-4318

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Sewer Gas

• A mixture of gases generated by bacteria and
  fungi while digesting wastes
• Often contains methane, hydrogen sulfide,
  ammonia, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide
• Source - Dried out traps in drains, especially in
  floor drains or homes that have been vacant for
  awhile.

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Regulations and Codes

• Green Building v. Healthy
• Lead-Based Paint
• Asbestos
• Radon
• Housing Codes

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Key Messages

• It is easier to prevent exposure to contaminants
  then it is to remove them and treat their
  effects.
• Should contamination occur control, contain, and
  clean-up.
• Contaminants are not always detectable by our
  senses.

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Learning Objectives

• Identify four contaminants in the home and
  strategies to prevent, contain, or control them.
• Describe four ways that contaminants get into the
  home.
• Identify three health effects and their
  associated contaminant.

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What actions can you take? Take a few minutes
to complete your action plan.