Home Is Where the Heart Is -- Along With Your Health
Home Is Where the Heart Is -- Along With Your Health
Nov. 14, 2000 -- Choosing a house is one of the biggest decisions anyone can make. "Kicking the tires" of a house usually includes looking at price and location. But many people don't realize the house you choose can have a big effect on your family's health.
"The very first, most important thing to look at is the quality of the outdoor air," Debra Lynn Dadd tells WebMD. "The atmosphere around the house is more important than the house itself, because you can fix the house more easily than you can fix the surrounding air." That means you should look for a house on a quiet street, away from gas stations, dry cleaners, or other sources of fumes and pesticides. Dadd is a healthy home consultant in Forest Knolls, Calif., and author of the book Home Safe Home.
Next, check for major dangers such as asbestos, which was often used from 1920 to 1972 in insulation around the furnace, pipes, or stove, and in some acoustic tile or ceilings. "This is not a danger as long as the asbestos stays in place, but if there's a leak or other damage in that area, you could face major cleanup costs," Dadd says.
Many problems are age-related, so buyers should always check the house's age if they're considering buying it, Janet Phoenix, MD, tells WebMD. "Any dwelling built before 1978 may have old layers of paint containing lead, and you should be concerned if the paint is chipping or peeling. It's a particular problem if there are children in your family, since they tend to put everything into their mouths."
"Pay special attention to places where painted surfaces rub against each other, such as windows or doors, because that friction creates a fine dust which can be hazardous to both children and adults," says Phoenix, who is manager of public health programs at the Environmental Health Center, a division of the National Safety Council in Washington, D.C.
There's no need to rule out every house built before 1978, she says. Take a sample of paint to be tested for lead content and if lead-based paint is indeed in the house, take appropriate precautions. "You may want to replace wooden windows with other materials that don't have to be painted," Phoenix says. "If remodeling or repairs create dust that may contain lead-based paint, clean it up as soon as possible using warm soapy water."
Home Is Where the Heart Is -- Along With Your Health
Nov. 14, 2000 -- Choosing a house is one of the biggest decisions anyone can make. "Kicking the tires" of a house usually includes looking at price and location. But many people don't realize the house you choose can have a big effect on your family's health.
"The very first, most important thing to look at is the quality of the outdoor air," Debra Lynn Dadd tells WebMD. "The atmosphere around the house is more important than the house itself, because you can fix the house more easily than you can fix the surrounding air." That means you should look for a house on a quiet street, away from gas stations, dry cleaners, or other sources of fumes and pesticides. Dadd is a healthy home consultant in Forest Knolls, Calif., and author of the book Home Safe Home.
Next, check for major dangers such as asbestos, which was often used from 1920 to 1972 in insulation around the furnace, pipes, or stove, and in some acoustic tile or ceilings. "This is not a danger as long as the asbestos stays in place, but if there's a leak or other damage in that area, you could face major cleanup costs," Dadd says.
Many problems are age-related, so buyers should always check the house's age if they're considering buying it, Janet Phoenix, MD, tells WebMD. "Any dwelling built before 1978 may have old layers of paint containing lead, and you should be concerned if the paint is chipping or peeling. It's a particular problem if there are children in your family, since they tend to put everything into their mouths."
"Pay special attention to places where painted surfaces rub against each other, such as windows or doors, because that friction creates a fine dust which can be hazardous to both children and adults," says Phoenix, who is manager of public health programs at the Environmental Health Center, a division of the National Safety Council in Washington, D.C.
There's no need to rule out every house built before 1978, she says. Take a sample of paint to be tested for lead content and if lead-based paint is indeed in the house, take appropriate precautions. "You may want to replace wooden windows with other materials that don't have to be painted," Phoenix says. "If remodeling or repairs create dust that may contain lead-based paint, clean it up as soon as possible using warm soapy water."
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