Environmental
Hazards
Our
job as your professional home inspector is to alert you, to the extent possible, to unknown problems and potential environmental
hazards in your current or potential house. Ours is a non-invasive visual inspection of your property. While we may be able
to alert you to possible problems, our basic inspections are no substitutes for specialized contaminant testing.
ASBESTOS
Asbestos is a mineral fiber that can be positively identified only with
a special type of microscope. There are several types of asbestos fibers. In the past, asbestos was added to many products
to strengthen them and provide fire resistance and heat insulation. If disturbed, asbestos material may release asbestos fibers
which can be inhaled into the lungs. Asbestos material that crumbles easily if handled or which has been scraped, sawed, or
sanded into a powder is more likely to create a health hazard. Breathing high levels of asbestos fibers can lead to an increased
risk of lung cancer, mesothelioma (cancer of lining of chest and abdominal cavity), and asbestosis (lungs scarred with the
tissue). Houses built between 1930 and 1950 may have asbestos insulation. Most of today’s products do not contain asbestos.
If asbestos material is more than slightly damaged or you plan changes that might disturb it, you require a professional for
repair and removal. Before home remodeling, find out if asbestos is present.
Excerpts from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency “Asbestos and Vermiculite”.
For FAQ about asbestos, click here!
LEAD
Lead is a highly toxic metal used for many
years in products in and around homes. Lead’s adverse health effects range from behavioral problems and learning disabilities
to seizures and death. Because their bodies are growing quickly, children age 6 and under are at greatest risk. Primary sources
of lead exposure for children are deteriorating lead-based paint, lead-contaminated dust, and lead-contaminated residential
soil. Lead might be present in any home built up until the 1940s. Rarely found in source water, lead can enter tap water through
corrosion of plumbing materials. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, joints, and solder. New homes
are also at risk: even legally “lead-free” pipes can contain up to 8 percent lead and leave significant amounts
of lead in the water for the first several months after installation. Since the 1980s, EPA and its federal partners have banned
or limited lead used in consumer products, including residential paint. Federal regulations limiting the amount of lead in
paint sold for residential use started in 1978. If your property was built before 1978 or you are considering remodeling,
renovating, or repair, you may wish to think about lead inspection. Water quality can be compromised by such other trace elements
as iron, excess acidity, manganese, calcium, magnesium, mineral salts, hydrogen sulfide, selenium, chromium, arsenic, mercury,
and cadmium.
Excerpts from
U.S. Department of Environmental Protection, “Lead in Paint, Dust, and Soil”.
For FAQ about lead, click here!
MOLD
Mold (fungi) is present everywhere, indoors and outdoors. There are
more than 100,000 species of mold, at least 1,000 of which are common in America. Species of Cladosporium, Penicillium, and
Aspergillus are some of the most commonly found species. Mold most likely grows in bathrooms, basements, and anywhere else
where there is dampness or water. Many types of mold routinely encountered aren’t hazardous to healthy individuals.
Too much exposure to mold may cause a worsening of such conditions as asthma, hay fever, or other allergies. Fevers and breathing
problems in a vulnerable individual are possible but unusual. When moldy material becomes damaged or disturbed, spores, which
are reproductive bodies similar to seeds, can be released into the air. Exposure can occur if people inhale the spores, directly
handle moldy material, or accidentally ingest the spores. Since all molds need water to grow, mold can grow almost anywhere
where there is high humidity, dampness, or water damage. Most often molds are confined to areas near the water source. Removing
the source of moisture through repairs or dehumidification is crucial in preventing mold growth. Correcting underlying water
damage and cleaning the affected area is the best way to treat mold. If mold contamination is extensive, a professional abatement
company may be needed. Excerpts from The New York City Department
of Health & Mental Hygiene, Environmental & Occupational Disease Epidemiology, “Facts About Mold”.
For FAQ about mold, click here!
RADON
Radon is a radioactive gaseous element produced in the disintegration
of radium, a radioactive metallic element. It cannot be detected by the senses and can be confirmed only by sophisticated
instruments and laboratory tests. The gas enters a house through pores and cracks in the concrete or through floorboards of
poorly ventilated crawlspaces, especially when wet ground allows the gas to escape easily through the soil and disperse in
the atmosphere. Radon is a lung carcinogen: the National Academy of Sciences estimates radon causes some 15,000 to 22,000
lung cancer deaths annually. The U.S. Surgeon General and the EPA recommend all houses be tested for radon. Houses with high
radon levels can be fixed.
Excerpts
from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Indoor Radon”.
WOOD-DESTROYING ORGANISMS/INSECTS
Termites, which play a positive role in
recycling wood and plant material, become a problem when they consume structural lumber. Every year thousands of U.S. housing
units require termite treatment. These pests cause serious damage to wooden structures and posts and can also attack stored
food, household furniture, and books. Successful termite management requires special skills, including a working knowledge
of building construction and an understanding of termite biology and identification. In most cases, it is advisable to hire
a professional pest control company for the inspection and control problem.
Wood-boring beetle larvae feed on wood and wood products. Adults of some species bore holes into plaster, plastic, and soft metals.
Many species cause problems when emerging from wood in newly constructed buildings because they leave small circular or oval
exit holes in the wood. To avoid these problems, infested wood must be kiln-fried before being used for lumber. The species
Deathwatch Beetles is primarily found in soft woods (girder, beams, foundation timbers, some types of furniture, with some
species attacking books). False Powderpost female beetles bore a tunnel, or egg gallery, into wood or other materials, then
deposit eggs in pores or cracks within the tunnel. Adults of some species bore through such soft metal as lead and silver,
as well as plaster and other non-wood materials. Affected structural wood should be removed and replaced whenever possible.
Wood Wasps and Horntails. Wood wasp damage in buildings is likely to be more cosmetic than structurally
weakening. Emerging wood wasps can chew through any substance: wallboard or plaster walls, hardwood floors, carpeting, linoleum,
non-ceramic floor tiles, and other interior surfaces.
Carpenter Ants. Several species can damage
wood in building and other structures. Though ants don’t eat wood, they bore into it to make their nests, sometimes
causing serious structural damage. Also, they nest in hollow doors, cracks and crevices, furniture, wall voids, and termite
galleries. New building infestation occurs when land-cleaning in the area disturbs existing native colonies.
Excerpts from University of California
Agriculture & Natural Resources, UCIPMOnline, “Statewide Pest Management Program”.
For More Termite Facts, click here!