Home Toxics Test

Review the toxics issues in this section to see if your home and family are at risk. Through a series of simple questions, learn what is a risk in your home and how it can be prevented. It won’t be that simple for everyone, but the Home Toxics Test is a good start. We also point you towards other web resources and to our new book “What’s Toxic, What’s Not” if you need more detailed information.

ASBESTOS
Asbestos is a mineral that was widely used until the 1970’s because it is fire resistant and a good insulator. In homes asbestos was commonly used to insulate boilers and hot water pipes in basements. It was also present in certain floor and ceiling tiles. Asbestos has caused lung cancer in workers who have been heavily exposed. Prudent avoidance dictates that this carcinogen be kept under control so the it doesn’t spread through your home. Click here to learn more.

MOLD
Mold gets alot of attention because it pops up in many homes as an unsightly and odorous growth on walls, ceilings, carpeting and other furnishings. Even worse, mold can cause health effects. But the mold problem has be overhyped as many have latched on to the concept of “toxic” mold. Common exposures in most homes will not damage the lungs or be toxic. Instead, it may produce allergic reactions in some individuals.
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LEAD
Lead is a serious health hazard when present inside the home. If can be ingested by pregnant women and young children and damage the developing brain. This safety screen will tell you whether your home is a lead hazard.
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RADON
Radioactive gas seeps out of the bedrock beneath many homes. This gas, radon, can be sept up into homes through cracks in the foundatoin. This occurs especially in the winter when the house is sealed and the furnace draws air up form the soil. Radon causes cancer of the lungs. Once inhaled it deposits in the respiratory tract where it can emit radiation in the surrounding tissue. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind tobacco.
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CARBON MONOXIDE
Anytime you burn something, whether it be cigarettes, cut wood, gasoline, or home heating oil, you create carbon monoxide (CO). This colorless, odorless gas is quite toxic and lethal. It is suffocating as it prevents the bloomstream from using oxygen. In most cases, the CO created by a furnace, kerosene heater, wood stove or back-up generator is not a health risk because the appliance is properly vented to the outdoors. However, roughly 200 people die each year in this country from CO poisoning. Typically they are suffocated in their sleep without warning.
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INDOOR AIR POLUTION
Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) is an unavoidable fact of life. Our home and its furnishings give off gas chemicals of VOCs (volatile organic chemicals). VOCs are present in wood products, upholstery, carpeting, drapery, vinyl flooring and consumer products we buy at the hardware store like paint, sealants, adhesives etc. Our neighborhood grocery store provides us we products we rarely think twice about - cleaning products, waxes, etc. Throw in the fact that many homes have conditions ripe for mold and dust mite infestation and it becomes hard to imagine a home without at least some IAP issue. This is made worse by our increasing energy efficiency causing homes to be even more air tight than ever before. This traps VOCs and biological pollutants in the home, so that you inhale a dose every time you breathe. IAP doesn’t have to be as toxic or ovbvious as cigarette smoke for example to be a risk factor.
Click here for more info on IAP.