Archive for the "Lead" Category
Mold Growth
Mold, its not just something that grows on your bread after sitting for to long or what grows on cheese. Mold is important in our world but only if its outside of our home. Mold can be found in many places and can grow virtually any were. Mold can be feed through many was but its main ingredients are moisture, heat (approximately Between 60-80 degrees). It doesn’t take long for it to grow, any where from 24-48 hours mold can grow. All mold isn’t bad, it is crucial for decomposition of many natural things in our world. Mold plays a role in our lives as a decomposer but its nice to have mold outside of your homes, instead of in your home. When Mold enters your home it can bring a laundry list of health problems. Its important to know that keeping your house mold safe can keep you and your family healthy.
Mold can grow in our homes on any surface. It can do this buy feeding from the moisture in the air and the temperature of your house. Molds like damp warm places. Such as bathrooms, kitchens, and basements. Attics can be effected to because of the exposer that they have to the environments. To keep humidity down in our homes its important to have good ventilation that vents to the outside of the home, in these “problem areas”. Mositure controle is the key to keeping molds from growing in our homes.
Molds can bring serious health risk in to your living areas. many homes these days have finished basements were the have play areas setup for there children. Symptoms of Mold can be the same as allergies or as a common cold. Such as follows running nose, itchy eyes, coughing, and wheezing. Though these symptoms may seem harmless what can be caused from long term exposure can be serious cause for alarm. Heavy exposure to some molds can cause asthma, short term memory loss, Shortness of breath, and head achs.
Mold may play a vital role in nature as a natural recyler, but its better to keep it out of our homes. Mold intrusion in your home can be costly and bring high health risk to you and your family. To learn about Mold and how it can get into your home and were it will grow. Go to http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.html. Or click here to see mold intrusion video.
Stay Safe Working Around Lead Paint
In challenging economic times, many homeowners consider remodeling their homes rather than moving. Others are remodeling to improve energy efficiency and Go Green! It is important to stay safe when you remodel, whether you are hiring a contractor or doing it yourself. Learn the facts about working with lead paint. Painting or remodeling a home build before 1978 can disturb lead paint and endanger young children. Lead can harm your child’s brain, causing lifelong learning and behavior problems. Even children who seem healthy can have high levels of lead in their bodies. Children under age six are most at risk. Lead can harm an unborn baby, if the mother is exposed to lead. Removing lead-based paint improperly can increase the danger to your family and require large costs for proper cleanup to ensure a lead-safe environment. Keep your home a Healthy Home by learning the facts about lead.
Where is lead paint found? Most homes built before 1978 have some lead paint. Homes built before 1960 have the most lead paint. Lead paint can be present on any painted surface, but it is most fen found on windows, trim,doors, railing, columns, porches and outside walls.
Sanding, scraping or otherwise disturbing lead paint can release large amounts of toxic lead dust. This dust isn’t always visible and can settle on floors and other surfaces where it gets on children’s hands and into their mouths. The only way to know for certain if a surface has been coated with lead-based paint is to test it.
New rules adopted by the EPA require that if you hire a contractor to remodel your pre 1978 home and the work involves disturbing paint, the contractor is required to give you the Renovate Right pamphlet before starting work. EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting Program (RRP) rule also requires that, starting April 2010, contractors performing work that disturbs lead-based paint homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 Must be EPA-certified to work with lead-based paint, and Must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.
