Posts Tagged "Safety"
Radon Is a Killer, Respect It, Test For It.
Radon, It is know as the silent killer and for a good reason. Its a odorless, colorless, radioactive gas that can enter into your home. Radon is produced through the break down of uranium in the soil which most of the time si located under homes foundations. It as well is the secound leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. Home owners and homebuyers should always test there homes for Radon. Studies do shows that most of Colorado’s counties are potential areas for high Radon. The EPA’s zone map of Colorado shows most of the counties in the Zone 1 levels. Which is the zone that the EPA recomends the homeowners to take action. Click here to go to the EPA’s Map of Colorado.
Because radon levels are influenced by a variety of factors—soil type and moisture, how “tight” the home is, type of heating and ventilation system, movement of air and groundwater, air pressure, and lifestyle behavior of the occupants—the only way to know if a home has elevated levels of radon is to test it. This table was pulled from an Artical about Radon In the Home Click here to go there.
Table 1: Radon risk if you have never smoked (Developed by the EPA). Radon
LevelIf 1,000 people who never smoked were exposed to this level over a lifetime
The risk of cancer from radon exposure compares to WHAT TO DO 20 pCi/L* about 36 people could get lung cancer 35 times the risk of drowning Fix your home. 10 pCi/L* about 18 people could get lung cancer 20 times the risk of dying in a home fire Fix your home. 8 pCi/L* about 15 people could get lung cancer 4 times the risk of dying ina fall Fix your home. 4 pCi/L* about 7 people could get lung cancer The risk of dying in a car crash. Fix your home. 2 pCi/L* about 4 people could get lung cancer The risk of dying of poison. Consider fixing between 2 and 4 pCi/L 1.3 pCi/L* about 2 people could get lung cancer Average indoor radon level. (Reducing radon levels below
2 pCi/L is difficult.)0.4 pCi/L* Average outdoor radon level. (Reducing radon levels below
2 pCi/L is difficult.)*pCi/L: picocuries of radon per liter of air
NOTE: If you are a former smoker, your risk may be higher.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.
