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These days people seem to be very worried about their exposure to toxins. According to an article on CNN Money, "many states counsel home buyers to do environmental checks before closing on a home."
I'm just curious if anyone knows how often this is done in practice?
The toxins cited in this article are Radon, Arsenic, Lead, Formaldehyde, & Mold so how would a buyer go about getting an environmental check for all of these toxins? Would you request this with a regular home inspector or do you seek out a special service that does this?
Right, basically any decent home inspection service can recommend lead checks for homes built in an era when lead was in paint. Some firms do it in-house, others sub contract. A detector for radon can be hung in the house and then sent away to analyzed for radon (though unless you are uranium miner probably not an issue), air testing for anything you want could be scheduled. Mostly a waste of money. Houses are rarely overly tight. If your builder DID specifically build a SUPER ULTRA tight house hopefully they have air exchange system and/or combustion air feeds for appliances.
Right, basically any decent home inspection service can recommend lead checks for homes built in an era when lead was in paint. Some firms do it in-house, others sub contract. A detector for radon can be hung in the house and then sent away to analyzed for radon (though unless you are uranium miner probably not an issue), air testing for anything you want could be scheduled. Mostly a waste of money. Houses are rarely overly tight. If your builder DID specifically build a SUPER ULTRA tight house hopefully they have air exchange system and/or combustion air feeds for appliances.
Although you are right, tests for just about anything can be ordered, I think some might see your attitude as a bit cavalier. Especially about Radon. Radon occurs naturally as the uranium in rock breaks down. It occurs more frequently, therefore, in mountainous & rocky areas. And according to the EPA, radon is a significant contributer to lung cancer.
These days people seem to be very worried about their exposure to toxins. According to an article on CNN Money, "many states counsel home buyers to do environmental checks before closing on a home."
I'm just curious if anyone knows how often this is done in practice?
The toxins cited in this article are Radon, Arsenic, Lead, Formaldehyde, & Mold so how would a buyer go about getting an environmental check for all of these toxins? Would you request this with a regular home inspector or do you seek out a special service that does this?
Thanks for any insight.
Most home inspection companies can perform these tests for you. As Chet said, some do it themselves, others will sub it out to another company. Radon is a common test. Lead is usually an issue in older homes, as lead paint was fairly common in the early half of the last century. Some people feel that most houses from that era have been painted over enouogh that the lead paint is covered & not going to get into the air, so is only a concern if & when you are doing repais & renovations that will expose those old layers of paint. Lead paint has not been allowed to be used in homes since 1978. (That's the case in NJ. I believe it's a nation wide thing, though I could be wrong. Anyone from other states care to confirm or correct that?) Mold can show up in many places, and is usually at least looked for by home inspectors. Some molds are more dangerous thatn most, and inspectors will often recommend a specialist come in & analyze if any mold is found. The bigger issue with mold, most of the time, is that it usually shows up in places that are wet for some reason. So you need to find out why there is moisture, and stop it if it shouldn't be there.
I don't disagree that radon is problem for those who work around it every day (like a miner) but I do not believe there has ever been a link to household radon being a threat by itself.
The few folks that have been found to have lung cancer and whose homes were tested after the fact also were smokers and /or had other genetic predispositions. I am not making fun of the situation, and I even mail the ACS donations. I just hate that when I would have to explain what all the crazy exlcusions / tests / reports that buyers get hit with there is nothing to say "yes but".
Why is there no "warning" or "disclosure" on your airline ticket that you get a does of radiation from being a plane at altitude?
Do the Lake Tahoe or Colorado ski areas warn you about increased cancer risk?
It may not be a true "Bernie Madeoff" level of scam, but the radon remediation business scareas an awful lot of people and it far from the biggest risk in one's house. Are they gonna mandate that porcelian over cast iron tubs have a warning plague on 'em?
Lead based paint inspections are a "specialty inspection" because of the special equipment used. If you plan to remodel an older home, it costs $250 out here to have one done and worth it.
Out here you have to get a radon certification to do those tests as part of your home inspection. You can buy test kits at home depot/Lowe's. I don't know the accuracy of those tests.
Arsenic testing for wells is done occasionally out here. I recommend it to all my buyers where there is a well on the property. There is an arsenic streak in southern Oregon. In Oregon wells are required to be tested for a few things by law and many people add lead and arsenic to the tests. I think it was $120 to add those to the other well tests.
I've never heard of anyone testing for formaldehyde out here.
Mold inspections are usually recommended out here if there has been water damage or penetration of some sort. They run $200-$600 for mold testing depending on how many samples are taken.
So...to answer your question...No most buyers don't choose to do all of those tests.
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You actually are asking about the work an Industrial Hygenist does. They can inspect for all sorts of "hazardous" materials and are trained and licensed to do so.
I see the connection with inspecting for lead in older homes, arsenic where there is a well, mold where you might have higher incidences of humidity or flooding, and radon in mountainous or rocky areas. These things make sense. The article, however, connects radon to granite countertops (although admitting that it affects only 5-10% of granite on the market), arsenic to decks and porches and such, and formaldehyde to new flooring and carpets as well as some other things. It made me think of the massive number of flipped houses that were redone with many things this article is pointing to. Hopefully those who bought will exercise some crital thought and not panic over exposure to toxins. Guess we will see.
One really has to question the motives of such an article...
Quote:
Originally Posted by jaindow
Great responses so far. Thanks for the insight.
I see the connection with inspecting for lead in older homes, arsenic where there is a well, mold where you might have higher incidences of humidity or flooding, and radon in mountainous or rocky areas. These things make sense. The article, however, connects radon to granite countertops (although admitting that it affects only 5-10% of granite on the market), arsenic to decks and porches and such, and formaldehyde to new flooring and carpets as well as some other things. It made me think of the massive number of flipped houses that were redone with many things this article is pointing to. Hopefully those who bought will exercise some crital thought and not panic over exposure to toxins. Guess we will see.
Can't you just see some bitter reporter that lives in a run down dump licking their chops at the thought of those living in a place with new counter tops, flooring and deck being driven into a frenzy over living in a toxic cloud???
I see the connection with inspecting for lead in older homes, arsenic where there is a well, mold where you might have higher incidences of humidity or flooding, and radon in mountainous or rocky areas. These things make sense. The article, however, connects radon to granite countertops (although admitting that it affects only 5-10% of granite on the market), arsenic to decks and porches and such, and formaldehyde to new flooring and carpets as well as some other things. It made me think of the massive number of flipped houses that were redone with many things this article is pointing to. Hopefully those who bought will exercise some crital thought and not panic over exposure to toxins. Guess we will see.
I think arsenic was used for pressure treated lumber as well. I am not an arsenic expert, but you can take a shower with arsenic in your water according to the folks out here. It doesn't get absorbed through your skin. The remedy for arsenic in well water is typically a reverse osmosis system at the tap (at least out here). It may depend on the concentrations. A higher concentration may require the system at the well head, not sure how they decide which system is best. People just need to make sure that if they don't put the system at the storage tank (which is much more expensive) then they have to make sure pets don't drink out of the toilets or showers.
You know, there was a study done in the UK about toxins in our bodies. They studied the umbilical cords of newborns and discovered the babies had like 100 toxins in them when they were born. The molecules from plastic bottles was one of them.
We have a toxic society. Toxins are everywhere. People just prefer to pretend they don't exist.
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One really has to question the motives of such an article...
