Mold, radon, lead paint can be lurking dangers in home

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Mold, radon, lead paint can be lurking dangers in home

MONICA LABELLE

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http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

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Published: 07/14/05

LINKS

Mold: www.epa.gov/mold/

Lead: www.niehs.nih.gov

Radon: www.state.sd.us/denr/DES/AirQuality/radonl.htm

www.radongas.org/mitigation/SD.htm

Even the cleanest homes can harm health.

Mold, lead and radon that aren't taken care of may lead to illness,

especially in children. Here's a basic guide to maintaining a house

in the face of these three threats.

Mold

Mold spores are everywhere, all the time. But we usually can't see

them. Get the right conditions, though, and a problem can grow.

" No matter how good a housekeeper you are, you just have them, " says

Pete Duncanson, a director of training for disaster restoration for

ServiceMaster Clean in Memphis, Tenn.

Mold needs water and a food source such as paper, wood or dead skin

cells. A large range of temperatures will accommodate it.

Even small areas of mold need to be cleaned carefully, experts say.

Larger areas can benefit from professionals who specialize in mold

cleaning so spores don't spread.

" A little mold is not a big deal, but if you see an area the size of

a quarter, there are actually 10,000 spores. And by disturbing it,

it will become airborne, " Duncanson says.

All those spores can sneak into the smallest of places and become

difficult to find.

" If you do have a musty smell, it's not always going to be a mold,

but it's an indicator, " says Gaylon , an indoor air-quality

manager for Intek Cleaning Services in Sioux Falls. He adds that the

best indicator is discoloration.

recommends checking windows and plumbing periodically for

drips and leaks. Make sure basement windows are insulated well. If

heavy rains have seeped in, check under carpets for wet carpet pads.

" If you get wet, get after it as soon as you can, " he says.

As an ongoing preventive measure, air conditioners and dehumidifiers

cut moisture in the air. Humidity levels should be at about 30

percent to 50 percent, says Steve Pohl, an Extension ag engineer at

the agriculture and biosystems engineering department at South

Dakota State University. Moisture meters from farm suppliers measure

humidity, he says.

Cleaning up a mess yourself is doable, he says. It depends on the

size of the job and how sensitive you are to mold. Pohl recommends

wearing an N95 respirator mask, found at hardware stores. Rubber

gloves and goggles should be worn, too.

A cup of bleach per gallon of water can be used as a cleaning

solution and should be dried down immediately. Also, the source of

the moisture problem should be fixed, he says.

Sometimes, more drastic measures are needed.

" In some cases, they just flat-out need to move out, " Pohl says.

Radon

Radon is a radioactive gas produced by the decay of uranium in rocks

and soil. South Dakotans in the eastern half of the state are

especially likely to have higher levels in their basements.

" Apparently, we have more uranium, " Pohl says. " It's just our

geology. "

Radon exposure has been linked to lung cancer, so smokers are

especially at risk. So are children. It's the second-leading cause

of lung cancer in the United States and is linked to about 22,000

deaths each year, according to the National Cancer Institute.

A test can be ordered from the state health lab by calling 605-773-

3368. Tests also may be found at hardware stores.

High radon levels can be addressed with a pipe and fan contraption

that can be installed by professionals. For a local list, log on to

www.radongas.org/mitigation/SD.html.

Lead

Homes built before 1978 might have lead-based paint. So can old

cookware, toys and pipes.

It's the paint chips and dust that are harmful - especially to young

children, pregnant women and people with high blood pressure.

Lead poising can occur when it's ingested or inhaled. Symptoms

include increased blood pressure and loss of appetite. The best way

for doctors to identify it is through blood tests.

Removing the paint should be left to professionals because they have

the equipment to clean properly, Pohl says.

When it comes to regular household cleaning, wipe surfaces with a

wet cloth so the particles don't become airborne, experts say.

Reach reporter LaBelle at 977-3909.