It can be tempting to move in immediately when you find a new place to live. Whether you are renting or buying, jumping in feet first is not a good idea. There are a lot of potential health threats that can be found in a house, and you need to resolve them before you move in. But you can’t fix them if you don’t know they are there. Here are some of the potentially harmful substances that you can find in your new place and what to do to detect and remove them.
Lead
One of the most obvious safety hazards is lead. You likely have heard about lead poisoning and its effect on people. Lead was a favorite material in older buildings because of its usefulness. When lead was melted down and formed into sheets, people could then form them into various shapes. Since it was a natural metal, it was also very affordable. These factors made lead a popular metal since antiquity. Archaeologists discovered that Romans used lead pipes for their plumbing, which was the best possible option at the time. Until the late 20th century, people were using the metal for various purposes. One of the more popular options was to mix it with paint so that it would dry faster and even stay on the walls longer.
Unfortunately, lead can enter people’s bodies in different ways. The microscopic particles build up in the body, and then the effect shows themselves in symptoms like irritability, weight loss, vomiting, and more. In younger people, it may even cause developmental delays. People still use lead but sparingly. If you want to avoid any troubles, then do the lead testing and remove all presence of lead in the house.
Mold
Another issue that you will have to face is the presence of mold. Mold spores come into a house through a variety of means. Even a simple gust of wind with a few spores can result in a mold infestation. People and animals can even bring it in. All they need is a place with an excess of moisture, this is where they can find the ideal place for their growth. It also helps if it is dark and the building material they land on can provide the necessary nutrient. For example, wooden walls and beans can be very friendly to mold presence.
Mold infestations start releasing spores into the air. This is to further expand the mold into other places in the house. Even if they don’t start new mold patches, they can still contribute to a variety of health issues like asthma and more. Air mold testing allows you to detect mold spores that lead you to the patches, even hidden one. You can then exterminate them from the house. It will greatly improve air quality in the long run.
Asbestos
Miracle materials like asbestos always have a strange side-effect. In the case of this, mineral fiber was its carcinogenic properties. Building makers loved it for its insulation and fire-retardant properties. This meant it found its way into insulation materials, roofs, and more. Most of the time, they are fine. But a particle of asbestos that you inhale can cause havoc in your lungs. Looking for asbestos in your house and hire hazardous waster material removes to take them away.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
PCBs are another material that can potentially cause cancer. It is synthetic and is an organic chemical that mixes carbons, hydrogen, and chlorine. People love using them because of their durability, high boiling point, and non-flammability. This makes them great for various industrial reasons and even some domestic ones. For example, a lot of the house caulking in the 1950s to 1970s used PCBs. This can then degrade and enter the home. You will need to check for their presence and remove them as any hazardous material.
Radon
Another cancer-causing material is radon. This gas is the result of natural radioactive decay. Normally, it would disperse into the air. But if the radon gets trapped in a house, like normal gas. If you don’t have ventilation, it can build up. That is something you do not want. Doing radon testing and a proper ventilation plan for your house.
A lot of these tests are essential. You want to be as healthy as possible, and all these substances cause health problems in the long run. While it might seem expensive to do the testing and fixing, it is more expensive to get treatment. Do your best to protect yourself and your family from this threat.
