By now we have all heard about the danger of pollutants in our drinking water, pollutants in our food, but what about pollutants in our walls? Lead is a heavy metal that is a surprisingly common danger found in homes. It is used in paints, gasoline and plumbing materials and is hazardous if swallowed or breathed. In U.S. state screenings, up to 10% of the children tested under the age of 6 show elevated blood lead levels.

Have you ever experienced sneezing the whole night through even though you don’t have allergies? Well, the culprit may be something you can’t even see. There might even be thousands of them right in the mattress where you lie at night to get your good night’s rest! According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), dust mites exist in every home, and are therefore nearly impossible to avoid. If you are one of the 10% of Americans who has an allergic reaction to dust mites, reducing the dust mite population in your home is an appealing choice, one that’ll help you sleep better at night.

New carpets can go a long way in sprucing up your space. However, many new carpets have an off-gassing period in which they emit Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). VOCs are chemicals that often come from various household products like paints, lacquer, printers, pesticides, cleaning supplies, carpets, and adhesives. New carpets and the adhesive used to install them may emit hazardous toxins into your home and the air you breathe.

Having a precious little bundle of joy in the house is truly delightful for any family. Generally, baby preparations begin months before the baby arrives. Cribs, rompers and strollers are purchased. Light sockets, cabinets and sharp objects are secured. But, what about the air that the baby breathes or the floor that the baby crawls on? This article will help you get your ducks in a row before the baby comes.

It is a simple fact of life that things get dirty and we need cleaners, solvents, powders, sprays and the like to stay on top of it all. Many of these chemicals carry warnings and cautions on how to properly store them. Large varieties of these products are petroleum based and have warnings stating that they are flammable and/or poisonous. People have come up with some strange, and even dangerous, storage places.

Although there may be many different things to watch out for in your home, we’ve compiled a list of ten that can be found in many homes in the US, may be a significant health risk and many times go undetected. This list of ten is a good start to knowing what to watch out for to have a healthier and safer home.

People are increasingly concerned about mold, radon, carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in their homes, and for good reason. Studies from the Environmental Protection Agency show that levels of air pollution inside the home are often 2 to 5 times higher than outdoor levels. And poor indoor air quality can lead to headaches, allergies, respiratory problems such as asthma, eye irritation and other serious health problems.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that levels of indoor air pollutants can be 2-5 times, and occasionally more than 100 times, higher than outdoor levels. So what do you do if you think your home or business may be causing Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)? If there is a possibility that SBS is present, the first step would be to bring in a building specialist to conduct a professional investigation.

Although most people can smell extremely high levels of some Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), other VOCs are odorless and will not be detected by the human nose at even the highest levels. Since there are thousands of different VOCs used in our daily lives, we may not be aware how or when VOCs are affecting our air quality.

The home is the place where people should feel safe and secure. You can freely move about, talk, laugh, or run when you home. However, there are some things in the home, which are invisible to the eye and undetectable to the nose. One of these is radon.

Radon is the silent killer at home. Radon occurs naturally. It is released as a gas through the earth’s surface and groundwater. Since it is highly radioactive, it can have detrimental health effects, such as cancer, to those who are exposed to it often.