Many people think of their home as their safe-haven, their comfortable oasis from the busy everyday world, but a home can also contain substances that can be hazardous to your health. Every year we hear stories on the news about carbon monoxide poisoning, but there are many other hazardous substances that can affect the health of those living in the home.

Lead

Antonio Alba Meraz, a family resource educator with the University of Minnesota Extension, points out that there are certain people that are more likely to be affected by hazardous substances that can be found in a home. “Children younger than 7 years, pregnant women and nursing women are the most susceptible to lead poisoning,” he said.

Children under the age of 3 could be in contact with lead when they are crawling on the floor then put their hands in their mouths.

“Older children could be exposed to lead if they play close to windows and walls with contaminated dust or when they put their hands and toys in their mouths,” he said.

According to Meraz, lead was used in house paint in homes that were built before 1978 and also was once used in water pipes. You may also inadvertently be bringing lead into your home through shoes and work clothes that may have come in contact with a substance containing lead.

If you are concerned that a child in your home may have been exposed to lead, a blood test can done to check the lead level. If you live in an area of high lead concentration or work where lead contamination is present, it is recommended to get children in the home tested.

If you own a home built before 1978, how do you make your home as lead-free as possible? Alba Meraz recommends to “test your house paint and water for lead, keep dust out of the home and don’t let children put objects and toys in their mouth.”

Mold

With spring here and summer right around the corner, mold can “appear or increase to high levels,” Alba Meraz said. This is especially true if your home gets humid or has flooded previously.

“Mold is a micro-organism that grows in humid places,” he said. It can be found in bathrooms, windows, kitchens, attics, basements and other enclosed places. “The problem with mold is that it can trigger allergies and asthma attacks and also can ruin belongings like carpets and mattresses.”

The best way to prevent mold is to stop moisture/humidity from getting into the space. A hygrometer can be used to measure the humidity in an area, which should be at 35 to 55 percent. According to Alba Meraz , a simple tool to reduce humidity is a dehumidifier.

Household chemicals

Household chemicals that we use in our homes can also make us and our pets sick.

“Use the household chemicals according to the directions on their labels.”

It is important that chemicals not be mixed together unless the directions state that they should be. Keep the chemicals in a spot where children and pets don’t have access to them. Alba Meraz suggests, “if possible reduce the use of chemicals inside and outside of your home.”

Carbon monoxide

While this isn’t the typical season for carbon monoxide problems, grills can pose carbon monoxide risks if not used properly. It is important to never use charcoal grills and small gasoline engines in the garage or basement.

Getting a carbon monoxide detector is an inexpensive way to ensure that carbon monoxide levels are in check and is now mandated to be in every house in Minnesota. Having your furnace and chimney serviced before winter also helps keep carbon monoxide at bay.

Radon

Radon is a radioactive gas that could cause lung cancer if left at high levels in a house. Radon can seep into the home through a number of ways including the water supply and cracks in the flooring and other structures of the house.

A radon test kit checks radon levels and should be used periodically to ensure proper levels are maintained. Radon can be present in older and newer homes a like, so it is important that all homeowners be vigilant in keeping radon levels safe.

While there are things found in homes that can affect the health of those living there, more information is out there now than ever before on how you can keep yourself, your family and pets safe. Staying vigilant and keeping your house clean, structurally sound and maintained are big steps to keeping your house as hazard-free as possible.

For more information log on to www.extension.umn.edu, www.hud.gov/lead, www.csrees.usda.gov and www.healthyhomespartnership.net.