Is My House Making Me Sick? Health Hazards to Consider Before Buying a Home in the Boulder Area

Most people spend a lot of time at home, so it’s really important to consider the health impacts that a home can have on you. You don’t want to get into a situation where you are wondering “Is my house making me sick?” because of contamination or health hazards. Let’s explore some of the health hazards of homes old and new.

Asbestos

Asbestos, which was commonly used in a variety of building materials through the 1970s, can cause cancer and a variety of other lung diseases. According to the EPA, asbestos can pose serious health risks when small particles are released into the air. In homes, this tends to happen when building materials containing asbestos begin to deteriorate or when these materials are damaged during repair or remodeling projects. Most home inspectors can recognize building materials that are likely to contain asbestos. Confirmation requires taking samples of these materials and having them analyzed by a lab. In general, if asbestos materials are in good condition, the EPA recommends encapsulating the material in place, that is, laying new flooring over old asbestos tiles or sealing insulating material on pipes. If asbestos materials must be removed, the process can be very expensive. Check out the EPA’s home page for asbestos issues. Another great source of information is the web site for the Mesothelioma Center at http://www.asbestos.com/.

HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing

Much of what the professional home inspector does in evaluating the electrical, heating and plumbing systems is relevant to the issue of safety. When these systems are not working properly, they can create serious hazards for the occupants of a home. There are other health issues associated with the home you may buy that are beyond the purview of a real estate inspector and the carpenters, plumbers, and electricians that complete routine home repairs

Lead-Based Paint

There is strong and widely accepted evidence that exposure to lead contributes to a wide range of health problems. This evidence led to the removal of lead from gasoline and to prohibiting its use in most paints and construction materials after 1978. Several years ago, the federal government began to require the use of a contract addendum regarding lead based paint for all sales (and rentals) of homes and condos built prior to 1978. This addendum requires that the seller disclose any knowledge of lead based paint in the house and requires that the buyer have the option of testing for lead based paint.

Despite this mandated addendum, testing for lead based paint has not become routine in our market. In part because mitigation is a much more complicated proposition than it is for radon and because buyers are concerned about having to disclose the results of these tests later want to sell the property.

A variety of tests for lead based paint are available and there are many companies offering testing services. Check out the EPA’s home page for lead issues and their list of consumer publications on lead and lead based paint. You might also want to look at the lead based paint contract addendum on the Colorado Real Estate Commission’s document list. Finally, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has updated local information on local lead testing and mitigation companies.

Methamphetamine Contamination

We have found meth contamination in about 10-15% of homes our clients have considering purchasing. We cover meth testing extensively in this article: Meth Contamination Should Be a Part of Every Home Inspection. In that article, we tell the story of a home buyer and his home inspector who both got sick during and after the home inspection due to meth contamination.

Radon

Radon is a radioactive gas that enters the home through the soil or water and may create increased risks of lung cancer. Most homes in the Boulder County and Denver Metro area real estate market have radon levels higher than those considered safe by the EPA. In Boulder County, radon testing is a routine component of home inspections, but it is less common in other area real estate markets.

Most professional home inspectors do radon testing, typically charging about $130. Mitigation for radon problems is generally not difficult, nor is it prohibitively expensive. Typically, a pipe is inserted through the basement slab and extended outside the home. A low volume fan then draws gasses (including radon) through the gravel that is under the slab, into the pipe, and out of the home. This typically costs about $800-$1000.

Several issues are a constant source of problems in dealing with radon in the home buying process. 

First, the testing devices that are commonly used to measure radon levels can be left in the home only for a 2-5 day period. While these devices provide accurate measurements of the radon levels in the home during this period, radon levels vary dramatically from one day to the next depending on a variety of factors, including weather conditions, whether the ground is frozen, and whether fireplaces or furnaces are operating. A home that tests above or below the EPA limits one week may not the next. 

Second, while radon levels in most homes in our area exceed EPA recommendations, most exceed these recommendations by marginal amounts. Especially if the seller or listing agent understands the limitations of radon testing, this can make negotiations regarding mitigation difficult. Finally, while I would certainly rely on the EPA over a real estate agent in assessing the health risks of radon, there appears to be serious scientific debate over the health risks of low level radon exposure.

Our recommendation would be to test for radon and try to negotiate mitigation if the results exceed EPA recommendations. Whatever the results of these short term screening tests, run a year long test after you move into the home so that you have a real measure of potential exposure. Just because your home tests within EPA recommended levels when you run your short term test doesn’t mean that it will if you run a more reliable long term test. Check the EPA radon home page for additional information and publications.

Water Quality

The safety of the home’s water supply is a common concern when the water source is a private well. Most counties in our area used to require a test for bacterial contamination as part of the sale of homes dependent on a water well. This is no longer the case, but it is still customary for sellers to provide a “safe water test,” indicating that the well is free from certain forms of bacteria.

But bacteria are not necessarily the most common or the most serious hazard in well water. Well water may contain minerals, heavy metals, and radioactive substances that pose serious health risks and that may damage plumbing systems or appliances. Bruce Bevirt with Environmental Investigations is a good local source of information on these issues (303-642-3565).

While most buyers do not consider water quality as an issue if the home is connected to a public water supply, two issues may be worth mentioning. First, if you are concerned about chemicals such as fluoride or chlorine that are often added to water, detailed information on water content and water additives can be obtained from the city, county or private company that supplies the water. Second, since lead soldering materials were commonly used in many older homes, testing for lead in the water is something many home buyers should consider, especially when purchasing an older home.

The EPA’s Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water is a good general source of information on these issues. Results of water quality tests of public water systems in Colorado can be searched by system or county at this link on the EPA site.