How to make sure your house Is healthy

We do a lot to maintain our physical health: Check our blood pressure, eat nutritious foods and stay active But did you know that your home also needs a checkup from time to time to stay healthy?

Here are some things to consider, whether you’re buying or selling a house, renovating or building a new house.

Air contaminants

So many contaminants can affect the air we breathe indoors, possibly causing physical ailments such as asthma and even lung cancer. These are not one-and-done factors. Frequent monitoring and testing are important.

• Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide: Too much CO 2 can cause headaches and drowsiness, but its deadlier cousin, CO, can bring on flu-like symptoms, unconsciousness and even death. Make sure gas appliances are properly vented to the outside and consider installing monitors. CO 2 concentrations should be less than 1,000 parts per million (ppm) and CO no more than 75 ppm. Illinois requires carbon monoxide detectors in most dwelling units to prevent CO poisoning.

• Gas appliances: To the chagrin of chefs everywhere, gas cooktops have become identified as a hazard to indoor air quality. In addition to carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and benzene, which are linked to respiratory issues, are of concern, particularly for children and people with asthma. If you’re buying or renovating, consider an induction cooktop. If you’re cooking on a gas cooktop, use the exhaust fan and make sure it matches the output of gas fumes.

• Radon: This colorless, odorless radioactive gas is released when the naturally occurring uranium in soil and rock decays. You may be surprised to learn that it’s the second leading cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking. When buying a house, make sure it’s been tested for radon within the past year, and test every two years afterward. You can get a DIY testing kit at the hardware store, but you’ll likely need a mitigation specialist if the concentration of radon exceeds 4.0 pCi/L, which is comparable to smoking eight cigarettes a day or receiving 200 chest X-rays each year.

Hazards in construction materials

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are chemicals that evaporate from solids or liquids and enter the air as gases. They can be found in many products and processes, including paints and building materials. The chemical situation is much improved over the last couple of decades; low- or no-VOC paints are widely available, for example.

Lead is a well-known VOC, so if you’re renovating or buying a pre-1978 house, check for lead paint and, if it’s present, get a mitigation specialist. It’s not something to fool around with.

A lot of construction materials these days are engineered or glued — flooring, carpet and kitchen cabinets, to name a few. Working with reputable suppliers and installers helps ensure the components don’t contain VOCs.

Homes built after 1980 are less likely to contain cancer-causing asbestos in cement, floor tiles, insulation and pipes. But it was just last March when the Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule to prohibit the ongoing use of chrysotile asbestos. Again, if you suspect asbestos — which could be in vinyl floor tiles or even the glue — get an asbestos abatement specialist.

And if you are installing a quartz countertop, check with the manufacturer or supplier on whether their fabricating facilities are safe for their workers. Dust from the cutting and sanding of these materials has been known to cause mesothelioma in workers’ lungs if they’re not properly protected.

Water and mold — yikes!

When water goes where it shouldn’t be, mold might result. Breathing mold spores presents a serious health hazard.

Mold needs three different conditions to flourish: a temperature of 65 degrees or higher, water and something organic as food, such as wood or drywall. Put those three things together, and mold can start to grow within 24 hours. Even a hairline crack in the shower can be the start of a mold colony.

You can’t really “treat” mold. If you spray bleach on it, it may kill the spores temporarily but, as bleach is mostly water, they will likely return. Rather, moldy materials should be removed and disposed of as quickly as possible, preferably by someone who knows how to handle it. Then you need to get rid of the water source that’s causing mold to grow

Proper exterior maintenance will reduce the chance of water infiltration, and hence mold. Make sure gutters are clean to allow water to drain away from the house, and that windows and doors are properly against moisture. If you spot a leak, address it right away — before mold can take hold.

There’s one thing that will help with all of these issues: air circulation. Today’s houses are so tightly sealed with insulation and sealed windows and doors that fresh air can’t flow through. So if you’re building a new house, be sure to address ventilation with your builder or architect.

A healthy house will help keep you and your family healthy, too.

• Diana Melichar, www.MelicharArchitects.com, is an architect specializing in homes, businesses and public buildings. Contact her at Diana@MelicharArchitects.com.