Help Yourself to a
=T?; w r
— —i J nrt.-
Protect Your
Children's
Health
Inside: Indoor Air Quality • Asthma & Allergies • Mold & Moisture • Carbon Monoxide
Lead • Drinking Water • Hazardous Household Products • Pesticides • Home So/sty
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Help Yourself to a
Healthy Home
You want to take good care of your family. You try to eat healthy foods. You take
your children to the doctor for regular checkups. You try your best to protect
your family from accidents and illness. You want to live in a safe neighborhood
and home.
But did you know your home might have hidden dangers to your children's
health? Ask yourself:
Is the air in your home clean and healthy?
Do your children have breathing problems, like asthma?
Is someone in your home allergic to mold?
Do you know the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning?
Is there lead anywhere in your home?
Is your tap water safe to drink?
Do you have household products with chemicals in them that can make you sick?
Do you use bug spray or other products to keep away pests?
Do you keep poisons where your children can reach them?
The answers to questions like these will help you learn if your home is safe and
healthy. This booklet will make it easier to answer these and other important
questions about your home and how you live in it. It will also give you ideas
about how to protect your children's health. It is up to you to make sure your
home is a healthy home, but there are lots of places to go for help.
Table Of Contents
Introduction 2-5 Drinking Water 33-37
Indoor Air Quality 6-10 Hazardous Household Products 38-41
Asthma & Allergies 11-16 Pesticides 42-47
Mold & Moisture 17-22 Home Safety 48-54
Carbon Monoxide 23-28
Lead.. ..29-32
Index . ...55
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Why
Should You
Be Concerned?
Some of the most serious health problems for children may start at home. This
booklet explains some of these health concerns and what you can do about them.
Most people spend over 90% of their time indoors.
I
Indoor Air Quality
Is the air in your home healthy? The air
inside can be more harmful to your family's
health than the air outdoors. Air can be
unhealthy if it has too many pollutants. Indoor
air pollutants can be lots of things—from oven
cleaner to cigarette smoke to mold. It is not
always easy to tell if your home has unhealthy
air. You may notice bad smells or see smoke, but
you cannot see or smell other dangers, like carbon
monoxide or radon. This chapter will help you
leam if your home has healthy air. See page 6.
The number of children with asthma
has doubled in the past 10 years.
1 in 15 children under 18 years of
age have asthma.
Asthma 61 Allergies
Allergies and asthma are health problems that someone you live with smoke? Do you have
have a lot to do with the air you breathe. You pets? Is your basement damp? These may cause
and your children spend a lot of time at home, or add to breathing problems. To learn more
so the air inside needs to be clean. Does about asthma and allergies, see page 11.
Mold & Moisture
Other health and safety problems may come
from the air in your home too. Too much
dampness causes mold to grow. Some mold is
very harmful and some can make allergies or
asthma worse. See page 17 to find out more
about mold.
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Carbon Monoxide
If they are not working right, stoves and heaters
may cause a deadly gas called carbon monoxide to
build up. You cannot see or smell this danger, but
you can help keep your loved ones safe from
carbon monoxide poisoning. See page 23 to
learn more about how to protect your family from
carbon monoxide.
Lead
Can your children be poisoned by lead in your
home? Some house paint and water pipes contain
lead. This metal can poison your children. Most
problems with lead come from old paint. Lead was
also in gasoline and got into the soil and air from
car exhaust. It's not used in these ways any more.
There's still plenty of lead around though.
Lead can poison your children if they get it
into their mouths or breathe it in from the air.
If a pregnant woman gets lead in her body, it
can harm her unborn baby.
Lead poisoning can be a serious problem for
young children. It can cause problems with learn-
ing, growth, and behavior that last a lifetime.
Even small amounts of lead can harm children.
Turn to page 29 to find out about lead poisoning
in your home.
ne in 20 American children have
too much lead in their bodies.
Drinking Water
Is your drinking water safe? Do you know
where your drinking water comes from? If it
comes from your own well, you need to make
sure it is safe to drink. Have your water tested
every year to make sure it does not have chemicals
or other pollutants in it that can make your
family sick. There are things you can do to take
care of your well and keep the water clean. See
page 35 for ideas.
You may get your drinking water from a
water company or utility. They always test the
water before they pipe it to you to make sure it
is safe. You can ask the company or utility for
a report on what the tests found. Even if it is
o.k. at the water utility, water can still become
unsafe after it comes into your home. Look at
page 33 to see if your water is safe to drink.
95% of people living in rural
areas use private wells for their
drinking water.
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Hazardous Household Products
What harmful products do you have in your
home? Some products can harm your family's
health if you do not use them in the right way.
Common chemicals like bleach, rat poison,
paint strippers, and drain cleaners can be
dangerous. Children can poison themselves if
they get into products like these. Even very
small amounts of some chemicals can cause
health problems if you touch them or breathe
them in. Remember—if you spray or pump
something, it goes right into the air. When you
and your family breathe, those chemicals go
into your bodies. See page 38 to learn more
about how to use, store, and dispose of household
products.
L ^^MM^^^^^^^^^
Thousands of children die each year
from chemicals stored and used
improperly in the home.
Pesticides
Do you use pesticides in your home? Almost
every household uses pesticides. Bug spray, flea
powder, rat poison, and garden weed killer are
all types of pesticides. They have chemicals in
them that kill pests. This also means they may
harm you and your family. If you do not use
them safely, some pesticides may cause seri-
ous health problems—poisoning, birth defects,
nerve damage, and even cancer.
Your children can come into contact with
pesticides in many ways. You can take simple
steps to protect them from pesticides. See page
42 to see if you are using pesticides safely!
Nearly one-half of households with a
child under age five had pesticides
stored within reach of children.
Home Safety
Did you know that your chances of getting
hurt at home are much higher than they are at
work or school? The leading causes of death in
the home are falls, drowning, fires, poisoning,
suffocation, choking, and guns. Very young
children and older adults are the people most
likely to get hurt at home. It's important to
keep people's age in mind when thinking
about home safety.
Look at page 48 to find out if your home is a
safe place to live and how to make it even safer.
Each year, accidents in the home
hurt over six and a half
million people.
K-*ll*VI T*-1
rhut
I
i iiirf
-5-
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Why
Focus on
Children?
Everyone needs a healthy home. But there are
special reasons to think about children:
• Children's bodies are still growing. Their
young brains, livers, and other organs are
more likely to be harmed by chemicals
and other dangers than those of adults. If
children get sick, it may be harder for them
to get well because their immune systems
are still developing.
• For their size, children eat more food,
drink more water, and breathe more air
than adults do. When they get lead in
their bodies or breathe in harmful gases,
they get a bigger dose than adults would.
• Children play and crawl on the ground.
That means they are closer to many things
that might cause health problems, like
dust and chemicals. Babies and young
children also put most everything in their
mouths—things that might have chemicals
or lead dust on them.
Children depend on adults to make
their homes safe1.
How to use this booklet...
his booklet asks questions about your home and how you live in it. By answering
them, you can find out if your home is healthy or if you need to make some changes.
There are nine chapters in this booklet. Every chapter gives information about a topic,
asks questions about it, and gives you simple Action Steps to protect your children's
health. At the end of each chapter, you will find out where to get more help.
it's up to you—Help Yourself to a Healthy Home1.
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Indoor Air Quality
Should You Be Concerned?
Most people spend at least half of their lives
inside their homes. The air inside can be
more harmful to your family's health than the
air outdoors. Is the air in your home safe to breathe?
It is not always easy to tell if your home has poor air
quality. You may notice bad smells or see smoke, but
you cannot see or smell other dangers, like carbon
monoxide or radon. This chapter and those on asthma
and allergies, mold, and carbon monoxide will help
you ask the right questions to find out if the air inside
your home is healthy and safe. They will also give you
ideas about how to fix any problems you might find.
The air in your home
can be unhealthy if
it has too many
pollutants in it. To cut
down on indoor air
pollution, learn where
it comes from. Take
good care of your
home to keep it healthy*
Children can spend up
to 90% of their time
indoors, for their size,
children breathe up to
twice as much air as
adults. That means
children are at greater
risk for health problems
that come from indoor
air pollution.
Asthma and Allergies
If someone in your home has health problems or is
ill, polluted indoor air can make them feel worse. For
example, asthma is a lung disease that affects a growing
number of children. Indoor air pollution can make it
worse. Insects and other pests can also be a real problem
for people with asthma or allergies. For example,
cockroach and dust mite droppings cause asthma
attacks in some people. Pesticides can help fight these
pests but they can be dangerous. See page 44 for more
information about using bug spray and other pesticides
safely. See page 11 to find out about making your
home healthier for people with asthma or allergies.
Mold
Mold grows in wet or damp places. It often smells
musty. Many people are allergic to mold. Some kinds
of mold are toxic, and coming into contact with large
amounts of mold may cause health problems. Talk to
a doctor if you think mold is causing health problems
for you or your family. See page 17 to learn more
about how to control mold in your home.
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is a deadly gas that can come from
appliances that bum gas, oil, coal, or wood, and are not
working as they should. Car exhaust also has carbon
monoxide. You cannot see, taste or smell carbon
monoxide. See page 23 for more information on how
to protect your family from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Other Indoor Air Problems
Radon is another gas. It can get into some homes
from the ground below them. You cannot see, taste,
or smell radon. Radon is found all over the United
States. Radon can cause lung cancer. In fact, it is the
second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. If you
smoke and your home has high levels of radon, your
risk of lung cancer is especially high.
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Indoor Air Quality
Sometimes indoor air pollution comes
from what people do in their home.
• Tobacco smoking causes cancer and other major
health problems. It's unsafe for children to be around
smokers. Second-hand or environmental tobacco
smoke can raise children's risk of ear infections and
breathing problems. It can trigger asthma attacks, too.
• Many families have pets. However, furry pets
cause problems for some people. Pets can make
asthma and allergies act up, especially if you
keep them in sleeping areas.
• Hobbies and home projects sometimes
involve sanding, painting, welding, or
using solvent chemicals, like varnish or
paint strippers. (A solvent is a chemical
that can dissolve something else.
Solvents are usually liquid.) Home
projects can pollute the air with dust
or harmful chemicals.
Sometimes indoor air pollution
comes from what people have
in their homes.
• Some household products, especially
those with solvents, can pollute the
air if you don't use them in the right
way. (See page 38 for more information
about household products.)
• New furniture, carpets, and building
products may give off chemicals that
were used in their making. Some of these chemicals
can harm people, especially children.
• If your home was built before 1978, the paint may
have lead in it. Lead is very dangerous for young
children. See page 29 to learn about protecting
your children from lead poisoning.
There are simple, but important steps you can take
to find out what is causing poor air quality. The
questions on the next page can help you find
problems around your home. Page 9 will give you
ideas of what to do. Look at the chapters on asthma
and allergies, mold, and carbon monoxide to learn
more about indoor air problems. Remember, making
your home a safer, healthier place to live may mean
taking several steps.
Combustion appliances are one possible
source of air pollution.
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Indoor Air Quality
Questions to Ask
YOMF Famify's Health
• Does anyone in your family
have asthma or allergies?
• Does a family
member notice
burning eyes,
coughing, or
sneezing that
happens most
often while at home?
• Does anyone in your home have chronic bronchitis
or another lung disease?
Radon
• Have you ever tested your home for radon?
• Do any of your neighbors have problems with radon
gas? If so, you might also have a radon problem.
Living in a Healthy Home
• Do some areas in your home smell damp or musty?
• Have you seen cockroaches in your home?
• Do you know how to safely run and take
care of your fuel-burning appliances?
• Do you allow smoking in your home?
• Do you have furry pets in your
home? In the bedrooms?
• Do you read the label on
household products, and follow the
directions for using them safely?
Do you open windows
or turn on fans when
doing hobbies or
projects that make
dust or odors?
Do you try to do
dusty or smelly
projects outdoors?
Do you choose
furniture, carpet,
and building
products that are
made with non-toxic
chemicals and
materials? These are sometimes called green
building products.
Does your home ever smell musty, damp, smoky,
or like chemicals?
Does your home seem stuffy or stale? Can you
smell cooking odors the next day?
Do your bathroom and kitchen have exhaust
fans—do you use them?
1
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Indoor Air Quality
ACTION STEPS
Be sure to check the Action Steps in the
chapters on asthma and allergies, mold,
and carbon monoxide. You will find good sug-
gestions for cutting down on pollution in your
home and making the air healthier.
Test Your Home for Radon
You can buy low cost radon test kits ,
at hardware or home supply stores. Or
call your local or state health department
for more information.
Living in a Healthy Home
• Do not smoke in your home or car.
Never smoke near your children.
• Pay attention to housekeeping. Taking
care of food and spills right away
keeps bugs and pests away. A clean
home is a healthier home.
• Open windows or use
fans to let in fresh air
whenever someone
uses chemicals
in the home or
garage.
• Ask the sales-
person to unroll
new carpet
and let it air
out for at
least one
day
before
bringing it into your home. Put in
carpet during a season when you can open
windows for several days afterwards. Vacuum
old carpet well before you remove it to
keep down dust.
• Let new furniture and building
materials air out for a few days
before bringing them inside. Before
buying new things for your home,
ask for products made with non-
toxic chemicals and materials.
Sometimes non-toxic or
green building products cost
more money. You need to
decide if the cost is worth
it to protect the
health of your family.
Keep pets out of bed-
rooms and living areas.
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Indoor Air Quality
When In Doubt, Check It Out!
US Environmental Protection Agency Indoor Air
Quality Home Page—www.epa.gov/iaq
Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse
(IAQ INFO) 800/438-4318 (Monday to Friday,
9:00 a.m - 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time) or email:
iaqinfo@aol.com
National Pvadon Information Hotline
800/SOS PxADON (800/767-7236)
The National Consumer Federation's Pvadon
Website—www.radonfrxit.org
National Lead Information Center 800/LEAD INFO
(800/532-3394)
National Hispanic Indoor Air Quality Hotline
800/SALUD-12 (800/725-8312), Monday to Friday,
9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time
American Lung Association. Contact your local
organization, call 800/LUNG-USA (800/586-4872)
or visit the web at www.lungusa.org
Contact Healthy Indoor Air for America's Homes
at 406/994-3451 or www.healthyindoorair.org
For information on green building materials,
contact The Healthy House Institute at
www.hhinst.com or 812/332-5073
Home*A*Syst: An Environmental Risk Assessment
Guide for the Home contains information about
indoor air quality and other healthy home topics.
608/262-0024 or www.uwex.edu/homeasyst
Notes
This chapter was written by Kathleen Parrott, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. ©2002 University of Wisconsin Extension. All rights reserved.
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Asthma 61 Allergies
Should You Be Concerned?
More than eight million children in the United
States have a disease called asthma. Asthma is
a leading reason that children miss school or
end up in the hospital. Asthma makes it hard for people
to breathe. Sometimes people even die from asthma.
This disease has no cure yet, but it can be controlled.
Another 40 to 50 million people have allergies. Allergies
can also make it hard for people to breathe. An allergy
is an unusual reaction to something, like a food or a
plant, which is normally harmless. Common signs of
allergies are a stuffy or runny nose, itching, or a rash.
This section will help you ask the right questions to
find out how to make your home a safer, healthier
place for people with asthma or allergies.
What Happens During an Asthma
Attack?
Asthma flare-ups are called asthma attacks. During an
attack, the breathing tubes in your lungs, called bronchi
and bronchioles, get smaller. During an asthma attack:
• The breathing tubes in your lungs swell up
• The muscles around these tubes tighten
• The tubes make large amounts of a thick fluid
called mucus
You cannot catch asthma. It does run in families
though. If someone in your family has it, you or your
children may too. The number of asthma cases is
growing, and more people die frorn' it every year.
/
These deaths do not need to happeto.
Bronchus
Aveoli
Bronchiole
Warning Signs of an Asthma Attack:
• Tightness in the chest
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Coughing
People with asthma who learn to spot the early signs
of an attack can take medicine right away. This may
make the attack less severe.
If someone is having a severe
asthma attack, get him or her to a
hospital emergency room right away. Some
signs of a severe attack:
• The person's asthma rescue or inhaler
medicine doesn't help within 15 minutes
• The person's lips or fingernails are blue
• The person has trouble walking or talking
due to shortness of breath
The most important thing to know about
asthma is that you can control it. Asthma
patients (or their parents) who learn what
medicine to take and what triggers attacks
can avoid them most of the time. That means
people with asthma can lead normal lives.
Many types of medicine can treat asthma.
Keep in mind that no one medicine works
best for everyone. You and your doctor have
to work together to find the best medicine.
Remember, it may take a while to find just
the right kinds. Also, you must take the time
to find out what sets off an attack.
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Asthma & Allergies
Asthma Triggers
No one knows what causes asthma. Lots of things set
off asthma attacks, though. These things are called
triggers. Some people have only one or two triggers.
Other people have many.
Some triggers are things to which people are often
allergic. Common ones are pollen (from trees and
flowers) and dander (skin flakes from cats, dogs, and
other pets). Also, some people are allergic
to pests such as roaches, rodents, or
dust mites. Dust mites are tiny
spiders that you can't see.
They live everywhere—in
carpets, upholstered
furniture, stuffed
animals, and bedding.
Cigarette smoke is
another common
trigger of asthma
attacks. Other trig-
gers have nothing
to do with allergies—
cold weather, exercise,
or strong feelings
(laughing, crying).
Other Common Asthma Triggers
• Dust
• Mold
• Cleaning products like furniture polish or
dusting sprays
• Personal care products like hair spray or perfume
• Flu, colds
There are two main types of
asthma medicine.
One kind you (or your child) take
regularly to make the lungs less
sensitive to the things that cause
asthma attacks. It is important
to take this medicine as pre-
scribed, even if you feel o.k. It
usually takes a couple of weeks
to work. The other type is called rescue medicine.
You take this during an attack to help open up
your breathing tubes so you can breathe better.
Some "everyday" asthma medicines are steroids.
Some people may worry about them because they
have heard stories about athletes who use steroids
in the wrong way. Asthma steroids are not the same.
Side effects of asthma steroids are also rare. Asthma
patients usually breathe these medicines right into
their lungs, so they only need a small dose.
-12-
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Asthma & Allergies
Allergies
Common signs of allergies include runny or stuffy
noses, coughing, hives, itching, a rash, or puffy eyes.
Allergies can be deadly for some people. When sensitive
people come in contact with something they're very
allergic to, like peanuts, their blood pressure drops,
their breathing tubes swell up, and they can die from
lack of air. The good news is that allergies can be
treated. If you have allergies, it's important to find out
what causes them and how to take care of them. A
doctor can test you to find out. People with severe
allergies may need to carry emergency medicine.
Common Allergens
An allergen is something that causes allergy signs, or an
allergic reaction. Many of the asthma triggers listed on
page 12 also cause allergic reactions in people who don't
have asthma. There are many other allergens too. Some
common ones are listed here. It's important to talk to
your doctor if you have had a reaction to any of these:
• Foods: milk and dairy products, citrus fruit like
oranges and lemons, artificial colors and flavors,
nuts, and shellfish like shrimp or clams.
• Medicines: penicillin, some heart medicines, and
some anti-seizure medicines.
• Insect stings and bites: most are caused by yellow
jackets, honeybees, paper wasps, hornets and fire
ants. In some people, reactions to stings become
more serious as years go by. Eventually, only one
sting may kill. Talk to your doctor if you have had a
serious reaction to a sting.
• Contact allergens: cause reactions when things like
plants, cosmetics, jewelry, or latex (a type of rubber)
touch the skin. Rashes are common reactions to
these allergens.
Look at the questions on the following pages to help
you find problems around your home that may make
asthma and allergies worse. Pages 14 and 15 will give you
ideas about how to keep your family healthy and safe.
Questions to Ask
Does anyone in your family have asthma or allergies?
Does someone in your family notice burning eyes,
coughing, or sneezing that
happens most often
at home?
Does your home have
carpet that is
not cleaned
well or
not cleaned
often?
Do you have
carpeting, stuffed toys, or fleecy materials in
bedrooms?
How often do you wash sheets, blankets, and
other bedding?
Do you store food in containers or boxes that don't
have covers?
Do you keep pets inside?
Has it been more than a year since you had your
furnace, flues, and chimneys inspected and cleaned?
Does anyone smoke inside your home?
Is your home damp or musty?
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Asthma & Allergies
AC ION SI PS
Pay Attention to
Asthma and Allergies
Know what triggers your or your children's
asthma or allergies. Talk to a doctor or nurse
about keeping emergency medicine around if
your asthma or allergies are severe. If someone
you love takes asthma or allergy medications
make sure they know when to take it.
Healthy Housekeeping
Clean your home often. Since cleaning puts dust
into the air, have someone without asthma or
allergies do it. Wear a dust mask if you can't
find somebody else to clean. You can buy one
at a drug store.
Keep clutter down. Clutter collects dust and
makes it harder to keep a clean home. Store
your belongings in plastic or cardboard boxes
instead of keeping them in piles or stacks. You
can move the boxes to make cleaning easier.
When possible, don't have carpeting or rugs. Hard
floors (vinyl, wood, or tile) are much easier to
keep dust-free. If you do have rugs or carpet,
vacuum often. You may be able to borrow or
buy a vacuum with a special HEPA (High
Efficiency Particle Air) filter to get rid of dust.
Call your local or state health department for
more information.
Keep Down Dust Mites
Use zippered plastic mattress and pillow
covers beneath sheets and pillowcases.
You can buy them at your local
department store or through the mail.
If the mattress cover is uncomfortable,
put a mattress pad over it.
Wash bedding, including blankets, pillow covers,
and mattress pads in hot water every week.
Temperatures above 130°F kill dust mites.
Control Other Pests
Roaches and rodents can trigger asthma and
allergies. They need food, water, warmth, and
shelter to survive. You can control roaches,
mice, and other pests by making these things
hard to get. (See the chapter on pesticides on
page 42 to learn more about how to handle
pests.) Here are some tips to keep pests away:
• Store food in tightly sealed containers.
• Clean up crumbs and spills right away.
• Empty your garbage often.
• Wash your dirty dishes right after eating.
• Don't leave out pet food or water overnight.
• Fix plumbing leaks and drips.
• Seal cracks where roaches and other bugs
hide or get into your home.
-14-
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Asthma & Allergies
ACTIO N STE PS continued
Pets
Furry pets like dogs, cats, and gerbils can cause
asthma and allergy attacks because of their
saliva and skin flakes. It is best to either not
have pets or keep them outside. If you do have
pets inside, make sure to keep them out of
sleeping areas and off fabric-covered furniture.
Check your Appliances
Make sure your gas appliances, fireplace, furnace,
or wood-burning stove have yearly checkups
to keep down soot (and protect you from the
dangers of carbon monoxide. See page 26 for
more information.)
Check the filter on your furnace or air
conditioner a couple times each year.
Change when needed. Think about
buying filters that cost a little more
than the most economical ones. They
will clean the air in your home better.
They trap more dust so you will need
to change them more often. You can
buy air filters at a hardware
store. Check labels and / t=>*^~
packaging to find
out about
these
products.
If you
rent, talk
to your
landlord
about
these
steps.
Smoking
Cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoke causes
health problems, especially for people
with asthma. It is best to quit smoking
(contact the American Lung
Association at 1-800-LUNG-
USA for help). Otherwise,
smoke outside and away
from children. Don't
light up in your car,
because smoke will
linger there and affect
children.
Mold
When people breathe in mold, it can cause
allergies and asthma to act up. Mold needs
water to grow. Keep your home dry to control
mold. That will also help with roaches and
dust mites. See the chapter on mold on page 17
for more information.
Air cleaners may help in the bedrooms
of allergy and asthma patients.
Good air cleaners (with HEPA filters) cost
about $100 or so. DO NOT use
an air cleaner that makes ozone because
ozone can cause health problems.
-15-
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Asthma & Allergies
When In Doubt, Check It Out!
Your local county Extension Office
—look in your telephone book
Your local or state health department
—look in your telephone book
American Lung Association, 800/LUNG-USA
—www.lungusa.org
The Soap and Detergent Association
Cleaning to Control Allergies and Asthma
202/347-2900—www.cleaningl01.com/house
• Healthy Indoor Air for America's Homes
406/994-3451—www.montana.edu/wwwcxair
• The Allergy & Asthma Network: Mothers of Asthmatics
800/878-4403—www.aanma.org
• The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN)
800/929-4040—www.foodallergy.org
Notes
This chapter was written by Joseph Ponessa, Rutgers University Extension. ©2002 University of Wisconsin Extension. All Rights Reserved.
-16-
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Mold & Moisture
Should You Be Concerned?
Most of us have seen mold or moisture around
the home. But did you know that mold is
alive? It grows on wet or damp surfaces. It is
often gray or black but can also be white, orange, or
green. It can grow out in the open, on places like
walls, clothes, and appliances. But you may also find
it in more hidden places—under carpets or in walls
and attics. Mold often smells musty. Mildew is a
common kind of mold. If you live near the ocean or
in a damp climate, there may be more mold in your
home than in homes in other places.
Mold produces "spores," tiny specks you can't see and
that float through the air. When you breathe in mold
spores, they get into your lungs. This can cause health
problems. People with allergies to mold may have
reactions. They include watery eyes, runny or stuffed
up noses, sneezing, itching, wheezing, trouble breathing,
headaches, and tiredness. Mold can even trigger
asthma attacks.
We are learning more about the health problems
mold causes. Some molds can cause severe health
problems in some people, but scientists disagree about
what the problems are. Mold is almost everywhere, but
it is not healthy to live where mold is growing.
Because mold needs moisture to grow, try to keep
your home and everything in it dry. Here are some
places you might find mold:
• In bathrooms, especially around the shower or tub,
and on the walls, ceiling, or floor
• In wet or damp basements and crawl spaces
• Around leaky bathroom and kitchen sinks
• In attics under leaking roofs
• On wet clothes that are not dried quickly
• On windows and walls where condensation collects
• In closets
• Under wallpaper or carpet
• In your air conditioner
It's important to fix any moisture problem in your
home right away. Mold can grow fast, so it's best not
to wait. To stop mold from growing, quickly dry or
throw away anything that has gotten wet.
-17-
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Mold & Moisture
Questions to Ask
How is your Family's Health?
• Does anyone have allergies or asthma?
• Does anyone in your home always seem to have
a cold—a runny nose, wheezing, coughing, and
headaches?
• Do these problems go away when they leave home
for a while?
• Are there infants, children, or elderly people living
in the household?
How Can You Tell if Mold is Growing
in Vour Home?
• Can you see mold growing anywhere?
• Is there mildew growing on clothes or towels?
• Does any part of your house or
apartment smell musty or moldy?
• Do you see color changes on
walls or floors that you can't
wipe off?
Is There Moisture in
Your Home That Could
Cause Mold to Grow?
• Has any part of your home been
flooded?
• Has there been a water leak or
overflow?
• Has the carpet gotten wet and
stayed damp for more than 24
hours?
• Can you see moisture on walls,
ceilings, or windows?
• Do bathroom walls stay damp
for a long time after a bath or
shower?
• Do basement floor drains ever get clogged and
hold water?
• Does your basement or roof leak when it rains?
(Check the attic floor.)
• Does anyone use a humidifier?
• Does water collect in the drain pan under the
refrigerator or air conditioner?
• Do you use unvented space heaters?
• Is there a crawl space under the house?
• Do you live in a humid climate?
• Does rainwater drain toward your home's foundation?
• If your home is raised, does water pool under it?
• Does the air in your home feel clammy or humid?
-18-
-------
Mold & Moisture
AC ION SI PS
Keep surfaces clean and dry—wipe up spills
and overflows right away.
Store clothes and towels clean and dry—do
not let them stay wet in the laundry basket
or washing machine.
Don't leave water in drip pans, basements,
and air conditioners.
Check the relative humidity in your home.
You can buy a kit to do this at a home
electronics or hardware store. Stop using
your humidifier if the relative humidity is
more than 50%.
If the humidity is high, don't keep a lot of
houseplants.
Wipe down shower walls with a squeegee
or towel after bathing or showering.
Cut down on steam in the bathroom while
bathing or showering. Run a fan that is
vented to the outside or open a
window.
Run a fan vented to the outside
when cooking.
If you have a dryer,
make sure it is vented
to the outside.
Use a
dehumidifier
or air
conditioner
to dry out damp areas.
If you use a humidifier, rinse it out with
water every day. Every few days, follow the
manufacturer's directions for cleaning it or
rinse it out with a mix of 1/2 cup chlorine
bleach (Sometimes called sodium hypochlorite.
"Clorox" is one brand.) and one gallon
of water.
When you use your air conditioner, use the
"auto fan" setting.
Throw away wet carpeting, cardboard
boxes, insulation, or other things that have
been very wet for more than two days.
Increase airflow in problem areas—open
closet doors and move furniture away from
outside walls where mold is growing. Move
your furniture around once in a while.
Prevent moisture from collecting on windows
by using storm windows. If you live in an
apartment, talk to your landlord about
putting on storm windows.
• Keep people with asthma or allergies
away from damp areas of your home.
Use downspouts to direct rainwater
away from the house. Make sure your
gutters are working.
Slope the dirt away from your house's
foundation. Make sure the dirt is lower
six feet away from the house than it is
next to it.
Repair leaking roofs, walls, doors,
or windows.
• Cover window
wells if they
leak.
-19-
-------
Mold & Moisture
ACTIO N STE PS
• After cleaning up mold, using a high efficiency
(HEPA) vacuum or air cleaner may help to
get rid of mold spores in the air. You may be
able to borrow a HEPA vacuum. Call your
local or state health department to ask.
• If you find an area of mold greater than 15
square feet, it's best to hire a professional to
get rid of it. (You can find them listed in
the telephone book under "Fire and Water
Damage Restoration.") Remove small
children, people with long-term illnesses,
and older people from the home until it
is cleaned up.
• Clean up mold with a mix of laundry
detergent or dishwashing soap and water
OR chlorine bleach with soap and water.
Do not mix chlorine bleach with any
product that contains ammonia.
• If you think mold may be causing you
or your family health problems, see
a doctor.
How do I Clean Up
Mold?
Protect yourself when cleaning up
mold. Wear long sleeves and pants,
shoes and socks, rubber gloves, and
goggles to protect your eyes. Open a window to
let in fresh air while you're working.
Throw away things like carpet or
mattresses, wallboard (drywall), ceiling tile,
insulation, or cardboard boxes that have been
wet for more than two days. Wrap
anything you're going to throw away in plastic
to stop mold from spreading. Cleaning up
mold puts the spores in the air so it's a good
idea to wear a respirator. Keep small children,
elderly and sick people,
and anyone with
allergies or asthma
away during
cleanup.
-20-
-------
Mold & Moisture
ACTIO N STE PS
Clean hard surfaces with a mix of laundry
detergent or dishwashing soap and water. You
may have to scrub with a brush. Rinse the area
with clean water and dry quickly by wiping
away the water and using a fan. Chlorine
bleach will kill mold growing on surfaces. It
does not kill mold spores in the air and dead
mold can still cause allergic reactions. If you
use bleach, follow these steps:
• Scrub the surface first with water and
detergent.
• Water down the chlorine bleach—use about
one cup bleach to ten cups of water.
• Spray or sponge the bleach on the moldy
area. Leave it on about 15 minutes, then
rinse the area and dry quickly.
• Never mix chlorine bleach with products
that contain ammonia or acids because you
will make a deadly gas.
• Keep chlorine bleach out of the reach of
pets and children.
• Remember, chlorine bleach takes the color
out of most fabrics and rugs. Be careful not
to spill or splash.
The Cooperative Extension Service or your
local or state health department can provide
more information on mold. Renters should
talk to their landlords. Some home insurance
policies will pay to fix mold damage. Fire and
Water Damage Restoration professionals can
help you fix the damage. Cleaning up a big
mold problem may cost several hundred dollars
or more.
What About Testing for Mold?
You may have heard about so-called "toxic"
molds that can cause severe health problems.
This may cause worry if you know that mold
is growing in your home. See your doctor if
you think mold is causing health problems for
you or your family. Many experts agree that
health problems come more from the length
of time you've been in contact with the mold
and the amount of mold in your home than
the type of mold in your home.
No matter what kind of mold you have, you
need to get rid of it and fix the moisture
problems that made it grow. Most experts
think it's better to spend your time and money
on cleaning up the problem than testing. So
act quickly to get rid of the mold and moisture
by following the action steps in this chapter.
-21-
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Mold & Moisture
When In Doubt, Check It Out!
Your local county Extension Office
—look in your telephone book
Your local or state health department
—look in your telephone book
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
—www.epa.gov/iaq
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
—www.cdc.gov/nceh/asthma/factsheets/molds
• California Indoor Air Quality Program
—www.cal-iaq.org//iaqsheet.htm
• The Health House—www.healthhouse.org
• Healthy Indoor Air for America's Homes
406/994-3451—www.montana.edu/wwwcxair
Notes
This chapter was written by Marilyn Bode, Extension Specialist, Iowa State University. ©2002 University of Wisconsin Extension. All Rights Reserved.
-22-
-------
Carbon Monoxide
Should You Be Concerned?
You can't see, taste, feel, or smell carbon monoxide
(CO). However, this deadly gas can make you
very sick or even kill you. Over 5,000 people in
the United States die every year after breathing too
much CO. The signs of CO poisoning seem like the
flu. Many people don't even know they've been
breathing in CO. People who survive can suffer brain
damage, lose their sight or hearing, or have heart
problems. It is a major threat to your family's health.
The good news is that you can prevent CO poisoning.
This section will help you ask the right questions to
find out if the air in your home is safe and healthy.
There can be so much CO in a burning building that
breathing smoke for as little as one minute can kill
you. Lower levels, such as from smoking, do not
kill right away. They can cause many other health
problems though. Children, unborn babies, people
with asthma, older adults, or people with
heart or lung problems are more likely to get
hurt from breathing CO. But remember, CO
harms even healthy people.
Where Does CO Come From?
Fuel-burning appliances use gas, oil, or wood
to produce heat. If they are not working right,
they can make CO. Most gas appliances that
have been put in and taken care of properly
are safe and make very little CO. Electric
appliances do not burn fuel and so make no
CO. Common sources of CO include:
• Gas and oil furnaces, boilers, and water
heaters
• Wood-burning fireplaces and stoves
• Gas appliances like ovens, stoves, or dryers
• Gas and kerosene space heaters
• Gas and charcoal grills
• Cars, trucks, campers, tractors, and other vehicles
• Gasoline and liquid propane (LP)-powered small
equipment, including lawn mowers, snow blowers,
chainsaws, pressure washers, and electric generators
• Recreational vehicles, including boat motors, all
terrain vehicles (ATVs), ski-boats, and generators in
campers and houseboats
• Tobacco smoke
• House fires
• Blocked chimneys and flues
-23-
-------
Carbon Monoxide
Breathing in low levels of CO can
hurt your brain, heart, or other
parts of your body. At high levels,
the brain is so short of oxygen
that you cannot think clearly. You
lose control of your muscles and
may be unable to move to safety.
High-level CO poisoning can
cause loss of consciousness,
coma, and death.
There are simple but important
steps to take to find out if your
family is at risk for CO poisoning.
The questions on the following
page will help you do that. Page 27
will give you ideas of what to do
to keep the air in your home
safe to breathe.
What are the Signs of CO
Poisoning?
People often think CO poisoning
is the flu. That's because it can
feel like the flu. Signs of low-level
CO poisoning may include:
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Tiredness
• Weakness
• Sleepiness
• Tightness in the chest
• Trouble breathing
CO and Smoking
If you smoke, you breathe in carbon
monoxide and many other chemicals
If you smoke indoors, people around
you also breathe the smoke (called sec-
ond-hand or environmental tobacco
smoke). Smoking can make minor
health problems worse and cause
major diseases like cancer and heart
disease. If you need help quitting,
contact the American Lung
Association at
1-800-LUNG-USA.
-24-
-------
Carbon Monoxide
Questions to Ask
Do you sometimes use charcoal grills
or small gasoline engines inside your
home, garage, or closed-in porch?
Do you have an attached garage?
Do you sometimes warm up your car
inside the garage?
Has it been more than one year since
you or your landlord had your furnace,
fireplace, wood stove, or chimney
inspected or cleaned?
Do you ever use a gas or kerosene space
heater or a vent-free gas fireplace?
Does your home have a carbon
monoxide alarm?
Do you ever use the kitchen stove or
oven to heat your home?
Do you sometimes forget to turn on
the kitchen exhaust fan when using the
oven?
Do some of the burners on the kitchen
stove burn yellow or orange? *
Does smoke from the fireplace some-
times come back into the room?
Are your appliances and furnace in
good shape?
Are the vent pipes for your furnace, boiler, or water
heater rusty or falling apart?*
Do you have a gas water heater that does
not have a vent? *
Is there rust, soot, or dirt on your
furnace, boiler, or water heater?*
Is your furnace or boiler over ten years old?*
• Have you weather-stripped doors and windows
or insulated your home? *
• Have you closed off vent or combustion
air openings?*
See the Safety Checklist on page 26
-25-
-------
Carbon Monoxide
ACTION STEPS
• Never use charcoal grills or run engines inside
your home, garage, or basement even for a
short time. Charcoal grills and small gasoline
engines make a lot of carbon monoxide.
Even opening all the windows and doors will
not give you enough fresh air to prevent
CO poisoning.
• Never warm up a vehicle inside the garage.
Warming up your car, truck, or motorcycle on
a cold day for just a couple of minutes (even
with the garage door open) can make enough
CO to make you sick. Start lawnmowers, snow
blowers, and other yard equipment outdoors.
• Have a heating contractor check your furnace,
chimneys, and other sources of CO every fall
to make sure everything is okay. (You can find
one in the telephone book.) Make sure they
use a tool that measures CO. To get harmful
gases out of a home, many heating appliances
have chimneys. (Chimneys on gas appliances
are called vents). The chimney carries CO and
other gases from the appliance outdoors. If
your appliances and vents are working right
there should be little CO. If you rent, ask your
landlord to have the heating system checked.
• Make sure chimneys are in good shape—
clean and working right. Have your chimney,
wood-burning fireplace, or wood stove swept
every year. Burning wood nearly always
makes a lot of CO. It is very important that
all the smoke goes out the chimney.
• If you use unvented kerosene or gas heaters
OR a vent-free gas fireplace, follow instructions
carefully and open a window for fresh air.
Do not use them while sleeping.
Safety
Checklist
If you answered yes to any of the starred
questions on page 25 pay special attention
to this checklist. Remember, putting in and
taking care of heating appliances like stoves
and furnaces can be dangerous. Only trained
and qualified workers should do this.
• Turn off an appliance or heater that
starts making different noises, smells
funny, starts sooting, has a different-
looking flame, or does not seem to be
working right. Call a heating contractor
for repairs.
• Read and follow the instructions that
came with your appliance or unvented
gas heater.
• Provide good ventilation for all heating
appliances.
• Keep all wood, paper, doth, and furniture
away from heating appliances.
• Don't block an appliance's air openings.
• Have all appliances checked every year
by a qualified heating contractor.
• Ask the contractor to check for carbon
monoxide and look at the vent (chimney)
system W^SS^j^ \
• If you insulate and weather-strip your
home, call a heating contractor to make
sure there is still enough ventilation.
f you smell gas or if the smoke detector
or the carbon monoxide alarm goes off,
leave the building right away and call 9-1-1.
-26-
-------
Carbon Monoxide
ACTIO N STE PS
• Put carbon monoxide alarms near each
sleeping area and on each floor of your
home. (Older models are called carbon
monoxide detectors.) You can find them at
your local hardware, discount, outlet, or
building supply store for $20 to $50.
• Never use the kitchen stove or oven to heat
your home.
• Always turn on the kitchen exhaust fan
when using the oven.
• Have the kitchen stove fixed before using it
if the flames burn orange or yellow.
• Don't use a smoking fireplace until you fix
the problem.
Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Carbon monoxide (CO) alarms will help
protect you and your family from sickness or
death. A good alarm will make a loud noise
when CO levels become too high. There are
plug-in and battery operated alarms. Look on
the package to make sure the alarm is okayed
by a qualified testing laboratory, such as
Underwriters Laboratory (UL). Check the
batteries on a battery-operated alarm every six
months. Every home should have at least one
alarm. It's best to put one near each sleeping
area and on each level of the home. Carbon
monoxide alarms do not take the place of
checking and taking good care of your home's
furnace, fireplace, or space heaters.
If someone in your family shows signs of CO
poisoning or if a CO alarm goes off:
• Get outside right away.
• Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number
from a phone outside your home.
• See a doctor or nurse right away. See a doctor
or nurse even if you feel better after breathing
fresh air. They can check your blood and
breath for CO and tell if you need more
medical care.
• Treat all alarm soundings as an emergency.
Never ignore an alarm sounding!
• Have your home checked out by a qualified
heating contractor. You can find one in the
telephone book.
• Don't go back home until all problems have
been fixed.
-27-
-------
Carbon Monoxide
When In Doubt, Check It Out!
Your local county Extension Office
—look in your telephone book
Your local or state health department
—look in your telephone book
Iowa State University Cooperative Extension
—www.extension.iastate/edu/pages/co/col.html
The Consumer Products Safety Commission
800/638-2772—www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/466.html
• The American Lung Association, 800/LUNG-USA
—www.lungusa.org/air/carbon_facstsheet99.html
• Healthy Indoor Air for America's Homes
406/994-3451—www.montana.edu/wwwcxair/
Notes
This chapter was written by Thomas Greiner, Iowa State University Cooperative Extension. ©2002 University of Wisconsin Extension. All Rights Reserved.
-28-
-------
Lead
Should You Be Concerned?
ead poisoning is one of the most serious health
threats for children in and around the home.
^^Your children can be poisoned if they get lead in
their bodies. Lead may cause learning and behavior
problems. It may damage hearing and the nervous
system, including the brain.
Where Does Lead Come From?
Lead was used in paint, water pipes, gasoline, pottery,
and other places. Even though this metal is not used
as much anymore, it still remains in places it was used.
The paint on your walls and windowsills may have
lead in it. Household dust (from old, worn paint)
may have lead in it. Your drinking water may have
lead in it from your water pipes or the solder that
joins pipes together. Even the soil outside your home
may have lead in it.
It is very important to find out if your home has lead
in or around it. There are tests that will let you know
and they don't cost a lot.
How Can Lead Poison your Child?
There are many ways. Young children put their hands
and everything else in their mouths, so they can eat
the dust or chips of lead-based paint without knowing
it. Even bits of paint too small to see can come off
windows, doors, and walls, creating lead dust. Children
who crawl on the floor, put toys in their mouths, or play
in soil around their home or daycare can be poisoned.
Children with too much lead in their bodies may not
look or feel sick. A simple blood test is the only way
to know if your child is being exposed to lead. Ask your
doctor or health care provider to test your child for lead.
Lead paint that is in good shape is not an immediate
problem. It may be a risk in the future though.
Laws have been passed to ban lead in household
paint, gasoline and water pipes. However, many older
homes still have lead in them. Finding out if lead is a
problem in your home is the first step in protecting
your children's health. The questions on the next
page can help.
T* i. v -_~. . •,
V £1 . .:'.-•, -'••;
V -C-:;•:.. -,' J
One out of every nine American children
has too much lead in their bodies. The rate
of lead poisoning is even higher in cities.
Dust from lead paint is the biggest
threat to young children.
-29-
-------
Lead
Questions to Ask
Do you live in an older home? Many older homes
have lead-based paint or lead water pipes. Lead
paint was banned in 1978. Homes built before
1950 are most likely to have lead in paint and
water pipes.
Is there cracking, chipping, or flaking paint in your
home?
Are there places where paint is being rubbed, such
as on a door or in a window frame? This can make
dust that has lead in it.
Do you have water pipes made with lead or joined
with lead solder? Water that flows through them may
contain lead. Lead pipes are dull gray and scratch
easily with a key or penny.
Has your home been recently remodeled or
renovated? Projects may leave dust or paint chips
with lead.
Is there lead in the soil outside your home? It may
have gotten there from paint on the outside of the
building or from industry. Or it may have come
from car exhaust from the days when gasoline
contained lead. Children can be poisoned if they
play in soil that has lead in it or if someone tracks
the soil inside the home.
• Does someone you live with work where lead is
used? Some jobs that might create lead dust are:
construction, bridge building, sandblasting, ship
building, plumbing, battery making and recycling,
car repair, furniture refinishing, and foundry casting.
Workers can bring lead dust home on clothing,
skin, or shoes.
• Do you have children under age six who have not
had a blood test for lead? Young children should
be tested for lead. This is especially true if you live
in an older home, if your home has recently been
remodeled, or if a brother, sister or a playmate has
tested high for lead. Ask your doctor to test your
children beginning at six months of age, and then
every year until age six.
• Have neighbor children or playmates ever had a
high blood lead test?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, your
children may be at risk for lead poisoning. Look at
the Action Steps on the next page to find out what
you can do to protect your children's health!
The Blood Test for lead
• It only takes a small blood sample to tell if
your child has lead poisoning.
• Ask your health care provider about testing.
• Lead levels are measured in micrograms per
deciliter (u/dL).
• If your child's level is 10 u/dL or more, it is
too high.
• You need to find out how she or he is getting
the lead.
_
• Your health care provider can help you find
out what to do.
-30-
-------
Lead
ACTION STEPS
Have Your Children Tested for lead
• This test is often free at local health clinics.
Find Out if Your Home Has Lead
• You may need to have your home or water
tested. Your local or state health department
can tell you how to do this for little or no
cost. Many hardware stores also sell low-cost
lead testing kits.
• Don't try to remove lead on your own. It
should be done by trained and certified
workers. You can find a certified lead paint
removal company by contacting your local
or state health department. Getting rid of
lead in the wrong way can make the
problem worse! Children and pregnant
women need to stay away during a lead
removal project.
Protect Your Children From Lead
• Wash children's hands and face often with
soap and water, especially before they eat.
Wash toys every week.
• Keep down lead-based paint dust with
housekeeping. Wipe windowsills, floors,
and other surfaces with paper towels, warm
water and soap once a week. Rinse well.
• Never sweep, vacuum, or dry dust in a
room that has lead dust. You will not
remove the harmful dust and can stir it up.
This includes porches, which were often
painted with lead paint.
• Don't let children chew or put their mouths
on windowsills. Keep cribs away from
windowsills and walls.
• If any remodeling is being done, be sure
you find out if work is happening on
something that contains lead-based paint.
Never dry scrape or dry sand lead paint.
Don't burn or torch it. Children and
pregnant women should stay away while
work takes place. Test dust for lead around
the remodeling area afterwards.
• If you have lead pipes or pipes joined with
lead solder, you can take steps to cut down
on the lead in your water:
-31-
-------
Lead
ACTIO N STE PS
— Never use hot water from the tap for drinking,
cooking, or making formula. Hot water can
take more lead out of the pipes.
— When you haven't used any water for a few
hours or overnight let the cold water run
for a few minutes before using it again. You
will know it has run long enough when the
water changes temperature. Usually it gets
colder. This clears out any water sitting in
the pipes that may have collected lead
or other metals. (See the chapter on drinking
water on page 33.)
• Have your water tested for lead. Call your
local or state health department to learn how.
• If someone in your home works with lead,
they can bring it home on their clothes.
Make sure they shower and change clothes
and shoes before coming inside. Wash
these clothes by themselves.
If your yard or the yard at your children's
daycare may have lead in the soil, don't let
your children play there. Have the soil tested
for lead to make sure it's safe. Put in grass
or other plants to help keep children away
from the soil in the meantime.
Feed your children a healthy diet. Foods
with vitamin C, calcium, and iron can help
reduce lead poisoning. Children with lead
poisoning often don't get enough iron or
other minerals in their diets. Making sure
your children get enough of these nutrients
can lower how much lead their body
takes in.
When In Doubt, Check It Out!
For blood tests, call your family doctor or public
health clinic
For testing of paint samples and drinking water,
call your local or state health department
To find a certified lead inspector or paint removal
contractor, call the lead listing at 888/LEAD-LISTING
(888/532-354-78464)—www.leadlisting.org
For a packet of materials or questions about lead,
call the National Lead Information Center, toll-free
at 800/424-LEAD
For information on lead in drinking water, call the
EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 800/426-4791
or visit the website at www.epa.gov/safewater
Contact HUD about tenants' rights and other housing
issues at 800/HUDS-FHA—www/hud.gov
For more information on Lead In and Around the
Home, see Home*A*Syst. The Home*A*Syst hand
book gives more details about this and other
healthy home topics. 608/262-0024 or
www.uwex.edu/homeasyst
This chapter was adapted from "Lead In and Around the Home: Identifying and Managing Its Sources," by Karen Filchak, University of Connecticut
Cooperative Extension. In Home*A*Syst, An Environmental Risk-Assessment Guide for the Home, ©1997 Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.
All rights reserved.
-32-
-------
Drinking Water
Should You Be Concerned?
very day Americans
drink more than
one billion glasses
of water! We also depend
on water in our homes to clean,
cook, fix baby food and formula, and bathe.
If you are like most people, you trust that your
water is safe. This is mostly true. Public drinking water
in the U.S. is safe for most healthy people. If you have
a well or other private water supply, it's up to you to
keep your drinking water safe. Whether your water
comes from a public or private source, you can take
steps to make sure it's safe for you and your children.
There are times when your home water supply may
not be safe. Using unsafe water to drink or prepare
food can make you sick. Children may have more
problems than adults because:
• For their size, children drink more than adults.
• Their illnesses may be more serious because children's
immune systems are still developing.
• Their bodies are still growing, so chemicals can
harm them more.
What May be in Drinking Water that is
Not Safe?
Bacteria and viruses can cause diseases. Drinking water
with these germs may cause upset stomachs, diarrhea,
or more serious illnesses. It can be worse for children,
pregnant women, and sick or older people. Just one
drink of water with these germs can make you sick.
Nitrate gets into water from animal and human waste,
and from fertilizer. Too much nitrate in your drinking
water can cause blue baby syndrome in babies under
six months old. Babies with this problem often have
blue or purple-colored faces because they do not get
enough oxygen in their blood. They need to see a doctor
right away. Some experts believe nitrate may also result
in birth defects and miscarriages. Baby food or formula
made with your drinking water needs to be safe.
Lead and copper are metals that can get into
water from your pipes. Too much lead can
cause children to have learning and
behavior problems, and other illnesses
(See pages 29-32 for more information on
lead). Babies who get too much copper
can have colic and spit up their formula
more than normal. Older children and
adults may get upset stomachs or
diarrhea from copper.
Other harmful chemicals
can get into drinking
water. Pesticides may
get into your water
supply by washing
off lawns and
fields or leaking
from storage
containers.
Gas or oil
can seep
into the
ground
and get into
drinking water. Even
very small amounts of some chemicals can cause
problems, such as damage to kidneys, liver, or other
organs. Some cause cancer and others can cause
problems if you are pregnant.
Answer the questions on the next pages to find out if
your water is safe and what you can do to cut down on
risks to your family.
-33-
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Drinking Water
Questions to Ask
AC ION si PS
Where Does Your Water Come From?
Does your water come from a public water supply,
such as the water utility in your city or town? Or do
you have a private water supply, such as a well or
spring? The questions to ask yourself depend on
where your water comes from.
Public Water Supplies
Before reaching your home, water from a public
water supply is tested for over 80 different chemicals.
If there are problems, the utility has to treat the water to
make it safe or tell you that the water is unsafe to drink.
Every year, water utilities give the results of these
water tests to customers. They mail reports or print
them in a local newspaper. You can also call your
water utility to ask what chemicals are found in the
water and how they treat it to make it safe.
Public water can become unsafe after it gets to your
home through lead or copper pipes. What kind of
pipes do you have?
Lead Pipes: Your home, especially if it is older, may
have lead water pipes or pipes
joined with lead solder.
Lead pipes are dull gray
and scrathch easily
with a key.
Copper Pipes: You
may have copper
pipes. These are
reddish-brown in
color.
Clear the Pipes—Follow this simple step if
lead or copper are problems in your home.
When you haven't used your water for a while
(like when you wake up in the morning or when
you get home from work), you need to clear out
the pipes. Let the cold water run for two or three
minutes or until you feel the temperature change,
before you drink it or use it for cooking. This
will flush out water that has sat in the pipes and
picked up lead or copper. Never use hot water
from the tap for cooking, drinking, or making
formula because the heat helps dissolve the met-
als faster. Use cold water and heat it on the stove
or in the microwave.
Help Protect Water Supplies
You may not know it, but the public water supply
is local. Your water may come from the ground-
water that is under your home. It may come from
the river or lake nearby. What you do can help
keep it clean or pollute it.
• If you use poisons to kill bugs or weeds,
follow what the label says. Never use more
than the label says.
• Watch where you store chemicals
(such as bleach, paint, or pesticides)
outside. Make sure that the bottles
are dosed tightly and have labels
that say what they are.
• Do not throw chemicals in the
garbage or down the drain. Read
the label for disposal instructions.
Give leftovers to someone who
will use them or call your local or
state health department to find out
how to get rid of them.
-34-
-------
Drinking Water
AC ION SI PS
, continued
• Clean up after your dog. Don't leave pet
waste on the ground where rain can wash
the germs into rivers and lakes. It's best to
flush it down the toilet.
Private Water Supplies
You may have a private water supply, such as a
well, for your drinking water. Your well is your
responsibility. You need
to make sure it is clean
and safe.
casino
cap
Test Your Well
Water
Has it been more than
two years since your
water was tested? You
cannot see, smell, or
taste most problems so
you need to have your
water tested at a labora-
tory. Well water is usual-
ly tested for bacteria and
nitrate. You may want to
have your water tested
more often or for other
pollutants, like pesti-
cides, if you have had
problems in the past.
Call your local or state
health department to find out how to have
your water tested.
Protect Your Water Supply
You also need to take care of your well, espe-
cially if it is old.
A PRIVATE WELL
\\ hol
Do you know where your well is?
Find your well. Is it uphill from animal pens,
manure, pet waste, septic systems, dumps, or
places where chemicals are stored?
What kind of well do you have?
• A dug or bored well usually has a big hole,
two feet across or more, and is less than 50
feet deep. These wells
may be less safe because
chemicals and bacteria
can easily get into the
water through the top
and sides
• A drilled well usually has
a narrow hole (4-10 inches
around) and is deeper,
sometimes hundreds of feet.
• A driven point or sand-
point well is 1-2 inches
around and may not
be deep.
If you do not know what kind
of well you have, contact a
local well driller. You can find
one in the telephone book.
Do you know how old your
well is?
If it is more than 20 years old it may need a
checkup. You may need to test your water
more often.
Is your well in good shape? You want to
keep things from above ground out of your
water supply.
\ j
-35-
-------
Drinking Water
ACTIO N STE PS
• The well casing needs to stick up above the
ground, up to 12 inches but local rules
vary. Your local or state health department
has the information.
• There should be no gaps or spaces between
the well casing and the material or soil
around it.
• Make sure the casing does not have
holes or cracks.
• Does the well cap fit tightly? Are any
openings or vents covered by a screen?
• Be sure there is not a low area near
the well where rainwater can collect.
Rainwater carrying pollutants can get
into well water.
• Don't keep gas, oil, weed killer, or
other chemicals in your well house.
Do you have unused wells on your property?
Unused wells that have not been properly filled
and capped can let pollution into groundwa-
ter and make your drinking water unsafe. If
you have an unused well, ask your local or
state health department how to seal it.
Use devices on the ends of faucets to keep water
from flowing back into your water supply.
These are called back flow prevention devices.
They help keep pollutants from washing back
into the hose and into your drinking water.
What kind of pipes do you have?
See the section on "Clear the Pipes" on page
34 to find out how to make sure harmful
metals are not getting into your drinking water
from your pipes.
95% of people living in rural areas
water from private sources.
I
-36-
-------
Drinking Water
When In Doubt, Check It Out!
• Call your local water company
• Call your local Cooperative Extension office
• Call your local or state health department
• Call EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline toll-free at
800/426-4791
• The Home*A*Syst handbook gives more details
about this and other healthy home topics.
608/262-0024—www.uwex.edu/homeasyst
Notes
This chapter was adapted from "Drinking Water Well Management", by Bill McGowan, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension. In Home*A*Syst, An
Environmental Risk-Assessment Guide for the Home, ©1997 Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved, and "Your Guide to Public
Water", by Alyson McCann, University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension, February 2000, Rhode Island Home*A*Syst program.
-37-
-------
Hazardous Household Products
Should You Be Concerned?
o you have these products in your
home? Bleach, rat
poison, mothballs,
charcoal lighter fluid, oven
cleaner, batteries, mercury
thermometers, gas, oil,
wood polish, toilet and
drain cleaners, shoe polish,
bug spray?
Household products like
these are dangerous for
your children!
Household products are
called hazardous if they can harm
people when not used in the right
way. Not every product is hazardous
and some are more dangerous than others.
You can use most products safely if you follow the
directions on the label. Doing things that are not on
the label is risky for your health and your family's. People
run into trouble by using too much of a product, or by
mixing two products together, for example.
Children can be poisoned if products are stored or
thrown away unsafely. Children's bodies are small, so
even a little bit of some chemicals can cause big problems.
Eating or drinking a hazardous product is dangerous,
of course. Also, just touching or breathing some
products—even a very small amount of them—can
be harmful. They can burn your skin or eyes just by
touching them. Some hazardous
products can make
you sick if they get
into your body
through your skin
or when you
breathe in their
dust or
fumes.
Sometimes you know
right away if you or your child
has come into contact with a hazardous product. You
may feel sick to your stomach or dizzy. Your skin may
itch or burn. Your eyes may water or hurt.
Other problems don't show up until later, like cancer
or harm to your lungs. Also, coming into contact
with chemicals can affect a child's growing body.
You can protect your children and yourself from illness
and injury. Use hazardous products safely. Store them
carefully. Dispose of them properly. The following pages
will help you learn more.
In 2000, nearly 20,000 children
were exposed to or poisoned by
household chlorine bleach.
You can reach your local Poison Control
Center by calling 1-800-222-1222 from
anywhere in the country. Put this number
next to all of your telephones and where
you store your hazardous products.
-38-
-------
Hazardous Household Products
Questions to Ask
Use Safely
Do you use hazardous household products safely?
• Read the label.
That is one of
the most
important steps
in using
products.
• Look for
words like
caution,
warning,
flammable,
harmful, danger,
poison. These
tell you that a product
may be hazardous. If
you see these words on a label, take extra care.
• Look for special instructions on the label such as:
"Work in well ventilated area." This means work
outside or with the windows open. The fumes can
make you sick if you do not have enough fresh air.
• "Wear protective clothing." This means wear goggles
or safety glasses, gloves, long sleeves, or other
coverings. The right clothing can prevent burns or
keep chemicals from going into your body through
the skin.
• Never mix products unless the label says it is safe
to do it. For example, never mix products containing
chlorine bleach with products containing ammonia.
You will make a deadly gas by mixing these together.
• Keep children and pets away while you use
hazardous products.
• Always put the cap back on and put away the product
right after you finish using it.
• Never leave the product or container where children
can see it or reach it.
• Don't eat, drink, or smoke when using hazardous
products.
• Be ready in case there's an accident: Put the Poison
Control Center telephone number, 800/222-1222,
where you can find it quickly in case of an emergency.
Tape it to the wall by your kitchen phone, for example.
• Buy Syrup of Ipecac at your local drugstore and
keep it handy. This medicine makes a person throw
up. But only use it when a doctor or the Poison
Control Center tells you. Sometimes throwing up
makes the poisoning worse.
Use Less
Can you cut down on the hazardous products in
your home?
• Do you buy only what you need, so you don't
have extras?
• Prevent or reduce pest problems so you don't
need chemicals to kill them. Wash dishes and
wipe counters often. Keep the
garbage area tidy.
• If you're pregnant, don't use
hazardous products if
something else will do the job.
• Think about using tools or
products known to be safe:
Use a plunger to unclog
sinks instead of chemicals.
Clean with baking soda
(for scrubbing) or
vinegar(for
cutting grease).
-39-
-------
Hazardous Household Products
Questions to Ask
Store Safely
Do you store hazardous household products safely?
• Keep them away from children. A locked, secure
place is best.
• Store them in the package, can, or bottle they came
in. Never put them in another container (especially
one for food or drink)! This helps prevent poisoning
and keeps the label instructions with the product.
• Keep containers and packages dry. Close them tightly.
• Set containers inside a plastic bucket in case of leaks.
• Store products at least 150 feet away from your
well, cistern, or water pump. This will protect your
water supply and your health.
• Keep products away from heat, sparks, or fire.
• Store batteries and flammable chemicals like gasoline
in the shade, away from direct sunlight.
Safe Disposal
How do you get rid of leftover products?
• Share the extra with someone who will use it up.
• Take leftovers to a community hazardous waste
collection point. Ask your local or state health
department where this is.
• Some products—like pesticides—are very
hazardous. You will even need to be careful
how you dispose of the container. The label
will tell you what to do.
• Never dump or burn hazardous
products on your property. Dumping
or burning them near a water supply
is very dangerous.
Never burn hazardous wastes in a barrel or stove.
Burning may let off toxic gases and make
hazardous ash and smoke. And, it's against the law
in many states.
Recycle used motor oil or antifreeze. Many
communities have places for you to do this.
Mercury is a threat to health. Products that have
mercury in them are fluorescent bulbs, thermometers,
thermostats, and blood pressure meters. Call your
local trash department or health department to
find out where to recycle products with mercury.
-40-
-------
Hazardous Household Products
AC ION SI PS
Here are some ways to protect your
family's health.
• Buy only what you need to do the job.
• Use products known to be safe when possible.
• Read and follow directions on product
labels—always!
• Post the Poison Control Center telephone
number next to the phone.
• Never mix two products together unless you
are certain it is safe to do so.
• Never mix bleach and ammonia
• Keep all hazardous products, including
When In Doubt,
Check It Out!
Call your local Poison Control Center 800/222-1222
Call your local Cooperative Extension office
Call your local or state health department
Contact the Consumer Products Safety Commission:
800/638-2772—www.cpsc.gov
Contact Healthy Indoor Air for America's Homes:
406/994-3451 or visit the website at
www.montana.edu/wwwcxair/
The Home*A*Syst handbook gives more details
about this and other healthy home topics
608/262-0024—www.uwex.edu/homeasyst
EPA's Consumer Labeling Initiative
—www.epa.gov/opptintr/labeling/index.htm
bleach, in a cabinet out of reach of children.
Buy products in childproof containers.
Keep hazardous products in their original
containers.
Give leftover products to someone else
to use.
Find out about your community's hazardous
waste collection points.
Recycle products that you can—oil, antifreeze,
products with mercury.
Never burn or dump leftover products or
containers.
This chapter was adapted from "Managing Hazardous Household Products," by Elaine Andrews, University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension. In
Home*A*Syst, An Environmental Risk-Assessment Guide for the Home, ©1997 Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved.
-41-
-------
Pesticides
Should You Be Concerned?
Many families are bugged by pests. Cockroaches,
flies, rats, and mice carry disease and can get
into food. Roaches and house dust mites
can make allergies and asthma worse. Fleas and ticks
riding into the home on pets or clothing can carry
disease. The bites of rats and certain spiders can make
children and others very ill.
Pesticides are things like bug spray, pet flea collars, rat
poison, bleach, and garden weed killer that can prevent
and kill pests. Pesticides can pose a real danger if you
do not use them in the right way. Some may cause
poisoning, birth defects, nerve damage, and even cancer.
They can make allergies or asthma worse. Breathing
fumes or dust from pesticide powders and sprays can
be harmful. Touching a floor where pesticide was
used can also be dangerous.
Children are especially at risk. When they crawl and
play on floors and lawns, they can come into contact
with any pesticides used there. Young children put
their hands, toys, and other things in their mouths.
They may have touched pesticides on the floor or
grass. Children may take in more of the small amount
of pesticides on foods than adults because they eat
more of some foods, like apples or carrots.
The biggest danger is poisoning. Children can
accidentally poison themselves if they play with,
eat, or drink pesticides that are not stored safely.
Almost one-half of homes with a child
under five have pesticides stored within
reach of children.
POISONED BV CHEMICALS:
Don't let this happen
to your child
• A five-year old boy drinks from a bottle
of bleach that he found under the
bathroom sink.
• A three-year old girl tries to spray her hair
the way Mommy does, but sprays an
aerosol disinfectant in her eyes instead.
• A baby who has just begun to crawl eats
green pebbles from behind the sofa. They
look like candy but are really rat poison.
The good news is there are lots of things
you can do to protect your family's health
and safety. Ask yourself the questions on the
following page to see if pesticides may be a
threat in your home. Safe pesticide use
depends on you!
-42-
-------
Pesticides
Questions to Ask
Why Do You Have Pests?
• Does your home have loose or torn screens or broken
windows?
• Are there gaps or holes in the building that could
let in pests?
• Are counters and floors sometimes dirty? Do dishes
go unwashed?
• Is there spilled food anywhere in your home?
• Do you keep your garbage where ants, roaches,
rats, mice, or other animals can get into it?
• Does your plumbing or roof leak?
• Do you store food in containers or boxes that don't
have covers?
Do You Use Pesticides Properly?
Never take it for granted that a pesticide is harmless.
• Do you (or a pest control company) ever use
airborne pesticides like flea bombs or roach sprays
indoors instead of baits? Bombs and sprays spread
pesticides over a larger area, making it more likely
someone will come into contact with them.
• Do you use flea collars, sprays, or powder
on your pets? These contain pesticides
that may harm people.
• Do you use pesticides without
reading the label?
• Are children or pets in the room
when you use pesticides?
• Do you eat, drink, or smoke
while using a pesticide?
• Do you put bug repellant
on your children?
• Do you serve fruits and vegetables
without washing them well?
How Do You Store and Dispose of
Pesticides?
• Do you ever store pesticides in containers other
than the package they came in?
• Do you sometimes have extra, leftover pesticides
around the home?
• Do you store pesticides where children can reach
them?
• Do you keep pesticides near food?
• Do you throw empty pesticide containers away
without rinsing them?
• Do you leave empty pesticide containers where
children can reach them?
-43-
-------
Pesticides
ACTION STEPS
Keep a Clean Home
• Wash children's hands, bottles, pacifiers,
and toys often. Regularly clean floors,
windowsills, and other surfaces.
• Keep a tight lid on trashcans and empty
them often.
• Store food in tightly sealed containers.
• Make sure people in your home eat at the
table. Don't let them walk around with food.
• Wipe up spills and crumbs right away.
• Clean up dirty dishes right after eating.
• Clean your home well after treating for
roaches to reduce roach allergies.
• Pests need water. Keep them from getting it
by fixing leaks and not leaving dishwater in
the sink overnight.
• Control fleas by washing bedding often,
shampooing pets, vacuuming floors, and
using flea combs and traps.
• Get rid of stacks of newspaper, papers, bags,
and cardboard boxes that make good
homes for pests. Recycle them if you can.
Keep Pests Out of your Home
• Seal cracks and crevices where pests can get
in your home.
• Check things like bags and boxes for roaches
before bringing them inside.
• Teach your children not to share combs,
hats, or coats at school or daycare.
Use Pesticides Safely
• Read the label and follow the instructions. ,
Use only the amount directed and for the
purpose listed.
Place all pesticides, including baits, out of
the reach of children.
When using a pesticide, keep children away
until it has dried or for the time the label
recommends.
Protect your skin, your eyes, and your lungs
while using pesticides.
Always wash your hands after use. Never
smoke, eat, or drink while using a pesticide.
Look for signal words. All pesticide labels
include words such as Caution, Warning,
or Danger to warn you about a product's
hazards.
-44-
-------
Pesticides
ACTIO N STE PS
Wash clothing you wore while using a
pesticide in a separate load from other
laundry.
If you have questions about using a pesticide,
call the company that made it. An 800
number should be on the label. You can
also call the National Pesticide Information
Center at 1-800-858-7378.
Mix and use only the amount you need so
you don't have leftovers.
Mix pesticides outdoors or in an area with
plenty of fresh air (Never mix them in the
kitchen).
Storing and Disposing of
Pesticides
• Store pesticides where children and pets
can't reach them or in a locked cabinet.
• Store pesticides only in the container they
came in. Never put them in a soft drink
bottle or any other kind of container.
• Follow the directions on the label for the
right way to throw away pesticides.
• Never use an empty pesticide container for
something else.
The word Caution
shows up on a pesticide
label when a product is
the least harmful to
people.
Warning means a
product is more poison-
ous than one with a
Caution label.
Danger means a
product is very poisonous
or irritating. Use a
pesticide that has this
word on its label with
extreme care because it
can burn your skin or
eyes very badly.
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
You can reach your local Poison Control Center by calling
1-800-222-1222 from anywhere in the country.
Put this number next to all of your telephones and
where you store your hazardous products.
Bug Repellant
-1 *y
When putting bug repellant on children, read
all directions first. Do not use over cuts or
broken skin. Do not apply to eyes, mouth, hands, or
directly on the face. Use just enough to cover skin or
clothing. Don't use it under clothing.
Kff^i
-45-
-------
Pesticides
Helpful Tips
Tips For Your Lawn and Garden
• Use lawn seed and plants that grow well in
your area and fight disease.
• Decide if you can put up with a few weeds
or insects.
• Use your muscles. You can keep down
weeds by hand pulling or hoeing.
• Clean up dead leaves and debris to get rid
of homes for pests.
• Make sure you know what the pest or
problem is before using a pesticide.
• Use pesticides only where the pests are.
• Use the least toxic chemical you can find
for the job.
• Your local Cooperative Extension office can
help with lawn and garden care.
Tips For Preparing Food
• Wash and scrub all fruits and vegetables
under running tap water.
• After washing, peel fruits and vegetables
when possible.
• Throw away the outer leaves of leafy vegetables
like lettuce and other greens.
• Trim fat from meat and skin from poultry
and fish—some pesticides collect in fat.
• Eat lots of different foods from lots of
different sources.
-46-
-------
Pesticides
When In Doubt, Check It Out!
EPA Office of Pesticide Programs, 703/305-5017
—www.epa.gov/pesticides/consumer.htm
You can order these publications:
Help! It's A Roach: A Roach Prevention Activity Book
Citizen's Guide to Pest Control and Pesticide Safety
10 Tips to Protect Your Family From Pesticide and Lead
Poisoning
Pesticides and Child Safety
Pesticides and Food: What You and Your Family Need
to Know
National Pesticide Information Center
800/858-7378—www.npic.orst.edu
Food and Drug Administration Food Safety
Information Service Hotline, 888/SAFE-FOOD
(888/723-33663), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday
through Friday
The Home*A*Syst handbook gives more details
about pesticides and other healthy home topics.
608/262-0024—www.uwex.edu/homeasyst
For more information on non-toxic pest control
contact the Bio-Integral Resource Center
510/524-2567—www.birc.org
Notes
This chapter was written by Kadi Row, University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension. ©2002 University of Wisconsin Extension. All Rights Reserved.
-47-
-------
Home Safety
Should You Be Concerned?
Did you know that your chances of getting
hurt at home are much higher than they are
at work or school? The leading causes of
death in the home are falls, drowning, fires, poisoning,
suffocation, choking, and guns. The good news is that
there are simple steps you can take to protect yourself
and your family. This section will help you ask
questions to find out if your home is a safe place to
live and how to make it even safer.
Very young children and older adults
are the most likely to get hurt at
home. Keep people's age in
mind when thinking about how
to keep your home safe.
Falls kill more people than any
other type of accident beside
car crashes. Most falls happen
at home. Most people trip
and fall at floor level, not
going up or down stairs.
Falls can be worse for
adults than for chil-
dren. They fall
faster and harder
than children.
Their bones are
weaker, so they
break more
easily too.
the U.S., more than one millio
children age five and under
ire poisoned each year.
'
Young children are curious and get into everyday
things that can hurt or even kill them. Over half of
them become sick or die from eating or drinking
common items like medicine, makeup, and plants.
Children like to play with these things because
they can look or smell good.
For over a decade, the number of
people who die in fires has gone
down. Yet fires are still one of the
main causes of death in the home.
Older adults are most at risk because
they may not be able to respond to an
alarm or get out of a building quickly.
Choking and suffocation also cause many
deaths in the home. When a person
chokes, something like a piece of food has
gotten stuck in their throat and stopped their
breathing. Suffocation happens when a person's
nose, mouth, or throat is blocked and they can't
breathe. If someone stops breathing long enough
they can suffer brain damage or die. Children under
age four and older adults are the most likely to die
from choking. People can choke on food, or
something not meant to be eaten at all, like a
button or a coin. Sheets, blankets, and plastic
bags can suffocate people who get caught in them.
-48-
-------
Home Safety
Drowning kills more than 1,000 children ages 14 and
under each year. For every child who drowns, another
20 children go to the hospital or emergency room
because they almost drowned.
It takes just a few easy, fairly low-cost steps to keep
your children safe from many everyday dangers. The
questions below and on the next page will help you
find safety problems at home. Page 51 will give you
ideas about what to do. Remember, making your
home safer for everybody may mean taking more
than one step.
Questions to Ask
,ns
Slips, Trips, and Falls
• Do you keep your floors—especially hallways and
stairs—free of things that might make people slip
or trip?
• Are your stairs in good shape?
• Are there throw rugs in your home?
• Do you know the safe way to carry big loads?
• Is your home well lighted?
Is Your Home Poison-Proof?
To poison-proof your home, look through each room
through the eyes of a child. Is anything that can hurt
your child within her or his reach?
Any room can have something in it that can hurt a
child: the kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, living room,
basement, garage, or laundry room. Most poisonous
products are where people keep cleaning supplies.
(See the chapters on Hazardous Household Products
page 38 and Pesticides page 42 for more information.)
far?
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Home Safety
Questions to Ask
Fifes and Burns
• Does your house or apartment have at least one
smoke alarm?
• Where do you store matches and lighters?
• Have you talked about fire safety with your children?
• Do you have a fire exit plan in case your home
catches fire?
• Do you use space heaters safely?
Carbon monoxide is deadly gas
you can't see or smell. It comes from
combustion appliances like gas heaters,
furnaces, stoves or dryers. Car exhaust
also has carbon monoxide. See the
chapter on carbon monoxide on page 23 to
learn how to protect
your family from
this hidden
danger.
To protect
your
family, put
in a carbon
monoxide alarm!
Choking
• Do you keep a close eye on young children at
meals and at playtime?
• Do you pick out toys that are right for your child's age?
Young children like to put things in their mouths.
Balloons, toys, and toy parts that are small enough to
fit into a child's mouth may cause choking. You also
may not be able to get them out if they get stuck.
Watch Out Around Water
• Do you have a pool or does your child go swimming
a lot?
• Does the pool you use have a fence around it?
• Do you ever leave toys in the pool?
• Does your child run around the pool?
• Do you ever visit lakes, beaches, or rivers?
• Do you watch your young children in the bathtub?
Pools are very dangerous for infants and toddlers. A
toddler who falls in may die or get brain damage.
Toddlers love to play in the water. But they don't know
that even shallow water can hurt or kill them. Running
children can fall down and hurt themselves badly.
Children need to be watched around water at all times.
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Home Safety
AC ION SI PS
Prevent Slips, Trips, 61 Falls
• Keep your floors clear of anything that may
cause tripping. Pick up hazards such as
toys, shoes and magazines.
• Clean up spills right away so people
won't slip.
• Repair any stairs that are cracked or worn.
• If there are rugs in your home, use non-skid
mats and throw rugs.
• When carrying large or heavy loads, make
sure you can see where you're going. Ask
for help if you need it.
• Keep your home well lit so you can see
where you're walking at night.
Other tips
• Don't use chairs or tables as makeshift ladders.
• Wear shoes with non-skid soles and put
young children in non-skid socks.
• Teach your children not to run indoors or
jump down stairs.
• Teach your children and other family
members about the dangers of falling and
how to stay safe.
Poison-Proof Your Home
Use this guide to poison-proof your home
room-by-room:
• Kitchen
Your kitchen is one of the most dangerous
places for a child. Drain openers, detergents,
oven cleaners, and other cleaners can hurt
you and your children. Put safety latches on
all cabinets and drawers with harmful
products. Even better, put them in a place
that children can't reach. Children often get
into dangerous products while someone is
using them. If you can, keep your children
out of the room while you're cleaning.
• Bathroom
Things in your medicine chest—like medicine,
makeup, mouthwash, first aid supplies,
deodorants and cleaners can hurt children.
Keep these out of their reach. Put a safety
latch on your medicine chest.
• Bedroom
Keep medicine, medications, perfumes,
makeup, and cigarettes out of children's reach.
• Living Room
Things to look for in the living room are:
liquor, cigarettes, furniture polish, lamp oil,
and some plants. Keep these out of reach.
• Garage, Basement, and Laundry Room
These are some of the most dangerous
places in your home. There are lots of
chemicals and poisons in them that can hurt
or kill a child: bleach, anti-freeze, gasoline,
kerosene, car polishes, car batteries, paints,
paint removers, mothballs, bug spray, road
salt, and more. It's safest to keep children
out of these places altogether.
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Home Safety
ACTIO N STE PS
Make sure any medicine is
stored in child-safe packaging.
But remember, child safe doesn't
mean child-proof, so keep
medicine out of reach.
Do you know what to do if someone in your
home gets poisoned? If you think someone has
been poisoned, call your local Poison Control
Center right away at 1-800-222-1222. Keep this
number next to all of your telephones. Make
sure you know:
• Brand-name of product
• Type of product
• Contents as listed on label
• About how much the person ate or drank
• How the person came in contact with the
poison (mouth, skin, etc.)
• How long the person was in contact with
the poison
• The person's age and weight
• How you tried to help the person, if you did
Prevent Fires and Burns
Put in a smoke alarm on every floor of your
home in or near every sleeping area. This will cut
in half the chances of someone dying in a fire.
Playing with fire—matches, lighters, stoves or
heaters—is the leading cause of fire-related
death for children five and under. Storing
matches, lighters, and other heat sources in a
safe place like a locked drawer will help keep
your children from playing with them. Don't let
children play near the stove or grill either.
Teach your children how to prevent fires, and
what to do if there is a fire. It can make the
difference between life and death. Talk about
fire safety with your children. Your local fire
department can help.
Plan and practice a fire escape route with your
family. Do this at night and with the lights off
so you'll be ready if there is a fire. Take special
steps for getting children, the elderly, and people
who may not be able to save themselves out of
the building.
Space heaters such as electric or kerosene
heaters cause most burns at home. Keep them
out of doorways, halls, or other busy areas.
Also, keep them at least three feet from curtains,
bedding, or other things that could catch fire.
Teach children that heaters will burn. Even
better, put up a barrier to keep children and
pets away.
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Home Safety
AC ION SI PS
Prevent Choking and Suffocation
Everyday foods can cause choking. Hot dogs, nuts,
popcorn, and hard candy can easily get stuck in
a small child's throat. Don't let your young
children eat them. Even drinks, like formula,
milk, or juice can make babies choke if they
drink them lying down, especially from a bottle.
Make sure children drink sitting up. Keep a dose
eye on the young children in your home.
Don't let your children play with balloons.
Other household items that can cause problems
are coins, marbles, and buttons, so keep your
floor picked up. Finally, don't let children play
near cars or old appliances. They can suffocate
and die if they become trapped in a car trunk
or old refrigerator.
, continued
Young children can get tangled up and
suffocate in curtains, window blind cords, and
extension cords. Plastic bags and covers are also
dangerous. Don't tie toys or pacifiers to chil-
dren's clothes. Very small children should not
wear jewelry around their necks.
Toys with small parts or long cords may strangle
or cause a child under the age of four to choke.
Read a toy's package to make sure it's right for
your child.
Watch Out Around Water
If you have or use a pool—Watch children
under the age of 12 at all times around pools.
Make sure they walk on the pool deck.
All pools, hot tubs, and spas should have a
fence at least five feet high, with a self-closing,
self-latching gate around them. It's important
that this fence be one that children cannot
climb. Don't think of your home as part of the
fence, because children can open doors to get
to a pool.
Take all toys out of the pool area after swimming
so children won't go back into the water and
play by themselves.
Children should wear life jackets or vests
while on docks or at beaches or rivers. Never
let a child swim alone!
Never leave a young child alone in the bathtub.
Children can drown in only a couple inches
of water.
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Home Safety
ACTIO N STE PS
OtfieF Safety Concerns
• Older children and adults should learn first
aid and CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)
so they can help if someone gets hurt. Your
local Red Cross offers classes.
• Never let children ride on equipment such
as lawn tractors. They may get hurt if they
fall off.
• Get safety gear like helmets and kneepads
for children riding bicycles, in-line skates,
ATVs, scooters, and skateboards. Set a good
example by wearing safety gear yourself.
Store guns safely—unloaded and locked up.
When traveling by car, make sure that
children under 12 ride in the back seat. Use
car seats for infants and toddlers under 40
pounds. Use booster seats for children until
they are eight years old.
When In Doubt, Check It Out!
Your local county Extension Office
—look in your telephone book
Your local or state health department
—look in your telephone book
For information on product recalls: The Consumer
Products Safety Commission at 800/638-2772
—www.cpsc.gov
• National SAFE KIDS Campaign, 202/662-0600
—www.safekids.org, 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,
Ste. 1000, Washington DC 20004
• The American Red Cross—www.redcross.org
• National Safety Council, 612/285-1121
—www.nsc.org
Notes
This chapter was written by Ron Jester, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension. ©2002 University of Wisconsin Extension. All Rights Reserved.
-54-
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Index
Alarms, carbon monoxide, 27
Allergies, 1-2, 6-9, 11-20, 42, 44
Asthma, 1-2, 6-9, 11-20, 22-23, 42
Bronchitis, 8
Bleach, 4, 19-21, 34, 38-39, 41-42, 51
Bug Spray, 1, 4, 6, 38, 42, 51
Carbon monoxide, 1-3, 6-7, 9, 15, 23-28
Carpet, 8-9, 13-14, 17-18, 20
Chemicals, 1, 3-5, 7-9, 24, 33-36, 38-40, 42, 51
Choking, 4, 48, 50, 53
Cockroaches, 8, 12, 14, 42, 43, 44
Combustion Appliances, 7, 23, 50
Drinking water, 1, 3, 29, 32-37
Dust, 5-9, 12, 14-15, 29-31, 38, 42
Dust mites, 12, 14-15, 42
Falls, 4, 48-51
Fire Safety, 50, 52
Food, 5, 33, 9, 11, 13-14, 16, 33, 40, 42-44,
46-47, 48
Home safety, 1, 4, 48-54
Household products, 1, 4, 7-8, 38-41, 49
Indoor air quality, 1-2, 6-10, 22
Labels, 15, 34, 41, 44
Lead-based paint, 29-31
Lead poisoning, 3, 7, 29-30, 32, 47
Mercury, 38, 40-41
Moisture, 1-2, 17-22
Mold, 1-2, 6-7, 9, 12, 15, 17-22
Pesticides, 1, 4, 6, 14, 33-35, 40, 42-47, 49
Pests, 1, 4, 6, 9, 12, 14, 42-44, 46
Pets, 2, 7-9, 12-13, 15, 21, 39, 42-45, 52
Paint, 3-4, 7, 29-32, 34, 51
Poisons, 1, 34, 51
Radon, 2, 6, 8-10
Signal words, 44
Smoke alarm, 50, 52
Smoke detector, 26
Solvents, 7
Space heaters, 18, 23, 27, 50, 52
Smoking, 7-8, 15, 23-24, 27
Ventilation, 26
Water, 1, 3, 5, 14-15, 18-21, 23, 25, 29-38, 40,
44, 46
Water Pipes, 3, 29-30, 34
Weeds, 34, 46
Wells, 3, 19, 35-36
Yard, 26, 32
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* ony m
ijy5 -tukeu -the -first ^iz -toward u sufe and
If you have more questions about the health
and safety of your home contact:
US Department of Housing and
Urban Development:
www.hud.gov/offices/lead
/healthyhomes. cfrn
US Environmental Protection Agency:
www.epa.gov/children/
Children's Environmental Health Network:
www.cehn.org
National Safety Council:
www.nsc.org/ehc/chldhlth.htm
US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention:
www.cdc.gov/od/oc/childhealth/
Home*A*Syst:
www. u wex. edu/ho measyst
www.leadlisting.org
-------
Support for this publication provided by the
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Cooperative State Research Education
and Extension Service and the U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development.
This publication developed by the
Healthy Homes Partnership,
©2002 by the Regents of the University of
Wisconsin System. All Rights Reserved.
Credits
National Coordination Joseph L. Wysocki
National Program Leader
Housing and Environment, USDA CSREES
Project Coordinator Sarah Van Tiem
University of Wisconsin-Extension
Layout and Design Jill Felten
University of Wisconsin-Extension
Illustrator Hawley Wright
Madison, WI
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914,
in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, University of Wisconsin-
Extension, Cooperative Extension. University of Wisconsin-Extension provides equal
opportunities in employment and programming, including Title IX and ADA
requirements. If you need this information in an alternative format, contact the
Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Programs or call Extension Publications
at 608-262-2655.
This booklet is printed on recycled paper with soy inks.
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