Home Environmental Information
What Home Inspection Customers Should Know Before the Inspection
Before a Connecticut home-buyer has a home inspection, understanding environmental concerns such as radon, mold, asbestos and lead is crucial. Some of these concerns, lead and asbestos, can be an issue only with some what older homes while radon and mold can be a problem with any age home. It is first important to know weather the home inspector is required to inspect for these concerns. Connecticut Home Inspection Standards of Practice clearly state the home inspector is not required or responsible to inspector for these or any other environmentally related issues as part of a standard home inspection. However an inspector may chose to offer certain environmental testing services if they so wish. Therefore it is important to thoroughly interview the inspector on his qualifications to conduct any desired tests before the home inspection.
Below are links to specific information with regard to each of these environmental concerns relative to residential buildings.
RADON: Radon is an odorless, colorless gas produced from naturally occurring uranium deposits in the earth. As radon breaks down it produces high energy alpha particles that when inhaled over time are known to increase the risk of contracting lung cancer.
MOLD: Undoubtedly the number one home-buyer / home-owner environmental concern today. Fortunately the fear is mostly unwarranted. Most mold species are benign and some are even beneficial to humans.
LEAD: It is generally believed that lead poisoning is no longer a health concern today because the manufacture and use of lead based paints was banned in 1978. However there are a large percentage of homes that still currently contain leaded paints.
ASBESTOS: Homebuyers and current homeowners may be concerned about the presence of asbestos containing materials in their current or future home. Common household products such as vermiculite insulation, certain flooring and ceiling materials, heating pipe and boiler insulation are known to contain asbestos.