Safety Essentials for Dealing with Asbestos and Lead Paint
The Safety Essentials to Know About Asbestos and Lead Paint in Your home.If your home was built before 1987, it may contain asbestos around furnaces, pipes, heat ducts, and boilers; in the adhesive and backing beneath your linoleum floors; and in "cottage-cheese" ceilings. 1. About Asbestos.The dust of this carcinogen can cause serious lung ailments when inhaled.If the asbestos is in your garage near the furnace and you rarely go there, you should simply be aware of it and regularly check its condition. Asbestos generally is not a safety problem unless it's disturbed (by a leak in the roof or a child's bouncing ball for example). If it's crumbling or otherwise in poor condition, hire a licensed contractor experienced in asbestos removal to seal it, repair it, or get it out of your home. 2. Living With (Or Removing) Lead Paint.Lead paint - commonly found in homes that were built before 1980 - can escape as dust during cleaning, and if enough is ingested or inhaled, it can cause permanent brain damage and other serious harm, especially to children, mothers-to-be and older adults.If you live in an older home, consider hiring a professional to conduct a hazard assessment. To check for lead yourself, chip off a bit of suspect paint - right down to the bare wood - and then either send it to a laboratory for analysis or buy an inexpensive test kit at a hardware store. If you do find leaded paint, cover the area with wallpaper, paneling, or new lead-free paint. Frequently wash children's hands, faces, toys and pacifier to reduce their exposure to dust containing lead. Once tainted surfaces are covered, they are considered safe unless they chip or peel.  Custom Search 10 Steps to a Safer Home
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Securing Your Home
Against Intruders
Keep your home safe and secure from intruders with these
essential safety tips.
Preventing Household Accidents
Ensure a safe home by putting these
essential tips
into play.
February Home Checklist
Keep your home safe and its various systems running smoothly this month with the February Home Checklist.