Home Environment & Safety Assessment
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Did you discover any environmental risks in your home by completing the home assessment?
After completing the Davis Home Environment & Safety Awareness survey I discovered that my current home was built before 1978 and a current lead paint testing study has not been performed within the last 20 years. The last known testing found that paint located on bedroom walls and kitchen cabinets tested positive for lead. Since this assessment all cabinets were destroyed and replaced and bedrooms were stripped and repainted. At this time, I do have pain that is flaking off in the kitchen, living in Monterey moisture is difficult to control and paint peeling and flaking off is a common occurrence.
There are also concerns for Toxic Mold. My home tested positive in the closets and in the insulation located in the bathroom and underneath the home for mold (before I moved in). A massive remodel was conducted on multiples homes to correct this issue, and bring code up to date.
In the home assessment, why did we want to know about the age of your home? (You'll be learning the answer to this when we discuss lead-based paint.)
Lead based pain wasn’t’ banned till 1978; homes built before 1978 virtually all used house paint that contained some form of lead. Lead paint is mentioned to have a sweet taste and very appealing for children to pick up and place in their mouths; especially if the paint is already flaking on the ground. Lead poisoning is deadly to both children and adults and can lead to cardiac arrest and brain damage.
Who is responsible for home-based environmental health risks? (The answer to this question is more complex and we will be discussing it in a number of locations in this course and the next 3 courses.)
Did you discover any environmental risks in your home by completing the home assessment?
After completing the Davis Home Environment & Safety Awareness survey I discovered that my current home was built before 1978 and a current lead paint testing study has not been performed within the last 20 years. The last known testing found that paint located on bedroom walls and kitchen cabinets tested positive for lead. Since this assessment all cabinets were destroyed and replaced and bedrooms were stripped and repainted. At this time, I do have pain that is flaking off in the kitchen, living in Monterey moisture is difficult to control and paint peeling and flaking off is a common occurrence.
There are also concerns for Toxic Mold. My home tested positive in the closets and in the insulation located in the bathroom and underneath the home for mold (before I moved in). A massive remodel was conducted on multiples homes to correct this issue, and bring code up to date.
In the home assessment, why did we want to know about the age of your home? (You'll be learning the answer to this when we discuss lead-based paint.)
Lead based pain wasn’t’ banned till 1978; homes built before 1978 virtually all used house paint that contained some form of lead. Lead paint is mentioned to have a sweet taste and very appealing for children to pick up and place in their mouths; especially if the paint is already flaking on the ground. Lead poisoning is deadly to both children and adults and can lead to cardiac arrest and brain damage.
A second concern is Asbestos. This mineral fiber was used in homes to strengthen and provide warm insulation. Unfortunately this product known to provide superior insulation was later discovered to be carcinogenic and as a result are no longer allowed for home use.
Who is responsible for home-based environmental health risks? (The answer to this question is more complex and we will be discussing it in a number of locations in this course and the next 3 courses.)
This a great question, I would like to hear that real-estate professional know the importance of disclosure and as a responsible members of our society have the obligation to disclose any and all environmental concerns. I also believe that inspectors’ sole role is assess and reports safety concerns and environmental concerns within the home and neighborhood. Making it the responsibility of the home owner to fix before the sale of a home is valid. As more families are remodeling and “Fixer-Uppers” are moving into home markets by the dozen, these inspections are vital to their successful flip and resale.
Great article and topic. It is very informative especially in the current real estate market. Given that the inventory of new houses has slightly decreased recently, buyers need to be careful when getting a new home and ask the relevant questions regarding environmental safety of the home before they close.. The checklist you provided is very helpful and a quick guide .
ReplyDeleteRose, you make a great point, it is an easy way to help direct questions and concerns when purchasing a home. Having this guide with you, would help to prompt new/potential home owners to ask these questions that should be asked, but you might not even think about!
ReplyDeleteI think for new home owners especially the younger in age, this tool is vital. Most don't have to think about Lead or Asbestos, but this survey can easily put those thoughts at the forefront of their minds to get the answers they need before taking that big plunge of home ownership.
Real-estate professionals should point out the importance of full disclosure about the home; however, it does not often happen, perhaps because home-buying itself is daunting and exhausting. On the other hand, bank-lenders do pay attention to the full disclosure because they want their borrowers to be healthy for obvious reason.
ReplyDelete