1. Healthy Homes
From “Help Yourself to a Healthy Home” by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

2. FACT:
Most people spend at least half of their lives inside their homes. Children may spend up to 90% of their time indoors!

3. Indoor Air Quality

4. Why should I be concerned about indoor air quality?
Asthma and Allergies
Mold
Carbon Monoxide
Radon
Chemicals
Lead dust

5. What might cause my indoor air quality to suffer?
Things people do or store in their homes:
Tobacco Smoke
Pets
Hobbies and Home projects
Household projects
New furniture, carpet
Lead paint

6. How do I know I need to test my home’s indoor air quality?
Does anyone in your home have known allergies or asthma diagnoses? Chronic bronchitis? Lung disease?
Do they notice coughing, burning eyes or sneezing that happens most at home?
If YES:
Examine potential behaviors and hazards that you can control to help lessen these symptoms.

7. What have you observed in your home?
Do some areas smell damp or musty?
Does it seem stuffy or stale?
Does your bathroom or kitchen lack exhaust fans? Are they used?
Have you ever seen cockroaches in your home?
If YES:
Your home may contain mold (we will discuss later).
Use exhaust fans.
Clean up spills right away. A clean home is a healthy home.

8. What do you allow in your home?
Smoking?
Furry pets?
Hobbies or projects that create dust or odors?
Household products?
If YES:
Do not smoke in your home or car. NEVER smoke near your children. Second hand smoke is extremely unsafe for children
Furry pets out of bedrooms and living areas prevent allergic irritation.
Open windows, use fans if someone uses chemicals in the home or garage.
Follow all safety information on household products.

9. What about home improvements?
Are you considering new furniture or carpet?
Are there new building materials in your home?
If YES:
Ask salesperson to unroll carpet and air it out for at least one day before bringing it into your home.
Let new furniture and building materials air out for a few days before bringing them inside.
Non-toxic or green products may cost more, but may be safer in protecting your family.

10. When should I test for radon?
Radon is a cancer-causing, natural radioactive gas that you can’t see, smell or taste.
Do any of your neighbor’s have problems with radon?
Have you neglected to test for radon?
If YES:
Test your home. Hardware or home supply stores carry low-cost radon testing kits. If your neighbors have a radon problem, you may too.

11. When in Doubt, Check It Out!
Indoor Air Quality
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Indoor Air Quality Home Page—
Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse (800) M-F 8:00am to 5:00pm ET or
National Radon Information Hotline (800) SOS-RADON ((800) )
The National Consumer Federation’s Radon Website—
National Lead Information Center (800)424-LEAD ((800)
National Hispanic Indoor Air Quality Hotline (800) SALUD-12 ((800) ), M-F 9:00am to 6:00pm ET
American Lung Association (800) LUNG-USA ((800) ) –
Healthy Indoor Air for America’s Homes (406) —
Home*A*Syst: An Environmental Risk Assessment Guide for the Home (608) —

12. Asthma and Allergies

13. What in my home can cause an asthma attack?
Attacks are often triggered by things that people are allergic to.
Common Asthma Triggers:
Dander (skin flakes from cats, dogs, and other pets)
Pests such as roaches, rodents, or dust mites (tiny insects that live in carpets, furniture, etc.)
Cigarette smoke
Mold
Dust
Carbon Monoxide
Cleaning products
Hair spray or Perfume

14. When might my home be a risk for asthma attacks and allergies?
Does someone in your family notice burning eyes, coughing, or sneezing that happens most at home?
Does your home have carpet that is not cleaned well or not cleaned often?
How often do you wash bedding?
Do you keep pets inside?
Has it been more than a year since you have had your furnace, flues, and chimney inspected and cleaned?
Is your home damp and musty?
Does anyone smoke inside?

15. What actions can you take?
Healthy Housekeeping
Clean home often.
Keep clutter down.
Control Other Pests
Seal food, clean crumbs and spills, empty garbage often, wash dirty dishes right after eating, fix plumbing leaks, seal cracks where pests can get in.
Pets
Check Your Appliances
Smoke outside
Mold

16. When in Doubt, Check It Out!
Asthma and Allergies
You 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 –
The Soap and Detergent Association, Cleaning to Control Allergies and Asthma, (202) —
Healthy Indoor Air for America’s Homes (406) —
The Allergy & Asthma Network: Mothers of Asthmatics (800) —
The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) (800) —
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Asthma and Indoor Environments—

17. Mold and Moisture

18. What is mold and why should I worry about it?
Mold is alive. It grows on wet or damp surfaces.
Often is grey or black, but can be white, orange, or green
Often smells musty
Is also called mildew
It produces spores, tiny specks that float through the air. These can cause health problems when you breath them in to your lungs.
It is not healthy to live where mold is growing.

19. Where might I find mold in my home?
In bathrooms, especially around the shower or tub
In wet or damp basements and crawl spaces
Around leaky sinks
In attics under leaking roofs
On wet clothes that are not dried quickly
Windows and walls where
condensation collects
In closets
Under wallpaper and carpet
In your air conditioner

20. When might moisture become a risk for mold?
Does anyone use a humidifier?
Has any part of your home been flooded? Experienced an overflow?
Does any part of your home leak?
Can you see moisture anywhere inside?
Do you see color changes on floors or walls that you can’t wipe off?
Does the air feel clammy or humid?
Can you see mold growing in your home?

21. What can I do about a possible moisture problem?
Repair or cover leaking roofs, walls, doors, or windows.
Increase air flow in problem areas. Fans, air conditioners and open doors can help.
Keep surfaces dry by cleaning up spills quickly and toweling off bathroom walls after showering or bathing.
Check the relative humidity with a kit from your local hardware store. Humidifiers shouldn’t run if humidity is higher than 50%.
Throw away wet carpeting, cardboard boxes, and insulation.
Keep people with asthma and allergies away from damp areas in your home.

22. When in Doubt, Check It Out!
Mold & Moisture
Your county Extension Office –look in your telephone book
Your local or state health department –look in your telephone book
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) –
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) –
California Indoor Air Quality Program –
The Health House –
Healthy Indoor Air for America’s Homes (406) –

23. Carbon Monoxide (CO)

24. What is Carbon Monoxide?
A deadly gas that can make you sick or even kill you.
You can’t see, taste, feel, or smell carbon monoxide.
Children, unborn babies, older adults, and people with asthma, heart and lung problems are more likely to get hurt from breathing it.
It harms even healthy people to breathe it in.

25. What are signs of CO poisoning?
Often confused with the flu. Symptoms may include:
Headache
Nausea
Vomiting
Dizziness
Confusion
Tiredness
Weakness
Sleepiness
Chest tightness
Trouble breathing
Changes in senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste

26. What in my home might cause a carbon monoxide risk?
Things to check:
Appliance and furnace age
Gas water heater
Kitchen burners with yellow or orange flame
Rusty vent pipes for furnace, boiler, water heater
Fireplace smoke
Gas fireplace
Kerosene or gas heater
Vent and combustion air openings
Carbon monoxide detector

27. What can I do to minimize a risk?
NEVER run engines or charcoal grills in garage or inside!
Have a professional check on old appliances and furnace.
Turn off appliance or furnace if it doesn’t seem to be working right, starts sooting, or makes different noises
Never block exhaust vents
Never use kitchen stove or oven to heat your home!
NEVER warm up car in garage.
Take care with weatherizing projects.

28. What do I do if a CO alarm goes off in my home?
LEAVE IMMEDIATELY.
Treat it as an emergency. Call from a phone outside your home
See a doctor or nurse right away, especially if someone shows signs of CO poisoning.
Have your home checked by a qualified heating or appliance contractor.
Don’t go back home until all problems have been found and fixed!

29. When in Doubt, Check It Out!
Carbon Monoxide
Your county Extension office –look in your telephone book
Your local or state health department –look in your telephone book
The Consumer Products Safety Commission (800) –
The American Lung Association, (800)LUNG-USA –
Healthy Indoor Air for America’s Homes (406) –

30. Lead

31. Why should I worry about lead?
Lead poisoning can cause
Learning and behavior problems
Hearing damage
Nervous system damaging, including the brain
Children are likely candidates for lead poisoning.
Calcium deficiencies can put children further at risk for lead poisoning.
1 in 40 children has too much lead in their body.

32. Where does lead come from?
Older homes
Paint on windows and windowsills
Water pipes or the solder used to join pipes
Household dust
Soil outside the home

33. How do I know if my house has lead?
Homes built before 1950 probably contain some lead.
Hardware stores sell inexpensive kits to test for lead.

34. What can I do to prevent lead poisoning?
Know when lead is dangerous.
Have a doctor test your child for lead.
Wash children’s hands and faces.
Don’t let children chew on windowsills.
Use warm water and paper towels to wipe down home.
Take care with remodeling.
Feed your children a healthy diet.
Work in a clean and lead-safe manner.

35. When In Doubt, Check It Out!
Lead
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.
For a packet of materials or questions about lead, call the National Lead Information Center, (800)424-LEAD.
For information on lead in drinking water, call the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline, (800) –
Contact HUD about tenants’ rights and other housing issues, (800)HUDS-FHA—
For more information on Lead In and Around the Home, see Home*A*Syst. (608) –
The Lead Safety page on Rebuilding Together Dayton’s website:

36. Drinking Water

37. When might my water be unsafe?
Do you have lead pipes?
Lead pipes are dull grey and scratch easily with a key.
Do you have copper pipes?
Copper pipes are reddish-brown in color.
If YES: CLEAR THE PIPES.
Let cold water run for two or three minutes if you have not used it in a while.
Never use hot water from the tap for cooking, drinking, or making formula.

38. What else can I do to help ensure the safety of our drinking water?
Water supply is local!
Follow directions when using poisons to kill weeds or bugs.
Take care where you store chemicals.
DO NOT throw chemicals down the drain or in the garbage. Follow directions for disposal.
Give away or safely dispose of leftover chemicals.

39. When In Doubt, Check It Out!
Drinking Water
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, (800)
The Home*A*Syst handbook, (608) –

40. Hazardous Household Materials

41. What are some possibly hazardous household products?
Bleach
Rat poison
Mothballs
Charcoal lighter fluid
Batteries
Mercury thermometers
Gas
Oil
Wood polish
Toilet cleaners
Drain cleaners
Shoe polish
Bug spray

42. Protect your children from hazardous products:
Follow the directions. Store safely. Dispose of safely.

43. Can you cut down on the hazardous products in your home?
Buy only what you need, no extras.
Keep garbage tidy, wash dishes often to prevent or reduce pests.
Don’t use hazardous materials if you are pregnant and someone else will do the job.
Use baking soda for scrubbing.
Use vinegar for cutting grease.
Use a plunger to unclog, rather than chemicals.
Look for environmentally safe (“green”) cleaning products.

44. Do you store hazardous materials safely?
Keep them away from children! A secure, locked place is best.
Keep products from sparks, heat, or fire.
Store batteries and flammable chemicals away from direct sunlight.
Never put hazardous materials in any
container other than the one they came in!
Keep containers and packages dry.

45. How do you get rid of hazardous materials?
Pay attention to labels.
NEVER burn or dump hazardous materials on your property, or in a barrel or stove.
Recycle used motor oil or antifreeze.
Take leftovers to a community hazardous waste collection point.
NEVER mix hazardous materials together, particularly not ammonia and chlorine bleach.

46. What else can I do to protect my family’s health?
Use products known to be safe when possible.
ALWAYS read and follow directions on labels!
Buy products in childproof containers.
Post the Poison Control Center telephone number next to your phone.
(800) will connect you from anywhere in the country.
Find out about your community’s hazardous waste collection points.

47. When In Doubt, Check It Out!
Hazardous Household Products
Call your Poison Control Center, (800)
Call your Cooperative Extension office
Call your local or state health department
Contact the Consumer Products Safety Commission, (800) –
Contact Healthy Indoor Air for America’s Homes, (406) –
The Home*A*Syst handbook, (608) –
EPA’s Consumer Labeling Initiative –

48. Pesticides

49. When might pesticides become a problem for my family?
Breathing fumes or dust from pesticide powders and sprays can be harmful.
Touching a floor where pesticide was used can also be dangerous.
Young children crawl and play on lawns and floors.
Young children put everything in their mouths.
Pesticides or poisons stored within children’s reach are dangerous.

50. Why might my home have pests?
Loose or torn screens
Broken windows
Dirty counters or floors
Spilled food in the home
A garage that pests can access
Food stored without covers
Leaky roof or plumbing
Dishes that go unwashed for long periods of time

51. What can I do to minimize the need for pesticides?
Keep a clean home
Keep food at table
Get rid of stacks of newspaper, cardboard boxes, etc. Recycle if you can.
Shampoo pets and wash their bedding often
Tips for Preparing Food
Wash and scrub all fruits and vegetables
Throw outer leaves away
Trim fat – some pesticides collect there
If you can, buy organic. Organic farming
does not use pesticides.
Lawn and Garden
Use lawn seeds and plants that grow well
and fight disease
Make sure you know what a pest is before
using a pesticide
Hand-pull or use a hoe to get rid of weeds
Clean up dead leaves and debris

52. When In Doubt, Check It Out!
Pesticides
EPA Office of Pesticide Programs, (703) –
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) –
Food and Drug Administration Food Safety Information Service Hotline, (888)SAFE-FOOD ((888) ), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday
The Home*A*Syst handbook, (608) –
For more information on non-toxic pest control contact the Bio-Integral Resource Center, (510) –

53. Home Safety
Your chances of getting hurt at home are much higher than at work or school.

54. What might be a safety risk in my home?
Slips, Trips, Falls
Clutter in hallways, stairs
Stairs in poor shape
Fires and Burns
Lack of smoke alarms
Unsafe use of space heaters
Lack of fire safety awareness with children
Choking
Not watching children at meal or play time
Toys that are not appropriate for a child’s age
Water
No fence around a pool
Not watching children in a bathtub
Poisons
Cleaning supplies can be poisonous to eat or drink

55. How can I prevent slips, trips, and falls?
Keep floor clear of tripping hazards.
Clean up spills right away.
Use non-skid mats on rugs.
Repair cracked or worn stairs.
Take care carrying large or heavy loads.
Keep home well-lit.
Teach children not to run indoors or jump down stairs.
Don’t use chairs or tables as makeshift ladders.

56. How can I prevent fires and burns?
Smoke alarms on every floor
DO NOT let children play with matches, lighters, stoves or heaters. Store in a safe place.
Teach children to prevent fires
Plan and practice a fire escape route
Keep space heaters out of busy areas and away from curtains, bedding, etc.

57. How can I prevent choking and suffocation?
Hot dogs, nuts, popcorn, and hard candy can easily get stuck in a child’s throat.
DO NOT let young children eat them
Drinks can make babies choke when they are lying down.
Make sure babies drink sitting up
Balloons, coins, marbles, and buttons can be choking hazards on the ground.
Pick up these items from floors
Cars and old appliances can suffocate children if they get trapped.
DO NOT let children play in or around these things.

58. How can I take care to prevent drowning?
Always watch children around pools. Make sure they walk around pool decks.
Have a fence at least 5 feet high around all pools, hot tubs, and spas.
Take toys from pools
Life jackets on docks, beaches, rivers
Never leave children alone in the bathtub!
Children can drown in just a few inches of water.

59. How can I poison-proof my home?
Keep in mind that all rooms in the home can hold hazardous materials.

60. Kitchen and Bathroom
Hazards may include: drain openers, detergents, oven cleaners, medicine chest items
Safety latches
Keeping hazardous products out of reach
Keep children away while using these products

61. Bedroom and Living Room
Bedroom hazards may include medicine, medications, perfumes, makeup, cigarettes
Living room hazards may include liquor, cigarettes, furniture polish, lamp oil, some plants

62. Garage, Basement, and Laundry Room
Some of the most hazardous
Hazards may include: bleach, antifreeze, gasoline, car polishes, car batteries, paints, paint removers, mothballs, bug spray, road salt, and more
Safest to keep children out completely

63. If someone gets poisoned:
Call Poison Control Center IMMEDIATELY (800)
Keep this number by all your phones
Make sure you know:
Product brand name
Type of product
Contents as listed on label
About how much was consumed
How contact was made (mouth, skin, etc.)
How long contact was made
The person’s age and weight
How you tried to help the person, if you did

64. What else can I do to promote safety?
CPR and first aid classes for adults and older children.
Keep children from equipment such as lawn tractors.
Safety gear. Wear it yourself as a good example.
Store guns safely—unloaded and locked up.
Children under 12 in backseat of car.
Car seats for children under 40 pounds.

65. When In Doubt, Check It Out!
Home Safety
Your county Extension Office
Your local or state health department
For information on product recalls: The Consumer Products Safety Commission, (800) –
National SAFE KIDS Campaign, (202) – Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Ste. 1000, Washington, DC 20004
The American Red Cross –
National Safety Council, (800) –

66. Maintaining a Healthy Home Starts with YOU!