Home Inspections: Trained home inspectors complete a 12 page report that is given to you at the completion of the inspection.
Third Party Site Inspection Services: Source, Pre-Shipment, Surveylance, Etc.
EPA Certified and State Licensed
Personnel In Nebraska
Health Hazards
Could it be that purchasing a house may be hazardous to your health? Most of us regard our homes as a place where we can feel safe and secure. In every home, however, there are a number of potential health hazards that could seriously impact your well being. Both the seller and the Realtor are required to disclose any known hazards. However, threats to your health may lurk undiscovered inside the home you intend to purchase. Some hazards are especially dangerous to children and to those who have existing health problems.
While some individuals involved in the sale of the home may attempt to minimize the potential threats to health, it is ultimately the buyer who has to live with it. A few hazards are an immediate threat to life while others may produce illness that takes many years to manifest, and the costs of correction or abatement can be substantial. Radon (a radioactive gas) and asbestos can cause lung diseases. Carbon Monoxide can cause death very quickly in high concentrations. Lead is extremely toxic especially to children and may be present, especially in older homes. Combustible gases may produce serious health problems as well as injury or death from ignition. Formaldehyde, a volatile organic compound (VOC), is present in nearly all homes and may produce serious discomfort or illness in sensitive people.
A few homes may have conditions that produce "Sick House Syndrome" as a result of poor air quality and excessive moisture conditions. Water contamination, especially from untreated wells, often produces serious and life-threatening diseases and illnesses. Ozone generators that are sold as air cleaners, produce ozone that can cause chemical reactions in the body leading to serious health consequences. Electro-Magnetic Field exposure is of concern to the scientific community and research has been put on the "fast track" in the U.S. to determine the extent of its impact on health. The National Institutes of Health has recommended "prudent avoidance" and has labeled it as a possible carcinogen.
A thorough home inspection can help identify a majority of these hazards. Some tests do not require additional fees and some will. Call us for details. Click on any of the menu selections to learn more. Don't take the risk. Protect yourself and your family. Get a home inspection by Inspection Associates, Inc.
Asbestos Health Effects
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer primarily caused by exposure to asbestos. The cancer develops in the thin layer of tissue that lines and protects the chest cavity and other organs.
PleuralMesothelioma.com has the most up to date and comprehensive information about Pleural Mesothelioma on the web today. With information ranging from a complete list of symptoms, to treatment options, as well as information on the mesothelioma life span.
(This information was recieved from the International Public Awareness Director of PleuralMesothelioma.com)
Lead is a very strong poison. When a person swallows a lead object or breathes in lead dust, some of the poison can stay in the body and cause serious health problems.
Where Found
Lead used to be very common in gasoline and house paint in the U.S. Children living in cities with older houses are more likely to have high levels of lead.
Although gasoline and paint are no longer made with lead in them, lead is still a health problem. Lead is everywhere, including dirt, dust, new toys, and old house paint. Unfortunately, you can't see, taste, or smell lead.
Lead is found in:
House paint before 1978. Even if the paint is not peeling, it can be a problem. Lead paint is very dangerous when it is being stripped or sanded. These actions release fine lead dust into the air. Infants and children living in pre-1960's housing (when paint often contained lead) have the highest risk of lead poisoning. Small children often swallow paint chips or dust from lead-based paint.
Toys and furniture painted before 1976.
Painted toys and decorations made outside the U.S.
Lead bullets, fishing sinkers, curtain weights.
Plumbing, pipes, and faucets. Lead can be found in drinking water in homes containing pipes that were connected with lead solder. Although new building codes require lead-free solder, lead is still found in some modern faucets.
Soil contaminated by decades of car exhaust or years of house paint scrapings. Lead is more common in soil near highways and houses.
Hobbies involving soldering, stained glass, jewelry making, pottery glazing, and miniature lead figures (always look at labels).
Children's paint sets and art supplies (always look at labels).
Pewter pitchers and dinnerware.
Storage batteries.
Children get lead in their bodies when they put lead objects in their mouths, especially if they swallow the lead object. They can also get lead poison on their fingers from touching a dusty or peeling lead object, and then putting their fingers in their mouths or eating food afterward. Children also can breathe in tiny amounts of lead.
Symptoms
There are many possible symptoms of lead poisoning. Lead can affect many different parts of the body. A single high dose of lead can cause severe emergency symptoms.
However, it is more common for lead poisoning to build up slowly over time. This occurs from repeated exposure to small amounts of lead. In this case, there may not be any obvious symptoms. Over time, even low levels of lead exposure can harm a child's mental development. The health problems get worse as the level of lead in the blood gets higher.
Lead is much more harmful to children than adults because it can affect children's developing nerves and brains. The younger the child, the more harmful lead can be. Unborn children are the most vulnerable.
Possible complications include:
Behavior or attention problems
Failure at school
Hearing problems
Kidney damage
Reduced IQ
Slowed body growth
The symptoms of lead poisoning may include:
Abdominal pain and cramping (usually the first sign of a high, toxic dose of lead poison)
Aggressive behavior
Anemia
Constipation
Difficulty sleeping
Headaches
Irritability
Loss of previous developmental skills (in young children)
Low appetite and energy
Reduced sensations
Very high levels of lead may cause vomiting, staggering walk, muscle weakness, seizures, or coma.
