M1.5: Environmental Health Home Assessment

Did you understand why all of the questions on the Assessment tool pointed to an environmental health risks?

Yes, I understand the nature of the questions and how/why they point to an environmental health risk.  It does seem like some are certainly more relevant and obvious than others, but they are all important.

Did you discover any environmental risks in your home by completing the home assessment?

The most interesting thing I’ve discovered is how little I actually know about my home.  I am from New York where I still own my home, but I am renting here in San Francisco.  The current building where I live in Lower Nob Hill was built in 1918.  It is an old building but has been completely renovated into modern condos.  Even though it looks nice, I wonder how safe it is from an environmental health perspective.  I suspect this is the case with many people in cities particularly, who have no oversight on the planning, construction or maintenance of their buildings. 

In the home assessment, why did we want to know about the age of your home?

Certainly construction, health and environmental standards were all different at various time periods, so even a few years could make a difference between a healthy environment and an unsafe environment.

Why would we want to know if someone lives in the basement? 

Basement living is never a great idea in my opinion.  Things get damp, moldy and can flood, causing more issues.  I don’t want to repeat what others have said, but I know from a personal experience with my mold allergies, if I spend even two or three minutes in a typical basement, I’ll be sick for a week!

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** This is mostly for my entire building, so many questions I don't know the answers to **

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Home built before 1978 - Yes
Home tested for lead - Unknown
Living space in basement - No
Attached garage - Yes
Home radon test - Unknown
Home radon ventilation system - Unknown

Combustion heating source - Yes
Gas, kerosene or propane space heater - No
Wood stove - No
Fireplace - Yes

Gas dryer - Yes
   Vented - Yes
Gas hot water heater - Yes
   Vented - Yes
Gas stove - Yes

Well water - No
Lead pipes - Unknown
Water tested for contaminants - Unknown
Known contaminants - Unknown

Smoke detector - Yes
Carbon monoxide detector - Yes
Fire extinguisher - Yes
Fire evacuation route - No
Emergency phone numbers - Yes
Disaster plan - No
Shelter-in-place supplies - Yes

Insects in home - No
Rodents in home - No
Pesticide spraying in home - Unknown
Pesticide contract - Unknown

Air freshener used in home - Yes
Candles - Yes
Plug-ins - No
Incense - Yes
Use of strong smelling cleaners - No

Tuna fish served in home - Yes
Fresh fruit/vegetables used - Yes
Local/organic produce used - Yes

Mercury thermometer in house - No
Other mercury devices - No
Needle boxes for needles - No
Use of traditional or cultural remedies containing mercury - No

Smoking allowed in home - No
House smells like smoke - No
Cigarette products present - No