Is Your New Home Safe for Your Children?
There are some potential problem areas to look at and correct if needed before the move-in day. If not corrected, some can result in serious injury, or even death. It's worth your time to take a few minutes and make sure your new home is safe.
If your house was built before 1978, the walls may have been painted with a lead-based paint. If the paint isn't chipping away, you can lightly sand the wall and paint with a lead-free paint. If there are paint chips, they can be very dangerous to all members of your family especially children should they contain lead. You can call (1-800-LEAD-FYI) to get the paint chips analyzed.
There are also kits available to detect possible lead content. All you have to do is to place a drop of the solution from the kit on the surface you want to analyze. During the next minute, the clear solution should turn gray darkening towards black if there's lead present. If you get a positive result, you will have to hire professionals the remove the paint and lead. This procedure is messy, expensive and should be done before you move in. Lead poisoning can lead to a loss of appetite, loss of sleep, headaches, lack of concentration, learning disabilities, and loss of hearing.
Before you move in, it's the perfect time to paint and also to be sure the previous owner wasn't a do-it-yourself electrician. Extreme caution must be taken with non-professional electrical wiring. If anything from your electrical panel doesn't look uniform with the other wiring or you find odd or extra wiring coming out from the closet, floor, ceiling or under carpets--call an Electrician. Do not attempt to fix it yourself. This area should only be dealt with by a professional electrician.
Check your basement walls for mold and mildew to indicate a too humid environment. Many problems associated with an overly humid environment can be from "poorly maintained gutters and downspouts." Says Jeffrey May president of J.May Home Inspections Inc., Cambridge, Ma. "As well as problems due to improper grading that can easily be remedied with a shovel and grass seeds." Make sure the gutters and downspouts are free of leaves, and branches and that the water can flow freely. Fill in areas where the grading, near the foundation isn't like the rest of the house. Along with damp walls comes an unpleasant odor. Mold can cause respiratory illnesses in some or all members of the family. Getting a dehumidifier is a must. Not only for your family's well-being but also for the well-being of the house, walls and it's foundation.
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