Dave Your Home Inspector

 

Lead poisoning is a big concern for children but it also affects adults. Lead poisoning in children is known to cause irreversible brain damage and impairs mental functioning. It can retard development mentally and physically and reduce the attention span.  Even at extremely low levels it is known to retard fetal development.  Adults may experience irritability, poor muscle coordination, and damage to the nerves of the sense organs and nerves that control the body. Lead poisoning may also cause problems with reproduction (such as a decreased sperm count) and may also increase blood pressure.

 

Lead Based Paint is hazardous to your health.

 

Lead-based paint is a major contributing source of lead poisoning.  Lead was added to “alkyd” oil based paint as a pigment and drying agent.  Statistics show that about two-thirds of the homes built before 1940 and one-half of the homes built from 1940 to 1960 contain paint with heavy lead content. Even some homes built after 1960 also contain heavily-leaded paint. It may be found on any interior or exterior surface, most commonly on woodwork, doors, and windows. In 1978, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission lowered the legal maximum lead content in most kinds of paint to 0.06% (a trace amount).

 

Lead enters the body when it is ingested or inhaled. The most common way children are exposed to lead is from chipping, peeling, or flaking lead-based paint or lead dust. The lead dust can get on their toys and hands. It is ingested when they put their hands or toys in their mouths.  Children can also get lead poisoning by chewing or sucking on painted surfaces or paint chips that contain high levels of lead.

 

Before renovating or if the paint or underlying surface is deteriorating in a home constructed before the 1980s, consider having the paint tested for lead.  There are some do it yourself test kits available that use sodium sulfide.  These types of tests produce many false positives due to other metals in the paint and some resins may not allow the solution to contact the lead.  The most reliable way to test for lead based paint is to have a sample taken and sent to a lab. 

 

If it is determined you have lead-based paint in your home, you should take steps to reduce your exposure to lead. These steps are:

 

• Have the lead-based paint removed.
• Have the painted item replaced.
• Cover the lead-based paint with a sealer or paint.  However, painting over lead-based paint with non-lead paint is not a long-term solution.
• Reduce lead dust exposure by mopping and wiping surface and floors with a high phosphorous cleaning solution.  This is a preventive measure and is not an alternative to replacement or removal, it is a temporary precaution until the paint is removed or the item is replaced.

 

Professionals are available to remove, replace, or cover lead-based paint.  If you have any questions about lead based paint or any other concern in your home, please call our office immediately.  The safety of you and your family is our top concern.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

David Novalinski Sr

About Your Home Inspection, Inc.

847 669 9040

 

This week’s entry is going to be a little out of the ordinary for me.  No home maintenance tips, safety lectures or inspection talk at all.  I want to talk about an experience I had last week that I will never forget.

 

This past week I put everything on hold for six whole days.  I skipped a meeting for my network group, logged off Facebook (that was tough), turned the email auto responder on, and didn’t perform any home inspections for the entire week.  I packed my bags and left my family behind.  What would make me do such a crazy thing?  Sit back and enjoy while I tell you about it.

 

I just completed one of the most gratifying weeks of my life.  I volunteered as a camp counselor at Horizon Summer Camp.  The Association of Horizon, Inc. offers a week long summer camp experience where adults with physical disabilities team up, usually one on one, with able-bodied volunteers for a week of recreation, learning and fun.  The camp is held annually at Timber Point Outdoor Center on Lake Bloomington in Hudson, Illinois.

 

This was my first time volunteering at Horizon camp.  I have volunteered at numerous Muscular Dystrophy camps over the past 13 years, but wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I arrived on Sunday.  After a 2 ½ hour drive I finally arrived at camp.  Woo Hoo!  Here we go!  No turning back now! 

 

Why was I so nervous?  I’ve done this so many times.  But I still had all these questions going through my mind.  What was my camper going to be like?  Were we going to get along?  Could I handle working with somebody who had a disability different than what I was used to dealing with?

 

Then I met my camper.  As I introduced myself to Kevin, I knew everything was going to be OK.  He has a smile that will melt your heart.  Kevin has Cerebral Palsy and even though he only speaks a few words, we are able to communicate by me asking yes or no questions which Kevin would answer with a Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down.  I’m not going to say we didn’t have our challenges, but with a little patience (on both sides) we were able to make it through the week and have a great time!  Kevin – You ROCK!  I am already looking forward to and making plans for next year’s camp.

 

This year marked the 19^th anniversary of summer camp sponsored by the Association of Horizon.  This year’s camp was the largest group to date with nearly 100 campers and 120 volunteers & staff.  It takes a lot of hard work, coordination and fund raising to make a camp like this happen year after year.  If you are interested in learning more about the Association of Horizon, Inc., the summer camp program, or how you can get involved, click HERE, or call me.  You won’t regret it!

 

To see my photo albums from camp on Facebook click the following links.   Album 1  -  Album 2

 

Thanks for reading!  

David Novalinski Sr.

About Your Home Inspection, Inc.

847 669 9040

 

Do you remember back when you were a kid?  I am talking about the time in your life when all you had to worry about was what you were going to do for those three months between grades.  You remember……summer vacation!  Those were the days!  Sleeping in……playing all day…….staying outside until the last possible minute.  I know it is further back for some of us, and more recent for others, but just get that image in your mind.

 

I want this time of the year to be all that for todays kids.  I want them to have no worries; to spend all day playing and being safe while doing it.  I’m sure that I am not alone in these thoughts.  No parent wants their children to be in danger of being harmed, especially in their own home.  Research shows that 69% of children’s deaths were from home related accidents. 

 

 

As times have changed, some of the dangers in homes have become more prevalent.  My hope is by posting this blog I can prevent one child from being injured or even killed by an in home accident. 

 

 

 

Where are the danger zones in your house?

 

These are the first places to look:

 

• Stairs and balconies and lofts- Many of the homes built today have big beautiful staircases, balconies and second story lofts overlooking the lower level.  Many buyers in today’s market are attracted to these features.  As cool as they seem, they pose a risk of falling to curious, active children of all ages. 

 

• Entertainment center- There has been a recent rise in the number of children that are injured by a falling television.  This is attributed to the rising number of large flat screen TV’s which are usually on low stands which allows them to tip easily.  Another cause is an improperly installed wall mount which can, and has, fallen on children.  A majority of these injuries are to children under six years old.

 

• Near heavy furniture- Tall furniture (bookcases, chests, armoires, etc.) that is not attached to the wall with safety straps or L-brackets can fall on children especially if they try to climb.

 

• Exercise room- Children fall from exercise equipment and break bones.  Even something as harmless as a treadmill can cause severe friction burns from touching the belt. Free weights and barbells can cause damage if dropped.

 

• Swimming pool- When most people think about pool safety, they automatically think about the dangers of drowning.  That is a very real danger that needs to be addressed, but not the only one associated with swimming pools.  Faulty wiring in filter systems and pool lights can cause electrocution.  Don’t take it for granted that everything is ok; make sure.

 

Just by addressing these five areas you are making your home much safer for your children, and for yourself.  If you have any questions regarding the safety or integrity of any area or component of your home you should call to schedule a Maintenance Inspection.  Don’t wait until it’s too late.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

David Novalinski Sr.

About Your Home Inspection, Inc.

847 669 9040