Home inspections are great for detecting structural concerns, but they can also alert you to circumstances within the home that will impact air and water quality, and subsequently, the health of you and your family.
Home inspections are a critical part of the homebuying process. Though they’re important for uncovering structural issues, an inspection can also reveal environmental and other safety-related factors that can impact the health of those living within the home.
A home is meant to be a safe place for its residents, their families, guests and even pets, and you should know what you’re dealing with whether purchasing a new home or evaluating your current one. Because of this, home inspections can review factors that can impact water and air quality in the home to ensure the homeowner is fully informed and can resolve hazardous issues.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, up to six out of 10 homes and buildings are unsafe, and most people spend about 90% of their time indoors! Poor indoor air quality is often viewed as the main culprit, and indoor air pollution can be two to five times higher indoors than it is outdoors, often due to building materials.
“Home inspections can include testing and evaluation of things that can lead to poor air and water quality,” explained Adam Long, president of HomeTeam Inspection Service. “In addition to the whole house home inspections that are offered, these available environmental tests ensure the home is going to be a safe place for you and your family to live.”
Here are a few safety and environmental concerns that home inspections can uncover.
Lead Paint
Homes built prior to 1978 should be evaluated for lead.
The EPA reports that nearly half of the housing units in the U.S. have some amount of lead-based paint, and this can lead to serious health issues, especially in children.
Mold
Mold is an issue that can impact both the integrity of the home as well as the indoor air quality. Over half of the homes in America have mold.
Though it is dangerous for everyone, mold exposure is extra troubling for people who have allergies and asthma as it irritates the lungs alongside the eyes, skin, nose and throat.
Contaminated Water
The EPA reports that the average American consumes between one and two liters of drinking water per day, and most of this is sourced from fresh surface water and ground water aquifers.
Drinking water can easily be contaminated by heavy metals, human and animal waste, which can include giardia and E. coli, and commercial and agricultural runoff. In 2021, over 25 million Americans were drinking from some of the worst water sources.
Other health and safety issues to review during your whole house home inspection include radon and carbon monoxide levels, pesticides and asbestos.
When reviewing a home inspection report, it is important to be informed about these things. While some of the statistics can be fear-inducing, the home inspector is there to provide the knowledge you need to be fully aware of the current circumstances and advocate for any necessary changes to make the home not only livable but safe and comfortable.
