State health officials say an increase in childhood lead poisoning cases in Iowa could be tied to the economic downturn. Kevin Officer, with the Iowa Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Lead Poisoning Prevention, says many people living in older homes are choosing to do their own repairs and they’re not always following lead-safe practices.…
Name of Product: Haunted House Screen Tea Light Holders Units: About 7,800 Distributor: Coyne’s & Company, of Minneapolis, Minn. Hazard: The window panes on the screen can ignite, posing a fire hazard. Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received three reports of the window pane catching fire. No injuries have been reported. Description: This recall involves haunted house screen tea light holders made…
Living through a major home remodel can turn anyone’s life topsy-turvy, but when you suffer from asthma, it can become a hazard to your health. That’s why it’s important to hire a contractor who knows how to minimize indoor air pollution during a home remodel, according to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). Dust,…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 22, 2009 WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is marking National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week by announcing several actions the agency proposes to take to prevent lead poisoning. Lead poisoning may cause a variety of adverse health effects, including brain and nervous system disorders, high blood pressure, and hypertension. Children…
By Michael McCutcheon for the Mercury News Q: How can I keep my home and family safe during a remodel? A: That's a great question. Clients usually dwell on price vs. quality, and the remodeling schedule, but rarely do they seriously consider the safety of their family and home during a remodel. Yet I would argue…
This is a big recall, folks. LP, Louisiana-Pacific, is putting out notice that its decking under the brand names WeatherBest®, ABTCo. and Veranda may rot and you may get hurt falling through the decking. Already there have been 37 reports of composite decks breaking, resulting in 14 injuries, including a broken wrist, sprained ankle, minor lacerations and…
Let's face it, folks, climate change is bringing with it more natural disasters: fires, floods, hurricanes, drought. It seems there's too much water in some places, and no water enough in others. For those dry places where wildfires will become more prevalent, keeping houses safe is critical. You want to keep flying embers from getting…
Whenever I’m told to test my house for lead or radon or mold or asbestos, I get a bad case of the “yeah buts . . . .” As in: Yeah, but . . . who do I call? Yeah, but . . . how do I collect samples? Yeah, but . . . what…
In the photo on the right, you can see mold spots showing through the paint in this closet. What to do? Without mold, our planet would be a very boring place. Were it not for cellulose-hungry mold, the fallen leaves would not compost, the compost would not nurture new growth, and the land would lay…
Back in 1998, in a massive recall, virtually the entire furnace and boiler industry — along with the manufacturers of high-temperature plastic vent pipes and the Consumer Product Safety Commission — joined to correct a problem with 250,000 vent pipes that could crack or separate at the seams and leak deadly carbon monoxide fumes into homes. According…