In the previous installation of this article we covered asbestos, cockroaches and mould. While these are all health risks, another problem these things cause is that it will be very much harder to sell your property if there is a prevalence of any of these things in it.
Not many people will willingly buy a property that is infested by cockroaches and covered in mould without getting the seller to sell at an absolute basement price.So if you intend on selling it would be best to sort those problems, and the following problems, out before putting it on the market.It will certainly affect your asking price.
Something we South Africans may not be that familiar with is carbon monoxide poisoning due to incorrect use of, or malfunctioning combustion appliances. Carbon monoxide poisoning can be fatal. Although many people living in informal settlements will have some experience with the problem as they often have to use combustion appliances such as paraffin stoves to cook and stay warm when the weather is cold. The odourless, colourless gas is produced when there is a lack of oxygen or enough heat to burn fuels completely.While a little bit of this gas is not usually a problem, there are serious consequences when it is allowed to build up in an inadequately ventilated room.
Other combustion appliances include gas burning water heaters, gas stoves and fire places.Whenever using any kind of combustion appliance in your home first make sure it will not set anything on fire, then ensure the room it is in is well ventilated and that the appliance itself is in good working order. Following this basic checklist could save your life.Please note, not only gas fuels will produce carbon monoxide, wood and any other flammable material will produce the gas.
Then we come to something a little bit unbelievable, arsenic treated wood.Many of us will remember episodes of “Murder She Wrote” where the unfortunate victim had been poisoned with arsenic. Well apparently some places use something called CCA (chromated copper arsenate) ,this is a preservative/pesticide that is used to prevent rotting of wood that is used outdoors.It is used in South Africa and other countries and people should be aware of the potential risks involved in using it.
Arsenic is a known carcinogen (cancer causing agent) and can lead to cancers of the lung, bladder, skin, kidney, prostate, and nasal passage.Not a pleasant thought.Even more scary is what they use the wood for, children’s outdoor playsets, decking and picnic tables. You stand a risk of being contaminated by the arsenic if it manages to leech through to outer surface of the wood where you can actually touch it.
Many people would probably not want to risk coming into contact with such a dangerous chemical even if there is only a small chance of contamination.There are alternatives to CCA treated wood, but most of them contain other horrible chemical concoctions.It is best to do your research about the type of preservatives the manufacturers have used and possible problems they cause.It is best to always wash your hands after coming into contact with chemically treated wood, and to not store toys in places treated with these chemicals as children are always at a greater risk.
If you suspect you may have any of the home health hazards I have discussed always remember that your health comes first.If it means you have to spend money and have a professional clean the mould out of your roof then do so. You can’t put a price on your and your family’s health.
