Arsenic

Toxic Talk was the title of the Salem Association of Realtor’s Educational Event yesterday.

I wanted to give everyone a quick review of the information that I learned:

Radon: It will kill you. Any home might have an issue. It comes out of the ground and even with a well ventilated crawlspace your home can concentrate this poisonous, radioactive gas.

Moral: Get your home tested

Arsenic in Water: It will kill you. Wells will be required to be tested for it during a real estate transaction. If you have it and install a filter CHANGE YOUR FILTER carefully and regularly.

Moral: Get your water tested

Disaster Clean-up: It will kill you. (see a pattern developing?) Rodent urine and feces is a toxic bio hazard

Moral: Hopefully you won’t have to call these guys EVER!

Lead: It will kill you. (yup, believe it or not) Soon Oregon is going to have some changes that require certifications of ANYONE dealing with repairs of older homes and mandatory lead testing of all of these homes!

Moral: Whether you like it or not your home will be tested…..

Mold: (everyone now!) It will kill you. Mold is EVERYWHERE and it is not necessarily the issue but an indicator of moisture conditions that are a problem

Moral: Get your home tested.

Crawlspace/basement leakage: This will probably kill you too but I think the moisture just causes stuff that will kill you…. Crawlspaces and basements are swimming pools and although there are ways to minimize the water intrusion, they are not required by code.

Moral: Pay a good Home Inspector to check out your crawlspace BEFORE you sell!