Know how to detect monoxide, radon, asbestos poisoning

By Leta Herman, NorthWest Indiana Times

Home sweet home might be sweet but not safe. The very air you breathe can be toxic, especially if your landlord isn't on top of things.

When you can't trust your landlord to make your apartment safe, you need to educate yourself about possible risks to be sure your home is as safe as it is sweet.

My last column was the first in a two part series about environmental hazards in apartments that covered lead. This column focuses on three other dangerous hazards: carbon monoxide, radon and asbestos.

Carbon monoxide
We all know that carbon monoxide poisoning can occur when you run your car in your garage. But most people don't think about the dangers of carbon monoxide in their homes.

Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths nationwide, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. An estimated 1,500 people die each year and an additional 10,000 become ill with symptoms such as shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, nausea and fainting. People with heart problems are especially at risk.

Carbon monoxide is highly flammable, odorless and tasteless. Other than cars running in your garage, fuel-burning appliances are often the culprits in your home. The gas can come from improperly maintained and ventilated furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, wood stoves and spaces heaters. The more air-tight your building, the bigger the risk of poisoning, since less fresh air can get in. Newer apartment buildings tend to be the most air-tight.

It's important to make sure your landlord maintains any fuel-burning appliances in your home, especially in seasons when you keep your windows closed. Ask your local gas company to come out and check your gas-burning appliance before winter starts (some do this for free).

You can also install your own carbon monoxide detector or ask your landlord to provide one. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends a carbon monoxide alarm for every home. In light of this fact, I wouldn't be surprised if some city housing codes start requiring these detectors in apartment units in the future.

For more information, you can call the Consumer Product Safety Commission's hot line at (800) 638-2772 or check out their Web site www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml01/01069.html.

Radon
One of the most common tests a buyer does on a potential house is test for the presence of radon. But renters rarely test for radon in apartments.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, radon -- an invisible, odorless gas that can cause lung cancer -- can be found anywhere in the nation. And not just in houses.

Should renters worry about it? That depends. The EPA and the U.S. surgeon general have issued a warning to test all buildings below the third floor. So technically, first- and second-floor renters may be at risk for radon.

There is also some question about the presence of radon in tap water that might be aerated when you run water, for example, in the shower. At this point, radon poisoning from water seems less likely, but good ventilation in the bathroom (opening a window) can help if you suspect it's a problem.

Landlords may not believe radon testing is necessary because many states have not addressed radon in legislation. However, as radon dangers become more widely known, states are becoming more aggressive. Some, such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania, require landlords to tell renters if they know or suspect that radon is present. These states also provide low-interest loans to landlords who have found radon on the property.

"Individual states may hold landlords to slightly higher standards (for reporting the presence of radon)," says attorney Janet Portman, co-author of "Every Tenant's Legal Guide," published by Berkeley-based Nolo. "But in every state, landlords who know of the presence of radon would be well advised to tell tenants about it. If they don't and there's a problem, they'll be setting themselves up for a lawsuit."

When neighboring buildings have high radon levels, landlords would be smart to test for radon since their liability for radon hazards increases when they know of problems and ignore them. If your landlord won't test for radon, you can do it yourself. (Call the EPA's radon hot line at (800) 767-7236 to obtain a brochure or a coupon for a radon test kit.)

If you find a high radon level, your landlord is responsible for fixing the problem to make your apartment safe to live in.

Asbestos
Asbestos is a substance that often was used in residential buildings built before 1981.

Because this material can cause lung cancer and other lung diseases, it doesn't hurt to learn more about asbestos and the laws that protect you as a renter.

When you rent an apartment or house, your landlord is required by law to disclose the presence of asbestos if the landlord is aware of it. And even if your landlord hasn't tested for it, strict federal Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration asbestos laws require your landlord to act as if asbestos is present in rental units built before 1981. For example, if your landlord wants to remodel your apartment (built before 1981), the landlord must test for the presence of asbestos first to be sure that it is asbestos free.

Even with these laws, the burden of finding and dealing with asbestos often falls on tenants. The good news for renters, though, is that asbestos is not suspected to be much of a health threat in homes these days. Asbestos is not dangerous when it is left alone and not falling apart. It's the removal that causes the most health risk, which means construction workers are more likely to have negative health effects when they're not protected.

Monitoring known asbestos is important though. Renters should be on the look out for possible asbestos in older apartments. Common places where asbestos can be present are around hot water boilers, in "cottage cheese" ceilings or in vinyl floor covering. But as long as it is in intact and goes untouched, it is relatively harmless.

If you suspect your apartment has friable (breaking up) asbestos, check it out. Talk to your landlord about getting it tested. If he or she refuses, you can have a laboratory run an inexpensive test. I sent off a piece of broken linoleum for a $25 test at a local lab.

If your test is positive for asbestos, contact your landlord immediately.

"Once the landlord knows about it, he has to take steps to contain it, even if that means temporarily evicting tenants to alternate housing," says Portman. "Otherwise the landlord will be liable for tenants' injuries."

For more information about the OSHA regulations, call the OSHA Publications Office at (202) 219-4667.

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