Environmental Tests
Click on the item below for more information.
Radon
is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, inert gas that is produced
naturally by the decay of uranium & radium. During the decay of these
elements, radioactive energy is given off. Essentially radon attaches
to dust particles in the air, these particles are inhaled & attach to
the lung tissue. As radon decays into different elements, it gives off
radiation. The lung tissue is damaged by the radioactivity, causing
over 15,000 deaths by lung cancer a year. The Illinois Department of
Nuclear Safety recommends mitigation when radon concentrations reach 4
pCi/L of air or more. 4 pCi/L is roughly equal to half-a-pack of
cigarettes per day, or an X-ray every other day.
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Harmony Home Inspectors has a licensed Radon
Measurement Professional available to assist you.
Asbestos is a mineral fiber found in rock. There are
several different kinds of asbestos fibers that have been used in over
2000 different construction materials over the years. They have been
used because of their durability & resistance to fire. Asbestos has
been shown to cause both lung & stomach cancer in studies, and is
responsible for 8000 death per year. No level of asbestos exposure has
been determined to be acceptable.
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Lead
is a heavy metal now known to be health hazard. One may be exposed to
Lead by dust in the air, water, food, and soil. The two most typical
exposure forms in the home come from Lead Based Paint used prior to
1978, and Lead in the water from lead supply water lines, or lead
solder in water lines.
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Underground Storage Tanks
should be certified leak free, and confirm no soil contamination
exists. Otherwise, tanks should be removed according to the EPA
Standards. Harmony Home Inspectors holds referrals for companies that
are able to offer the following services for Underground Storage
Tanks: identification of subsurface structures, soil & ground water
quality investigations; tank removal & disposal services- preparation
of removal plans & specifications, excavation, removal, and disposal
of tanks and residuals, in-place tank decommissioning (if
appropriate), and construction management; remediation services, and
tank upgrade services.
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MOLD IN BUILDINGS
INFORMATION:
Open Letter To Harmony Home Inspectors'
Clients:
The issue of mold in buildings has become a "hot" topic
recently. If you visited here in the past, you know we used to offer
mold sampling. Due to the varying opinions on this topic, Harmony Home
Inspectors, Inc. has ceased all mold sampling operations until widely
accepted standards are established for; when to sample, why to sample,
and specific recommendations that can be made from those samples.
Quite frankly, the amount of time it takes to properly educate our
clients has made mold sampling unprofitable in most situations. There
are too many other businesses willing to leave the client
uninformed... we prefer to have fully informed clients.
With mold, our recommendation regarding mold is to have an industrial
hygenist evaluate your situation ( you can find an industrial hygenist
in your area at http://www.aiha.org/ ), or contact a professional
remediator, and have the mold remediated.
We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you. If you
have any specific concern, please contact us at 847-340-0402. If you
have utilized Harmony Home Inspectors in the past, we will support you
in your efforts to solve your problems.
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