Asbestos

One of the most harmful substances that were used as a building material and insulation up until the 1980's is asbestos. Asbestos was commonly used as insulation and a fire-retardant material in ceilings and walls, but it has been one of the leading contributors to mesothelioma and other forms of lung cancer. It is a serious health risk when materials containing it are disturbed and asbestos fibers are released into the air.

If your home was built before the mid 1980's it is very likely that your ceiling, walls, and floors contain materials that contain asbestos fibers. It is best to leave these materials as they are, but if they have to be moved or disturbed, use a qualified and trained contractor for removal and cleanup of asbestos containing materials. Your health and the health of your family is not worth the risk of exposing them to asbestos. If you don't know if a material contains asbestos, it is best to have a professional come out and test it before you decide to remove it yourself. When working on home improvement, leave the asbestos to the professionals.

Lead-Based Paint

Lead-based paint is a major source of lead poisoning among children which causes irreversible brain damage and can impair mental functions. Lead-based paints were commonly used up until 1980's on the interior of homes. If your home was built prior to the 1980's and has peeling paint inside, you may be exposing yourself and your family to lead poisoning. Lead poisoning is most commonly caused by exposure to lead dust. Lead dust can be created by walking over lead-based paint chips, sanding lead-based paint, opening and closing window or doors painted in lead-based paints, or even just allowing lead-based paint to peel.

When you are making home improvements, and you are dealing with lead-based paint, it is best to remove it entirely from your home by either removing the item that is painted, or stripping the paint from your home. If you are stripping the paint, it is best to hire a professional who has been trained and certified for lead-based paint removal. If the area that is painted in lead-based paint is smaller than one square foot, you can remove the lead-based paint yourself with a liquid paint stripper. Do not use a dry method for removing lead-based paint.

Formaldehyde

One substance that is still being used in construction materials today that is potentially harmful to your health is formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is commonly used in adhesives, so any product that uses adhesives such as pressed or laminated wood, carpet adhesives, tile adhesives, etc. are likely to contain formaldehyde. Research into the effects of formaldehyde is not extensive, but it has been sighted as one of the leading causes of respiratory problems, particularly the formation of allergies in children and asthma.

When doing home improvement projects, you can lessen your exposure to formaldehyde by limiting the number of pressed wood products in your home and using adhesives that are specifically formaldehyde-free. Adhesives and other materials have other chemicals that they off-gas which changes your indoor air quality, so be sure to do your research and choose the products you use carefully. Read labels to make sure the products you use have a low VOC rate.