Bay Area Outdoor Air Quality I am writing this on November 13, 2018.  For the past week the state of California has been cloaked in thick, noxious smoke from the wildfires burning out of control.  Northern California is mostly affected by the Camp Fire near Chico, CA and Southern California by the Woolsey Fire.  Many

With the legalization of marijuana, some black-market growers are abandoning their illegal cannabis grow operations. Grow ops, often set up in rented properties, can leave a mess for landlords to clean up. Many of these properties are also put up for sale and then become the responsibility of the homebuyer. Identifying a grow-op is often

5 interesting things about EMF (Electromagnetic Fields): There are actually 5 different types of “EMF” that are commonly tested in buildings: low frequency magnetic fields (https://healthybuildingscience.com/2013/10/23/magnetic-fields-emf-consulting/) low frequency electric fields “dirty electricity” or “high-voltage transients” or “electrical noise” radio frequency (RF) radiation alpha, beta and gamma ionizing radiation Each of the above types of radiation

6 things people should know about water quality: Source matters! One of the most important variables in water quality is the source. Does the water come from an open water source like a lake or reservoir? Is it treated and delivered to a site via the municipal or county water service? Or is it a

Top 10 things people should know about soil quality and soil contamination: Site history matters! If your lot is over an orchard, old landfill or leaking underground storage tank, there will likely be pollution indicators present. Building history matters. If there is (or was) a structure built before 1980 on the property there have likely

Healthy Building Science is pleased to announce that we now have an XRF lead testing gun in house for detecting lead in painted wood and lead in plastic toys: the Heurosis pb200i. The XRF analyzer provides lead testing solutions for household painted wood or plastic items as well as toys marketed toward teenagers such as

How To Avoid Lead Dust During Home Renovations Containment, Wet Methods, HEPA Vacuum and Prompt Clean-up are the main work practices to follow in order to reduce exposure to lead dust during renovation. Sticking to these main concepts will help avoid the most common pathways of exposing your family to lead dust. Whether or not

Bay Area Air Quality Among Worst In Nation As an industrial hygienist it came as a surprise that the American Lung Association recently ranked Bay Area air quality among worst in nation for air pollution and particulates. Unhealthy levels of pollution were found in numerous parts of the country, but the San Francisco Bay Area

Pest Problem? Before you reach for the pesticides, bug spray, or call the exterminator, consider that once you’ve sprayed, pesticide residues can remain years later. Luckily, there are resources to help inform you whether you want to use it in the first place and what to do after-the-fact to limit exposure and clean up pesticide