HPC of South Bend and St. Joseph County - Standards Update Draft

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City of South Bend and St. Joseph County Historic Preservation Guidelines 111 For More Information: Hazardous Materials • National Lead Information Center (800)-424-LEAD www .epa .gov/lead • Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Assistance Information Service (202)- 554-1404 tsca-hotline@epa.gov For some additional information about Lead in buildings consider the following resources: • Old House Online –Repairs and how to—The Lead and Asbestos Law –Paint Removal and Stripping • Old House Web –Appropriate Methods for Reducing Lead-Paint Hazards in Historic Housing • Preservation Science –Addressing Lead Hazards in Historic Buildings • The Craftsman Blog –5 Dangers hiding in your old house –Lead paint the whole story –How to lead safe work practices Mold Mold is a multicellular fungus which enables the biodegradation of natural materials . Mold growth in buildings generally occurs when moisture levels are high and can often be an indication of larger moisture infiltration issues. Eliminating the moisture source is the first step in fungal remediation. Removal of affected materials may also be necessary for remediation if materials are easily replaceable and not part of the load bearing structure or contribute to the historic integrity of the property . Professional drying of concealed wall cavities and enclosed spaces such as cabinet toe kick spaces may be required. Post-remediation verification of moisture content and fungal growth is required for successful remediation. Many contractors perform post-remediation verification themselves, but property owners may benefit from independent verification. The Environmental Protection (EPA) agency currently recommends for the relative indoor humidity to be below 60% and ideally between 30% and 50% to inhibit mold growth. • Indoor Air Quality Information clearinghouse (800)-438-4318 www .epa .gov/mold For some additional information about Mold in buildings consider the following resources: • Old House Online—Mitigating mold • National Trust for Historic Preservation—Tips for mold • The Craftsman Blog—Mold and Mildew removal Radon Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and can cause lung cancer . Some level of radon will be found in all buildings . It typically enters a structure directly from the soil through the lowest level in the building that is in contact with the ground. Entry points of radon into buildings are cracks in solid foundations and walls, construction joints, gaps in suspended floors and around service pipes, cavities inside walls, and crawlspaces and basements where the floor is exposed earth. Radon concentrations in the same location may differ by a factor of two over a period of an hour, and the concentration in one room may be significantly different from the concentration of an adjacent room. The soil characteristics are the most important source of radon for the basement and/or ground floor. Since radon is colorless and odorless the only way to determine its presence in the air is to perform tests . Radon test kits are available to the public at retail and hardware stores for home use . Licensed professionals may also perform testing and are required for radon mitigation if radon is present .DRAFT