Cornell Cooperative Extension

Ontario County
Schoharie-Otsego landscape view

Healthy Homes

Most of us spend much of our time indoors. The air that we breathe in our homes, in schools, and in offices can put us at risk for health problems. Some pollutants can be chemicals, gases, and living organisms like mold and pests. Visit our pages in this section to learn about some common indoor air issues and how to address them.

Asbestos sheets

Asbestos

Asbestos is a common yet toxic material. Learn how to identify it and protect your home.

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Fiestaware mini-disk pitchers; lead-glazed pottery

Lead

Lead is highly toxic and dangerous. Learn how it can affect you and what you can do.

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New Orleans resident searches for salvageable items in her home following Hurricane Katrina. Many homes were like this one with mold damage to the ceiling. mold

Mold

Mold can cause great damage to your home. Click here to learn more about this organism and how to control it.

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Radioactivity sign against a blue sky, for use on Radon education events

Radon

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Do you know what radon is? Where it is? How to test for it? Learn about it here and how to get a free radon home test kit.

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Last updated May 2, 2024

Healthy Homes

Care For Your Air

Learn about indoor air quality in homes, schools and offices, in the EPA's FREE 4-page publication, "Care for Your Air: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality".

Cover of EPA publication, "Care for Your Air: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality"online at http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pdfs/careforyourair.pdf

Safe & Healthy Homes

ThisConsumer Guide from HUD is 12-page publication that includes the basic principles of healthy homes with helpful action steps, checklists, graphics, and links for supplemental information.

Cover to HUD publication "Everyone Deserves A Safe & Healthy Home"

Events

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