Formaldehyde, Mold, Radon Gas and Chemical Fumes in Homes
Any home can have indoor air quality pollution problems that can cause serious health problems. Here is some Testing Information for those problems.
I suggest that you test for Mold and Radon Gas at least once while living in your home, if not on a regular basis. The cleanest of homes can have indoor air quality problems without you knowing it. Mobile homes are very air tight and need to have testing and good air ventilation to help reduce the problems with construction and environmental air pollution contaminants.
Formaldehyde Fumes
There have been a lot of concerns about chemical fumes and indoor air quality pollutants in mobile homes. When you first get a new mobile home it is a good idea to allow as much air exchange with outside air as possible until the fumes are gone. This may take several days. Here is a government website about formaldehyde that addresses that question. When I got my first new single wide mobile home there was a warning sheet that came with it, I don't know if they still give that warning sheet out anymore. Formaldehyde is also present in lots of building materials used in site built and modular homes. Pressed wood products made using adhesives that contain urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins pressed wood products made using adhesives that contain urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins. Pressed wood products made for indoor use in homes include: particleboard used as sub-flooring and shelving and in cabinetry and furniture; hardwood plywood paneling used for decorative wall covering and used in cabinets and furniture; and medium density fiberboard (MDF) used for drawer fronts, cabinets, and furniture tops.
Mold
Mold is a big indoor air quality pollution problem in homes. To me there are two types of mold, the mold you see and the mold you don't see. Did you know that mold can grow in places like the back of wallpaper? The EPA has a good site with lots of information on mold detection and cleanup. If there has been any water leaks problems, such as in the roof or window areas, mold will shortly develop. This is a health problem for people without allergies and can be especially dangerous for people with allergy problems. If you have any mold the first thing you need to do is clean up the mold. A mild bleach and water solution is a great way to clean mold. Once the mold is cleaned up it can be painted over with an anti-microbial primer paint and then painted with whatever color paint you desire. Don't forget to repair the water leak problem. If you think you have a mold problem there are mold test kits available at most home improvement stores.
Radon Gas
Radon is a cancer causing radioactive gas. You cannot see, smell or taste it. The Surgeon General said that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, you're at high risk for developing lung cancer. Some studies indicate that children may be more sensitive to radon than adults. Test kits are available also for Radon testing. The EPA has lots of information on Radon. The site includes a state map of radon hot spots and information on how to get test kits, either free or get coupons for radon test kits.