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4 Home, Lawn & Garden, Tuesday, April 17, 2012 Reduce common hazards in your home Canadians spend more than 90 per cent of their time indoors so paying attention to hazards at home, especially invisible ones with no taste or smell, is critical. Even though health consequences can range from itchy eyes to worsening of asthma symptoms, there are very simple ways to detect and reduce the risks. Follow these tips to be on the safe side: Carbon monoxide 1. Have furnaces, fireplaces, gas stoves and water heaters serviced every year by a trained professional. 2. Put a Canadian Standards Association (CSA) certified carbon monoxide detector outside of bedrooms. Radon 3. Test your home with a long-term (minimum three months) radon test kit -- preferably between September and April. 4. If the radon level is higher than the Canadian guideline (> 200 Bq/ m3), take steps found at www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/hazardcheck. Mould 5. Fix leaks around sinks or tubs and quickly clean up after flooding. 6. Use exhaust fans when cooking or showering. 7. Remove mould with dish deter- gent and water (bleach is not necessary). Lead 8. Dust, vacuum and wet-mop your home to reduce dust and dirt -- the main sources of lead exposure for kids under six. 9. Always run tap water until cold for drinking, cooking or mixing baby formula, especially when water has been sitting in the pipes for long periods of time, and never use water from the hot water tap for cooking or drinking. More information about these hazards is available on the Health Canada website at www.healthycanadians. gc.ca/hazardcheck. --www.newscanada.com MG1742 MG1742 Subject to additional terms and conditions found at saveonenergy.ca. Funded by the Ontario Power Authority and offered by Halton Hills Hydro. A mark of the Province of Ontario protected under Canadian trade-mark law. Used under sublicence. TMOfficial Mark of the Ontario Power Authority. Used under licence.