WNC’s Older Homes Offer Charm, Craftsmanship – and Potential Healthiness Challenges

If you’re looking for charm and craftsmanship, our region’s older homes check all the boxes. From century-old log cabins sitting on a ridge to Craftsman cottages in streetcar neighborhoods, the southern Appalachian mountains have no lack of unique, one-of-a-kind homes. In fact, 40% of the United States’ 137 million homes were built before 1969, which suggests about 4 in 10 of us live in an older home.

If that’s the case, chances are you need to be aware of potential health issues that are the result of construction practices in days of yore. 

And how we’ve changed them since. Homes built prior to even the 80s weren’t built to support the insertion of air conditioning or loads of electronics. Nor are they happy with not getting the mindful maintenance that they require. We can barely keep up with family, work, and schooling. Who has time to do problem-preventive house projects!

According to the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. The Department of Housing and Urban Development, more than 30 million homes have serious healthiness issues related to their design and construction. Additionally, more than 20 million homes test positive for lead. 

Here’s A Healthier Home’s timeline of building materials to look out for when your everyday life could be an episode of “This Old House.”

1880s-1920s

Arsenic – this toxic substance was used as a fixative for the bold colors – particularly green – in Victorian wallpaper. Arsenic was common in Victorian homes, According to an article, “Arsenic and Old Tastes,” in Smithsonian Magazine, “… Amounts of arsenic that were deadly to children and the elderly were easily metabolized by healthy adults, which is one of the reasons it took many people so long to accept that arsenic wallpaper was bad news.”  

Wooden drainage pipes – we’ve seen wooden sewage systems in our area’s mountain towns which are being replaced as they fail. If drainage is slow, or if you notice leakage on or near your property, call your city or county water supplier for help. 

Coal dust – good, old fashioned coal dust. Can you imagine standing at the top of the basement stairs while a truckload of coal was dumped into your house? The dust went everywhere. And there’s loads of it still there among joists and framing.

1920s to 1960s

Non-grounded outlets – these two-pronged outlets lack the safety features designed to protect people from electrocution. Outlets such as these are prone to electrical fires and may fry appliances. Back in 2002, Krieger and Higgens wrote in the American Journal of Public Health that housing design and construction materials directly influence risk from fires. These outlets are an example of that type of limitation. You’ll want to budget for new professional wiring for each outlet.

1930s-1950s

Clay and cast iron pipes – these drain slowly, get backed up, are prone to tree root invasions, and may have blockages or large breaks and cracks. Call a plumber to have these replaced.

Lead paint – This is a big one. Homes built before 1940 are 87% more likely to contain lead-based paint than other homes, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Lead causes a host of health problems such as impairing respiratory function, causing memory loss, chronic headaches, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite, reduction of IQ, increase in learning difficulties as well as causing delays in child development. 

1940s – 1980s

Asbestos – used in a wide range of materials, it was durable and heat resistant, which made it perfect for fireproofing. Watch for it in everything from insulation, ceiling and floor tiles, shingles and flashing, walls, windows, sheetrock, around boilers and pipes, in siding, and in joint compounds. If it’s intact, it’s no big deal. But airborne fibers can cause cancers and lung disease. Call a professional to mitigate damaged, broken or worn asbestos in your home.

1940s-1950s

Lead paint – Homes built between 1940-59 are 69% more likely to contain lead-based paint, according to the EPA – even though lead paints began to be phased out by 1951.

Galvanized plumbing was zinc-coated, which meant it wouldn’t rust. To today’s homeowner, it means corrosion, sediment, low water pressure, and limited plumbing function. Call a plumber and have it replaced.

1960s-1970s

Lead paint – Seeing a pattern here? Homes built between 1960-77 are 24% more likely to contain lead-based paint, according to the EPA. Lead paint was banned in 1978. 

Other lead-based materials include vinyl tiles, blinds, plumbing fixtures, and more. If you find lead in your fixtures, invest in a plumbing lead test. 

Across the ages and stages

Brownfield sites – toxicity or contamination from former industrial or agricultural uses can be common in older buildings. If your home is built on or near a Brownfield site, testing may be indicated. Read the A Healthier Home article on Brownfield sites here.

Mold and mildew –  in western North Carolina, we have to be vigilant about mold and mildew due to the combination of temperature and humidity. Uncontrolled, mold overgrowth can lead to allergies, asthma, compromised immune systems and more. You’ll need to focus on repairing the underlying cause of the problem to see long term improvements in healthiness. Get A Healthier Home’s FREE e-book on mold here.

Radon – this radioactive gas lies in a swath underneath much of western North Carolina, so we recommend vigilance. It’s odorless, tasteless, seeps into cracks in the foundation from the ground. And it’s the second leading cause of lung cancer. The EPA estimates that 6.8 million homes in the U.S. are above the levels required for remedial action. Get A Healthier Home’s FREE e-book on Radon here.

21st century materials – Unfortunately, every age and stage has its drawbacks as well as its benefits. We recommend monitoring all modern building materials and paints for VOCs, or volatile organic compounds. 

When it comes to old houses, there can be a lot to consider. This list is a starting point. Let us know if we can help keep you out of overwhelm by setting clear healthiness priorities. Need helping get your head around the challenges?

Let’s talk,
Rick