CDC’s A Healthy Home for Everyone Guide

With many people spending up to 90% of their time indoors, and perhaps half or more of the day in their home, living in a residence that provides a safe and healthy environment is a key component to people’s well-being and overall public health.

Providing information on this important topic is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH). The agencies have developed a guide called A Healthy Home for Everyone. Its purpose is to offer information about the connection between housing and health.

The document provides some valuable facts, figures and tips for homeowners, tenants and landlords, including that many homes have unhealthy conditions. For example, it reports that:
• 1 in 16 homes have high radon levels
• 1 in 10 homes have water leaks
• 1 in 6 homes have structural problems
• 1 in 4 homes have lead-based paint
• 1 in 4 homes do not have a working smoke alarm

The guide also provides information about how to prevent illnesses or conditions associated with an unhealthy home. It includes tips about all too common residential health and safety issues, including lead-based paints, smoking and secondhand smoke, radon, the absence of working smoke alarms, moisture and mold, and pesticide use. There is also information about carbon monoxide (CO), asbestos, ventilation, cleaning products, household pests and more, along with numerous links for more information.