Safe as houses? Hidden problems in our homes

How sure are you that you are safe inside?

A new study commissioned by the Auckland City Council on the health effects of leaky buildings said people were largely ignorant of poor indoor air quality.

It cited the Herald's coverage of the leaky buildings issue, saying the newspaper had carried 287 items on its website for the term "leaky building" and 143 for "leaky home".

As a country, we might like to think of ourselves as having an outdoor focus. But the study said we spent almost all our time indoors, in transport, at home, school, or work.

Most people were unaware that various substances found in homes were a dangerous "hidden" source of pollution. Cleaning products, furniture components, paint and material used to build a house could all be dangerous.

Mould in wall cavities was usually invisible until major structural damage became evident, the report concluded.

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