Some checks to evaluate and document housing condition problems are traditionally performed by trained personnel on behalf of occupants or prospective tenants or buyers:

• Home inspectors assist buyers in identifying issues that warrant repair by the seller or further attention after purchase;

• Appraisers hired by lenders considering a mortgage loan assess the value of the home and factor conditions into the determining value; and

• Code inspectors respond to complaints, document problems in rental housing that violate housing and health codes, and issue citations that courts will enforce.

However, with the exception of evaluations prompted by health problems (such as a risk assessment ordered to identify lead hazards in response to a report of lead poisoning), most homes are never checked for health hazards. This is especially true for substandard housing in low-income communities that are at highest risk of health problems caused by environmental health hazards.

In recent years, tools for detecting significant health hazards in housing have become simpler, easier to use, and more affordable. A careful visual inspection can spot obvious signs of conditions that lead to health hazards. In some cases, it is necessary to collect environmental samples and send them to a lab for scientific analysis.

Basic training can prepare homeowners, community volunteers, and others to detect environmental hazards. While “expert” professionals can be hired to perform intensive testing, serious problems can be detected by individuals who have received entry-level training. For example, in many states, a certified lead sampling technician with eight hours of training can sample for and report on lead dust hazards.

The Alliance’s Community Environmental Health Resource Center (CEHRC) is working to put tools for detecting housing-related health hazards in the hands of community-based organizations in neighborhoods at high risk. With limited training, community members can master CEHRC's hazard assessment tools and interpret the results properly. CEHRC's tools and step-by-step instructions are intended to provide a low-cost means for checking high-risk housing for health hazards. Instructions must be followed with care in collecting samples and interpreting the results. CEHRC's low-cost tools are effective in identifying serious health hazards, although more comprehensive assessment tools produce more detailed and precise results.

Other housing condition evaluation systems can be expanded to screen for housing-related health hazards. For example, home inspections and housing code inspections should add health hazards to the scope of these investigations.