Cleaning Is First Step In Minimizing Hidden HomeThreats (NAPSA)—As homeowners step into the swing of spring, many will prepare their houses for warmer weatherby eliminating dust and grime. In addition to clearing out the dirt, a seasonal spruce-up puts homeowners on the fast track to reducing hidden home threats. Simple steps such as vacuuming regularly can help remove cockroach allergens that can cause asthma. Through its partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) and the National Safety Foundation (NSF), pest control leader Orkin, Inc. has created a campaign to help educate individuals on how to protect themselves from threats in and around the home. The campaign combines the public health and safety expertise of its partners into a comprehensive resource of simple safety tips homeowners can use to help protect their families from domestic pest-, safety- and environmentrelated threats. yj Simple steps like vacuuming regularly can help reducetherisk of hidden home threats like cockroach allergens that can cause asthma. reduce the risk of the following hidden homethreats: Cockroaches can trigger asthma attacks, contaminate food and makeyou sick. e Lead is a dangerous metal that can be found in peeling paint, soil and dust around your home— especially homes built before 1978. e Radon is a naturally occurring, odorless, colorless, radioac- ing for Orkin, Inc. “Through this educational campaign, we can help families protect themselves against environmental hazards, including pests and the diseases they can carry, by identifying common hot spots and simple prevention steps.” Checklist tive gas found at high levels in one out of every 15 homes. Foodborne illnesses can be transmitted through the improper storage, handling or cooking of food. Mold grows on moist surfaces and can cause allergic reactions, including watery eyes, runny nose and troubled breathing. e Rodents can squeeze through holes the size of quarters or dimes. Rodents (and the fleas they carry) can transmit harmful diseases. Free Booklet To access a one-page guide with tips on how to reduce the risk of NCHH and NSF recommend homeowners adopt a checklist to Orkin’s Learning Center www.orkin.com/learningcenter. “We are proud to partner with several of the country’s premier health and safety organizations to provide prevention and safety tips for battling common threats in and around the home,” said Ron Harrison, Ph.D., director of train- The experts at Orkin, the CDC, these and other homethreats, visit at
