BPI HHP cheat sheet

The eight healthy housing principles: keep it dry, clean, safe, well-ventilated, pest-free, contaminant-free, well-maintained, and thermally controlled.

Moisture is the most common root cause of housing health hazards; water intrusion enables mold, pests, decay, and contaminant release.

A hazard is any condition that can cause injury or illness; risk combines the likelihood and severity of harm from that condition.

The hierarchy of controls ranks interventions: eliminate the hazard, then substitute, engineer, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment last.

Resident interviews and a walk-through inspection precede measurement; observed conditions and occupant reports together define the scope of work.

Relative humidity indoors should generally be kept between 30% and 50%; above 60% sustained, mold and dust mite growth become likely.

Health outcomes linked to housing include asthma, lead poisoning, carbon monoxide poisoning, injuries, and respiratory infections.

Vulnerable populations - children under 6, older adults, and people with chronic illness - warrant lower intervention thresholds.

Bulk water, then capillary action, then air-transported vapor, then vapor diffusion: this is the order of moisture transport magnitude.

Roof, flashing, and grade failures admit bulk water; the fix is drainage and detailing, not interior sealants.

Bath fans should be rated at roughly 1 cfm per square foot of floor area or 50 cfm intermittent; run until humidity returns to baseline.

Combustion appliances need a dedicated air supply; backdrafting occurs when exhaust depressurizes a zone and flue gases reverse into the home.

A carbon monoxide alarm is required near sleeping areas; CO is odorless and symptoms mimic flu.

Radon enters through soil gas and foundation openings; test on the lowest lived-in level and mitigate above 4 pCi/L.

Ventilation strategies: exhaust-only, supply-only, balanced, and heat/energy recovery ventilators for tight envelopes.

Filtration at MERV 8 or higher captures respirable particles; filter fit matters more than nominal rating alone.

Integrated pest management order: identify the pest, remove food/water/shelter, exclude entry, then use least-toxic pesticide as a last resort.

Lead paint is presumed present in homes built before 1978; use certified renovators and lead-safe work practices for disturbance.

Lead dust hazards concentrate on friction surfaces - windows, doors, floors - and on bare soil near the drip line.

Asbestos is likely in pre-1980 materials: pipe insulation, floor tile, joint compound; sample before disturbance.

Injury prevention: grab bars, stair rails on both sides, adequate lighting, and a working smoke alarm on each level.

Scald risk: set water heater to 120°F to prevent burns while limiting Legionella growth.

Pesticide and chemical storage belongs outside living space, in labeled original containers, with ventilation.

Smoke and CO alarms are tested monthly and replaced per manufacturer interval; interconnected alarms improve warning.

A healthy homes assessment follows a standardized sequence: exterior, interior room-by-room, mechanical systems, then resident education.

Documentation should record the condition, location, date, and photo evidence; findings drive the prioritized work order.

Prioritize repairs by risk: imminent hazards (no heat, exposed wiring, gas leak) first, then contributing conditions, then improvements.

Deferred maintenance compounds: a small roof leak becomes structural rot, mold, and pest entry within a season.

Resident education is an intervention: correct use of fans, filters, alarms, and cleaning products reduces recurrence.

Follow-up verification confirms the repair corrected the hazard, not just the symptom; re-inspect after remediation.

Photos and moisture readings taken before and after create the audit trail that supports funding and liability protection.

Scope of work should name the responsible party and timeline for each item so accountability is traceable.

Thermal control means keeping indoor temperatures safe and stable; extreme heat and cold are health hazards, not comfort issues.

An uncontrolled combustion zone is a health hazard: verify draft, spillage, and combustion air before tightening a building.

Insulate and air-seal the envelope before upsizing HVAC; reduced load improves comfort and ventilation balance.

Air sealing targets: attic floor penetrations, rim joists, duct boots, and top plates; bypasses carry more air than gaps.

Duct leakage in unconditioned space wastes energy and can pull contaminants into the supply stream.

Windows and doors should close and latch; weatherstripping and thresholds control infiltration and pest entry.

A pressure boundary test (blower door) quantifies envelope tightness and reveals hidden leakage paths.

Mechanical systems need accessible filters, clear service space, and labeling so maintenance actually happens.

Asthma triggers in housing: mold, dust mites, cockroach allergen, rodent allergen, tobacco smoke, and strong fragrances.

Dust mite control: encase bedding, wash in hot water weekly, keep indoor humidity below 50%, and reduce carpet.

Secondhand smoke has no safe exposure level; smoke-free housing policy is the only effective control.

Medication storage and pest control interact: bait placement and integrated pest management must avoid medication and food areas.

Resident behavior drives outcomes: opening windows during cooking, running bath fans, and reporting leaks early prevent hazards.

Cultural and language access affects education effectiveness; materials should match resident literacy and language.

Housing instability and crowding increase injury and infectious disease risk; assess occupancy relative to sleeping space.

Evaluate education success by observed behavior change, not by materials distributed.

Assessment standards emphasize a holistic, resident-centered approach rather than single-hazard inspection.

Healthy homes programs coordinate housing, health, and social services; referrals are part of the intervention.

Scope and liability: an assessor identifies hazards and recommends; licensed trades perform regulated work.

Confidentiality of resident health information governs documentation and sharing with partners.

Informed consent precedes entry, photography, and sampling; residents may decline.

Report language should be factual and non-blaming; describe conditions, not character judgments about occupants.

Cost-effectiveness favors prevention: fixing a leak costs less than mold remediation plus asthma care.

Verify contractor credentials - lead-safe certification, licensure, insurance - before work begins.

Moisture meter readings above roughly 16-20% wood moisture content indicate conditions supporting mold growth.

Visual mold assessment is standard; air sampling is not required to establish a remediation need.

CO alarm placement near sleeping areas; radon test kits deployed for a minimum of 48 hours closed-house conditions.

Water heater temperature measured at the tap, not the thermostat, to confirm scald protection.

Blower door results expressed in ACH50; lower values indicate a tighter envelope.

Document readings, instruments, calibration dates, and locations to make results reproducible.

Re-verification after repair uses the same method and instrument as the baseline for comparability.

When a measurement cannot be taken, record the limitation rather than inferring a result.