Your Basement Checklist
 Room-by-room, we would like you to walk through your home, and give it an environmental upgrade. It's not hard to make the basement a healthy place to be in. Just print out this checklist, and wander over to the basement and fill it out. Then come back to Green Home to find information or products that help address your situation. If we don't have what you're looking for, don't panic. We're here to help. If you have any questions, just email us at questions@greenhome.com and we'll respond within 24 hours.
PRINT YOUR BASEMENT CHECKLIST
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Your wiring has been checked and is adequate and up-to-date.
There is no aluminum wiring.
There are steel conduit or metal-sheathed cable systems.
Old-fashioned porcelain knob and tube wiring has been replaced.
You know which circuits serve which rooms and major appliances in the house and have them listed at the service panel.
A GFCI is on the basement circuit to protect against electrical shock.
Protective plates are on all switches.

HEATING SYSTEMS

Your home is heated by a renewable, noncombustible resource-solar gain-with electrical radiant panels as a backup.
The filters in a forced air heating system are cleaned regularly.
You check your gas fueled appliances annually for leaks.
Each gas fueled appliance has it's own source of combustion air.
The chimney is sound, with no cracks.
The heat has supply and return ducts for each room.
The furnace and other utilities are enclosed in a soundproof room to cut down on noise and air pollution problems.

INSECTICIDES

Your house has never been sprayed by an exterminator, or if it has, chlordane (a synthetic chemical used to get rid of termites) was not used.

MOISTURE

There is no dampness in wall or slab cracks.
The plumbing pipes do not leak or sweat.
The insulation is not damp.
There are no musty odors or mildew stains.

PLUMBING

You do not have polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or galvanized iron pipes.
There are no recently installed pipes with lead solder.
You have had your water tested for lead contamination.
The floor drain has been checked for sewer gas entering the house.

SAFETY

You have tested for radon and levels are below 4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/l).
There is no asbestos, or it has been encapsulated.
There is a nonionizing smoke detector and a fire extinguisher here.

SECURITY

All basement windows have bars.
Any outside hatchway or entry door is equipped with locks.

STORAGE

If paints or other flammables are stored here, the area is well ventilated and lids are sealed tightly with wax paper to keep fumes form continually leaking.

VENTILATION

There are operable windows across from each other in the basement room.