Q: We recently learned that the deck of our longtime home is made of lumber that was injected with a chemical called “CCA.” My brother says CCA was taken off the market a few years ago because it causes cancer. Is this true? Do we need to replace our deck?

A: For more than 50 years, millions of decks and other outdoor structures were made with pressure-treated wood that included chromated copper arsenate, or CCA. Adding the chemical made the wood more resistant to bugs and rot.

The lumber industry voluntarily stopped production of the chemical for outdoor residential use in 2004 after it was determined that it’s a carcinogen that can slowly work to the surface of the wood, where it can then come into contact with people or leach into nearby soil.

The Environmental Protection Agency says that most decks containing CCA don’t pose an immediate health risk and therefore don’t need to be replaced. But as a precaution, it also suggests that you wash your hands after touching the wood.

If you decide that you want to replace the deck anyway, the EPA suggests that you wear a dust mask, goggles and gloves. Toss the debris into your solid-waste trash can and – just to be safe – take a shower after doing the work.

Q: I am getting a divorce. If my husband signs a quitclaim deed that gives me his half-interest in our house, will the bank be able to demand that the full amount of the loan be paid immediately because there would be a change of ownership in the property?

A: No, the bank cannot legally demand that the mortgage be paid in a lump sum. The federal Garn-St Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982 specifically prohibits lenders from demanding that the outstanding balance of a mortgage be immediately paid simply because a married couple gets divorced. Nothing will happen if you’re able to keep making your loan payments despite the loss of your spouse’s income.

Of course, if you fall behind on the monthly payments, the bank will have the right to foreclose on the loan and require that the property be sold. A foreclosure would likely stay on your credit record for at least seven years.

– David W. Myers is a 20-year veteran of the newspaper and magazine business.