According to the EPA, there are three basic methods in finding out...
1) Unexplained Health Problems
Are you feeling ill? Do you have unexplained health problems after moving, remodeling, refurnishing ...or using pesticides? It could be more than just coincidence. Discuss it with your doctor and see if it related to indoor air quality. He may recommend you to an allergist or specialist, in order to find answers to your health concerns.
2) Who are the Culprits?
Find out the causes of your poor indoor air quality. Spend some time and go through your home and look for sources of potential indoor air pollution. Although the presence of such sources does not necessarily mean that you have an indoor air quality concern, being aware of the type and number of potential sources is an important step toward assessing the air quality in your home.
Some of those sources may include:
1. Pressed wood products, like particle board
2. Dirty air and furnace filters
3. Paints, lacquers and varnishes
4. Mold and areas of water damage
5. Dust
6. Cleaning products
3) Poor Ventilation
Homes that have been built in the last 40 years have been "sealed"...extra-insulated...for energy efficiency. Obviously you should keep your home maintained... fixing leaks and cracks, but at the same time, finding ways to adequately exchange stale, polluted air with fresh air. In other words...adequately ventilate the air.
Signs of a poorly ventilated home include:
1) Smelly, stuffy air
2) Moisture condensation on windows and walls
3) Mold growth on books, shoes, or other items
4) A dirty central cooling/heating system
Hopefully, your home has very few indoor air quality opportunities. An ounce of prevention is all it takes to keep it that way.
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Friday, July 2, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
You can Sweeten the Quality of the Air you Breathe in your Home
If you have long-lasting health issues such as allergies or asthma, or even mild ones, like a sore throat or cough, it might be due to pollutants that are hovering in the air within your house. These symptoms should not be ignored or put up with. If you have a cold that just doesn’t want to go away, allergies that are triggered when you get home, or frequent headaches and fatigue, you may be suffering from the effects of indoor air pollution that result from “sick building syndrome.” According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), people spend as much as 90 percent of their time inside, and health risks from air pollution may be even greater indoors than outside.
Cleaning supplies, paints and lacquers, pesticides, stove heaters and even furniture and carpets can cause indoor air pollution. Possible health effects of poor indoor air quality can range from an annoying stuffy nose to lung cancer. But, I have good news for you. Unlike outdoor pollution, indoor air pollution is something you can control. With some simple precautions and proper maintenance, you can significantly reduce, or actually get rid of, sources of indoor air pollution in your home.
Invisible poisons, microscopic critters and VOCs
Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that’s released when uranium in the dirt or rock under your house naturally breaks down. Radon then enters the home through dirt floors, cracks in concrete walls and floors, floor drains and sumps. The EPA estimates that radon is the cause of about 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the U.S. Test your home. It's easy and inexpensive. Kits are available at your local hardware store. If testing reveals a radon problem in your home, hire a trained contractor who will explore your minimization choices.
Carbon Monoxide is invisible, odorless and potentially lethal when concentrated. Even at minimal concentrations, CO can cause impaired vision and affect coordination leading to headaches, dizziness, confusion, nausea and flu-like symptoms that most likely clear up after you leave your house. In order to prevent carbon monoxide from harming your health, keep furnaces, gas ranges as well as water heaters in good working order, having annual professional checkups. It is best to also install a carbon-monoxide detector near your bedrooms.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are produced as gases given off from certain solids or liquids, include fresh paint, new carpets, new furniture, wood adhesives, cleaning products, pesticides and dry-cleaning chemicals. According to the EPA, concentration levels of many VOCs can be up to 10 times higher indoors than outdoors. Inhaling these airborne chemicals can cause eye irritation, headaches or nausea, as well lead to long-term effects involving liver, kidney or central nervous system damage. Some VOCs have been established as causing cancer in humans.
Carefully read the labelled instructions on high-VOC products and make sure you ventilate the area of use and then store carefully, especially away from food or related products. Switch to natural cleaning products such as lemon juice, boric acid, baking soda and vinegar, and utilize pump products instead of aerosols.
Pesticides are another toxic pollutants that most of us don't take serious enough. Even when used outdoors, they can drift inside...or tracked on in the house on shoes and boots. They can cause eye irritation, affect the throat...can even increase the chances of cancer. Your body's central nervous system and kidneys could be also at risk . Avoid using any chemical or artificial pesticides. Replace them with disease-resistant plants and washing their leaves frequently. Keep a healthy lawn by fertilizing naturally and watering and aerating to eliminate or significantly reduce the need for chemical pesticides.
, ,
Cleaning supplies, paints and lacquers, pesticides, stove heaters and even furniture and carpets can cause indoor air pollution. Possible health effects of poor indoor air quality can range from an annoying stuffy nose to lung cancer. But, I have good news for you. Unlike outdoor pollution, indoor air pollution is something you can control. With some simple precautions and proper maintenance, you can significantly reduce, or actually get rid of, sources of indoor air pollution in your home.
Invisible poisons, microscopic critters and VOCs
Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that’s released when uranium in the dirt or rock under your house naturally breaks down. Radon then enters the home through dirt floors, cracks in concrete walls and floors, floor drains and sumps. The EPA estimates that radon is the cause of about 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the U.S. Test your home. It's easy and inexpensive. Kits are available at your local hardware store. If testing reveals a radon problem in your home, hire a trained contractor who will explore your minimization choices.
Carbon Monoxide is invisible, odorless and potentially lethal when concentrated. Even at minimal concentrations, CO can cause impaired vision and affect coordination leading to headaches, dizziness, confusion, nausea and flu-like symptoms that most likely clear up after you leave your house. In order to prevent carbon monoxide from harming your health, keep furnaces, gas ranges as well as water heaters in good working order, having annual professional checkups. It is best to also install a carbon-monoxide detector near your bedrooms.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are produced as gases given off from certain solids or liquids, include fresh paint, new carpets, new furniture, wood adhesives, cleaning products, pesticides and dry-cleaning chemicals. According to the EPA, concentration levels of many VOCs can be up to 10 times higher indoors than outdoors. Inhaling these airborne chemicals can cause eye irritation, headaches or nausea, as well lead to long-term effects involving liver, kidney or central nervous system damage. Some VOCs have been established as causing cancer in humans.
Carefully read the labelled instructions on high-VOC products and make sure you ventilate the area of use and then store carefully, especially away from food or related products. Switch to natural cleaning products such as lemon juice, boric acid, baking soda and vinegar, and utilize pump products instead of aerosols.
Pesticides are another toxic pollutants that most of us don't take serious enough. Even when used outdoors, they can drift inside...or tracked on in the house on shoes and boots. They can cause eye irritation, affect the throat...can even increase the chances of cancer. Your body's central nervous system and kidneys could be also at risk . Avoid using any chemical or artificial pesticides. Replace them with disease-resistant plants and washing their leaves frequently. Keep a healthy lawn by fertilizing naturally and watering and aerating to eliminate or significantly reduce the need for chemical pesticides.
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