Are These Harmful Volatile Organic Compounds Lurking in Your House?

  
If you're interested in a healthy, green living space, you've probably heard the term volatile organic compounds, or VOCs for short. Chances are you know it's not a good term, but most people don't really know anything else about these contaminants. Let me fill you in...

VOCs are chemicals that are emitted from solids and liquids. All solids and liquids that include VOCs also include a carbon chain, as any substance containing carbon is called an "organic". While some carbon-containing products are relatively inert, or stable, others are highly volatile, meaning they can break down into different substances and chemicals quite easily. VOCs also tend to accumulate in indoor spaces, therefore concentrations in indoor air can be 2 to 5 times as concentrated as to outdoors.

There are literally  thousands of VOCs, and they're present products like

1) paints, solvents and aerosol sprays
2) moth repellants
3) household cleaners and disinfectants   
4) pesticides
5) nail polish
6) vinyl shower curtains
7) air fresheners
8) fuels and auto products
9) building materials
10) adhesives and glues
11) drycleaning chemicals, and
12) furniture and carpets.   
      

The EPA estimates that the concentrations of indoor VOCs resulting from paint stripping can reach as high as 1,000 times the concentration of the outdoor levels.  And that is just one product!

VOCs and Your Health

While some VOCs have short-term health effects, others can do serious long-term damage. Some VOCs, such as benzene are well-known carcinogens, while others are "suspected" carcinogens.

In the short-term, common health issues include eye, nose and throat irritation, headache, nausea and temporary loss of coordination. The long-term health effects are downright threatening. VOCs can damage your liver, kidneys and central nervous system (i.e. your brain and your spine).

Common symptoms of VOC exposure also include an allergic skin reaction, shortness of breath, vomiting, nosebleeds and fatigue.
 

Answering Questions You Might Have About Home "Air Cleaning"

Many folks share misconceptions about home "air cleaning".   One misconception is shutting down the unit after a while. They think that "air cleaning"...is "static" - a one-time event, such as vacuuming the carpet or floor,....done daily...weekly, or whenever needed.  They turn the air cleaner on for 2 hours or for some other length of time, and assume that the room will be "clean"...for quite an extended period of time. The job is finished!  But in reality, air within any indoor space is in a state of constant change, adding particles, microorganisms and gases "into" that space continuously.  A roomful of air is anything but "static"....it will not stay "clean" for long.

Consider that every indoor space of your home is continuously bombarded with among other things:

* Foot traffic...stirring up dust and other particles that can trigger allergy or asthma attacks.
* Microorganisms...airborne from coughing and sneezing.
* Shedding of your skin... as a normal process of living.
* Particles coming in through your central heating and cooling (HVAC) systems.  Since the level of air contaminants indoors is constantly changing, your air purifier needs to run continuously, or at least as long as possible, to get the optimum cleaning benefit.

If you work in an office, the potential for allergy particles in the air, and virus and bacteria transfer among occupants is very high.  Many offices do not have daily vacuuming, nor do many vacuums have high- efficiency filters.  The concentration of contaminants left continuously airborne in the office environment, is generally very high... potentially higher than in your home. You could in fact, "protect" your own air space by using an air cleaner at your work station or in your office.

By keeping the air purifier "on", you actually maintain a protected area, even in an office cubicle, something like a "bubble" around you, where contaminants have difficulty entering "your space", because you are continuously pushing clean air into your work space.

I've heard people talk about putting the air cleaner in their closets...or under their desk at work...and that's fine.  Wherever it is placed, it will clean the air in that space, and keep it clean, if left running.  People get the highest satisfaction from their air cleaner, when they focus its ability to clean to a particular designated ... single indoor space.  Ask yourself where you spend most of your time...or maybe you have trouble sleeping at night, do you have allergy symptoms, or headaches, or an irritated throat at your work environment...etc.   Pick an area of opportunity, and let the air purifier run...and do its job.  One out of 3 people who start by purchasing one air cleaner, buy another one, because they discover, "it works" in a specific space, when they leave it on continuously.  

The purpose of an air cleaner is to clean the entire volume of air in that space, and clean it again, and again. And, I recommend that you keep the fan speed on a "HIGH" setting. The higher the fan speed, the more air is drawn into the machine, and the more clean air is distributed per hour back into the space.  Remember, indoor air pollutants are continuously entering the air, as I mentioned before. "LOW" speed might clean a room's air volume twice per hour, while "HIGH" speed on the same machine might clean it 6 times hourly. If you suffer from allergies or asthma, you will benefit most with the highest amount of clean air.

FYI...I recommend turning an air cleaner on "High" when you are out of a room for an extended period of time. When you go to sleep, based on the noise level of your machine, adjust it according to your preference related to the noise level. The allergy sufferer may require a higher cleaning level continuously, but..try it.  Using the air cleaner in different ways, gives you more understanding of how it works, and what to expect. The fan speeds are options for you to use. Make your air cleaner more flexible for your needs, and the air cleaning applications.

Many people are buying machines based on quietness. I myself have thought that most air purifiers, running on a high setting, were quite "noisy"...and might keep me awake. Yes...mine did keep me awake...at first, but like me, you will get accustomed to the sort of "white noise" ...it will "soothe" you.  You might have trouble sleeping without this "noise" after becoming used to it.   

Noise is very personal - my suggestion is for you to operate the air cleaner for a reasonable time before making a decision on whether the noise level is a problem. Most importantly, give the air cleaner a chance, and try using it at different speeds. Then make your decision.

When discussing noise, it helps to know that noise is made up of "volume" and "pitch". For example, many people find higher volume noise levels less of an issue as long as they are in the range of a more neutral pitch. 

How do you know whether a HEPA filter is really doing its job?  When would you change the filter?   Well, first of all, you must understand that an air purifier takes longer to give you benefits than...an air conditioner or a space heater, for example.  The latter appliances reward you with almost "instant" benefits, whereas the air cleaner takes longer.  With an air cleaner, you typically notice a decrease of allergic reactions or other symptoms over time ... generally within 2-3 days of continuous use. You may notice you have less house dust (a mite allergen home) or you sleep better. Observing the filter also indicates the air cleaner is working, for the filter turns darker in color as contaminants build up.

Most manufacturers have a reminder/device to signal when you should change the filters. Better quality products use pressure switches that actually measure the point when filters become clogged, and need changing. This pressure switch is usually for the main filter.  Less expensive products use a simple timer to approximate when the filter might be clogged.

You can also feel where the air comes out. If it appears that no air is coming out, or the air is "puffing", the filter probably is clogged, and needs to be changed.

When comparing benefits between using a room air cleaner as opposed to a central HEPA or electrostatic system, notice that a central forced heat or air conditioning system generally has a filter that is not high-efficiency, and is not very dense.   So, only larger particles may be captured.  Larger particles are seldom the issue for respiratory problems. It is the smaller ones that can get into your lungs, and cause reactions and trigger breathing attacks. I always recommend that you use at least a middle-grade efficiency filter in you central system (HVAC), to get some smaller particles. Central(Whole-House) systems do not clean rooms at a high level, because they do not set up a strong enough air current in the room to get all the air space "scrubbed", and then back though the central filter system. To have the best indoor air quality, use a good, middle-grade central filter, along with a high-efficiency room air cleaner for the spaces of greatest health concern.

According to the EPA, "Biological pollutants promote poor indoor air quality and may be a major cause in days lost from work or school, and of doctor and hospital visits. Biological pollutants can travel through the air and are often invisible". Under Health Effects of Biological Pollutants, the EPA states, "except for the spread of infections indoors, allergic reactions may be the most common health problem with indoor air quality in homes. Allergic reactions can range from mildly uncomfortable to life threatening, as in a severe asthma "attack". I believe the IQ Air Health Pro Plus Air Cleaner gives you the performance edge of it's advanced technology to provide increased protection for you and all your indoor spaces.

In my opinion, indoor "air cleaning" is about you...having control over the air quality of any indoor space you occupy... home, office or school. It is a choice you can make, and you can control the indoor air quality. Fortunately, the technology is now available in a variety of patented, uniquely designed room air cleaners to provide excellent performance for cleaning the air in all your indoor spaces. I believe IQ Air Air Purifiers achieve improved personal comfort, a more protected air environment, and safer, healthier indoor spaces.






 

7 Unsuspecting Air Pollutants in Your Home

1.The Kitchen Stove
Did you know that your kitchen stove is the main contributor of excess nitrogen in your home?  Yes!...when you're cooking, especially if it is a gas stove, your stove can bring you in contact with  really unhealthy levels of nitrogen dioxide. Too much nitrogen dioxide is bad for the respiratory system, increasing the risk of asthma attacks and other respiratory illness. You can prevent this from happening by properly ventilating your stove. 2.Ozone-Generating Air Purifiers
We use air purifiers in our homes to purify the air but the fact of the matter is that they sometimes can do just the opposite. Purifiers that emit ozone, a harsh and respiratory system irritant and the main ingredient in smog, can cause you health problems and possibly health damage. Ozone, in excessive amounts, can scar lung tissue, bring on asthma attacks, cause you to have bouts of coughing and lead to permanent damage that could shorten your life.  I recommend that you don't buy an air purifier that emits ozone. See EPA...for more on "ozone-generating machines.
3.Cockroaches 
The droppings, body parts, and saliva of cockroaches can be asthma triggers. Certain proteins, called allergens, are found in cockroach feces and saliva and can bring on allergic reactions, or trigger asthma symptoms, in some people. Traditional pesticides can pollute our ground water, our eco-system as well as the air we inhale. Why not try and keep the house cleaner, making sure that no food is left out in the open , to attract bugs.
4. Laser Printers 
Some type of laser printers used in offices and homes release tiny particles of toner-like material into the air that could pose a pulmonary health threat to office workers, if inhaled. These particles are minute enough to enter the lungs, causing damage equal to inhaled cigarette smoke. Instead, why not print less, or if you do have to print, ventilate the area.
5.Drapes 
Dust mites are the number one reason for indoor allergies and asthma.  Drapes attract dust mites.  Dust mites are related to spiders and ticks but are microscopic, naked to the eye. An easy solution to eliminate, or even reduce dust mites, would be to install window blinds instead of drapes, as this switch would cut down on dust mites' habitat. 
6.Incense
Burning incense emits airborne contaminants as well as benzene and carbon monoxide, two dangerous gases.  Studies show a link between heavy exposure to incense smoke and cancer, asthma, and skin irritation. It's best either to stop totally stop burning incense, or make sure that you  ventilate the room when you burn incense.
7.Spackling
If your spackling compound used for filling holes in walls  has been stored around the house, it may  contain asbestos, says the American Lung Association.  You can find many home-building asbestos products are you home, including roofing and flooring materials, wall and pipe insulation, spackling compounds, cement, coating materials, heating equipment, and acoustic insulation. These products are a potential problem indoors only if the asbestos-containing material is disturbed and becomes airborne, or when it disintegrates with age.  If your home was built before the mid-80's, it could contain asbestos.  You can either hire professional asbestos abatement contractors to investigate or consider installing ¼-inch drywall over the existing ceiling.  This is less expensive, but will require that the old ceiling be well sealed so as to avoid the risk that it will become friable in the future.