Healthy House 1997
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Indoor Air Polluntants
Remember the 70's? Watergate? Disco?The energy crisis?
Understanding how indoor air quality became a health issue in the 90's means understanding the energy crunch of the 1970's. During that time, political instability in the Middle East disrupted the flow of oil to the U.S., increasing the cost of energy by a factor of almost ten. Private industry, the federal government, and the commercial sector all began developing ways to design new buildings and homes and retrofit existing building and homes with better insulation and energy conservation devices.
That was a smart move, but saving energy costs by keeping the hot or cold air out of our comfortable indoor environments meant decreasing ventilation. At the same time, we were using more and more synthetic products, both in building materials and in furnishings and household products. We unwittingly filled our homes with chemicals that certainly served a useful purpose--protecting carpets and fabrics from stains, creating less expensive composite wood products, making household paint harder and more durable--but we didn't consider their potential health effects in a tightly sealed environment. The irritants and toxins emitted, or "off-gassed," by those products--not to mention less exotic pollutants such as tobacco smoke, dust mites, pet dander, molds, bacteria, cockroaches, and pollen--could simmer into a veritable stew of bad indoor air.
Determining exactly how a particular pollutant affects us and at what concentrations is difficult because each individual has his or her own threshold for irritants. What sends one person into a fit of sneezing may not even tickle the nose of another person in the same room. Reactions to indoor pollutants may vary from eye, nose, and throat irritation to headache, coughing, runny nose, lethargy, and difficulty sleeping. Less common symptoms include nausea, dizziness, diarrhea, dry skin, and rashes. In severe cases, impeded coordination and even cancer may result.
Avoiding or eliminating the pollutant source is probably the most effective way of improving your indoor breathing environment; proper ventilation is a good alternative. A tightly sealed home is an important prerequisite, both for energy efficiency and to seal out the pollen, dirt, and dust that contribute to poor indoor air quality.
The following list of common indoor air pollutants, their sources, their health effects, and what you can do to avoid or eliminate them will help you clean the air in your home:
(A glossary of words and terms that may be new to you is also included.)
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Description
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Sources
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Health Effect
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A hydrated silicate processed so as to be made up of many small fibers; a carcinogen. Formerly used in building materials for structural strength and because it is non-combustible; use now is limited.
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Ceiling and flooring materials, pipe insulation, pre-1974 spackling and plaster compounds
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No immediate symptoms; asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma may have delayed onset
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Steps to reduce exposure
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- If undamaged - leave it alone
- Cover or encapsulate fraying asbestos with duct tape to provide an airtight seal
- If damaged, have a professional abatement contractor remove it
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Description
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Sources
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Health Effect
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Contaminants consisting of, or produced by, living organisms including, dust mites, animal dander, mold and mildew, pollen, bacteria, viruses, cockroaches.
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Improperly maintained air conditioners, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and air filters; unvented dryers; water leaks; excess humidity, moisture; plants; pets; wet walls, carpets and ceilings.
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Asthma , allergic reactions; eye, nose, and throat irritation; respiratory problems.
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Steps to reduce exposure
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- Open doors and windows and use exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens
- Vent moisture-producing appliances such as dryers
- Fix all water leaks immediately
- Wash bedding in hot water weekly and put mattresses and pillows in allergy control covers
- Clean air conditioners, humidifiers, dehumidifiers on a regular basis
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Description
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Sources
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Health Effect
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Colorless, odorless, tasteless gas from all fuel burning appliances and equipment
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Improperly operated or malfunctioning fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, gas water heaters, gas stoves, fireplaces, wood and coal stoves, unvented kerosene heaters, secondhand smoke, and vehicle exhaust from attached garages
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Fatigue, headache, nausea, confusion, dizziness, muscle weakness; high exposures can lead to coma or death
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Steps to reduce exposure
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- Provide make-up air directly to fireplaces and wood stoves or avoid burning wood in the home
- Vent gas stoves and heaters outside the home, and make sure their exhaust systems do not leak
- Install a carbon monoxide detector
- Do not leave car idling in garage
- Have gas appliances and central heating system inspected annually
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Description
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Sources
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Health Effect
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Formaldehyde is a strong-smelling, colorless, water-soluble gas that is often considered separately from other VOCs because of its wide use. There are hundreds of other VOCs (such as benzene and styrene), which are organic chemicals that readily off-gas at room temperature.
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Particleboard, fiberboard, some plywoods, adhesives, fabrics, furniture, some insulation, secondhand smoke, personal care products, cleaners, glues, sealants, paints and paint strippers, dry-cleaned clothing, hobby supplies
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Eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches; skin rashes; nausea; central nervous system damage; nasal cancer; other cancers and birth defects
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Steps to reduce exposure
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- Remove sources
- Increase ventilation; use outdoors
- Use products according to manufacturers directions
- Limit use of any products that emit VOCs
- Use low formaldehyde-emitting exterior- grade pressed-wood products
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Description
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Sources
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Health Effect
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Toxic, hazardous chemicals such as methylene chloride, mercury, and lead arsenate used in the home and garden
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Cleaning agents, pesticides, paints, and personal care and hobby products
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Central nervous system effects; dizziness; nausea; allergic reactions; skin, eye, nose, and throat irritations; kidney or liver damage
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Steps to reduce exposure
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- Substitute less hazardous products
- Follow directions on labels for use
- Use chemicals only in well-ventilated areas
- Store chemicals in a locked outdoor shed
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Description
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Sources
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Health Effect
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A highly toxic heavy metal that causes irreversible brain and kidney damage
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Paint (highest level pre-1950s), dust, soil, lead solder, and ceramic glazes
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Impaired mental and physical development in both fetuses and young children; damage to kidneys, nervous system, and red blood cells; decreased mental abilities and coordination abilities
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Steps to reduce exposure
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- Keep toddlers away from remodeling, peeling paint, foundation soil, and road dust
- When remodeling (especially a pre-1950 home) seal off the work area
- Remove shoes at door or use a large walk-off mat to reduce track-in
- Vacuum thoroughly and frequently and use damp mops on floors
- Have damaged peeling paint tested and removed (especially if toddlers are in the home)
- Use cold tap water for cooking and run the tap for a minute to flush the pipes in the morning
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Description
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Sources
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Health Effect
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Nitrogen oxide is a colorless and odorless gas; odor is present at higher levels
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Kerosene heaters, unvented gas appliances, secondhand smoke
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Respiratory irritation, lung damage, compromised immune response
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Steps to reduce exposure
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- Install exhaust fans above gas stoves
- Keep gas appliances properly maintained
- Increase ventilation
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Description
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Sources
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Health Effect
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Odorless, colorless, radioactive gas; a decay product of uranium that occurs naturally in the earths crust |
Soil (primary), well water
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Lung cancer can result form exposure to elevated levels of radon; smokers are at higher risk
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Steps to reduce exposure
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- Ventilate crawl spaces
- Tightly seal floors
- Pour slabs to resist cracking and seal openings
- Depressurize the ground beneath the slab
- Install an active ventilation system
- Overpressurize basements
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Description
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Sources
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Health Effect
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A mixture of smoke emitted from burning tobacco products and smoke exhaled by the smoker; a carcinogen and respiratory irritant
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Cigarettes,cigars, or pipes
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Eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches; nausea; asthma attacks; bronchitis; pneumonia; heart disease and lung cancer; children are especially vulnerable
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Steps to reduce exposure
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- Dont smoke inside the home or car
- Dont let anyone smoke near your children
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- Air Change Per Hour (ACH)
- A measure used to count the number of times per hour the entire quantity of air inside a house is exchanged with the outside air.
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- Argon
- An inert gas used between double window panes to improve insulation capability.
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- Backdraft
- The reversal of flow of combusted gasses in the stack, flue, or chimney. Backdrafting is caused by negative pressure inside the home, which results in insufficient pressure to exhaust the gas outside. Carbon monoxide poisoning may result.
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- Carcinogen
- A substance or agent known to produce or incite cancer.
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- Dander
- Minute scales from hair, feathers, or skin that may be allergenic.
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- Low-E
- Low-emissivity. Emissivity is the relative power of a surface to emit heat by radiation. A "low-e" metallic coating on windows glass pane slows the rate at which the glass will absorb heat, thus providing better insulation.
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- Make-Up Air
- Air that is designed to replace air from the exhaust of an appliance or fireplace.
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- Off-Gas
- To release chemicals into the surrounding environment in the form of gases or vapors. Both high relative humidity and high temperatures can increase the rate of off-gassing.
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- Negative Pressure
- A condition that exists when less air is supplied to a space than is exhausted from the space, meaning that the air pressure within that space is less than that in surrounding areas. Under this condition, if an opening exists, air will flow from surrounding areas into the negatively pressurized space.
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- Particleboard
- A composition board made of very small pieces of wood bonded together with a synthetic glue.
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- Positive Pressure
- A positive pressure exists when the pressure inside a house zone is greater than the air pressure outside the zone.
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- R-Value
- A measure of the ability of a substance or combination of substances to retard the flow of heat. The higher the R-value, the better the insulating properties of the substance.
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- Sealed Combustion Appliance
- A fuel-burning appliance such as a furnace/boiler, hot water heater, or gas fireplace that has both the combustion air and the flue gases ducted directly to the outside. The combustion process is not affected by the operation of fans in the home, thus preventing backdrafting.
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- Toxin
- Any substance that causes harm to living organisms.
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- Vapor Barrier
- Material used to prevent the passage of water vapor or moisture.
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This document was published on 04/01/98.
Copyright © 1998 <%$alawtitle%>.
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