€œDANGER OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTION IN OUR HOMES AND OFFICES

Many times we are not aware of the air impurities that linger in our homes and offices. The question is how dangerous is the indoor air we breathe?

In the last several years, the Environmental Protection Agency has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities. Other research indicates that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors. Thus, for many people, the risks to health may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors.

Good ventilation is important. There are signs that can indicate your home may not have enough ventilation: moisture condensation on windows or walls, smelly or stuffy air, dirty central heating and air cooling equipment, and areas where books, shoes, or other items become moldy. To detect odors in your home, step outside for a few minutes, and then upon reentering your home, note whether odors are noticeable.

There are 5 main pollutants active in your home or office that you should be aware of, and do something about. They are: mildew, cooking odors, pets, tobacco smoke and heating and air conditioning filter vents. Let’s look at each active air pollutants, its source, and its remedy.

Mildew is a big contributor in indoor air pollution. Mildew spores will grow anywhere there is moisture. You will find it in carpets, upholstery, a damp wall and bathroom. Mildews release disease-causing toxins. As it grows it spreads bacteria, which become airborne that causes health problems, such as allergies. http://www.theyhaveit.com/servlet/Detail?no=25217

Cooking odors, are a combination of steam, oils and smoke. It is easy for these odors to travel around the house, and cling to walls and furniture. Soon the odors will age.

It can be a buffet for insects, like cockroaches. The cooking odors can be diminished by proper ventilation and clean oven air filters.

Pet odors are the most offensive odors in a house. Dogs rubbing their backs on the carpet, or sleeping near or on a sofa will leave their body oils and dander. Male cats marking their territory with pungent urine scent. These pet odors are hidden deep in your carpet and upholstery that will attract fleas, dust mites and lice, and creates a health hazard. Health experts claim that many health problems that children have come from playing on dirty carpets. It can cause allergies and rashes.

To remedy this problem, have your carpets vacuumed at least 3 times a week. For deep cleaning of your carpet, have a professional carpet cleaner do the job. Your carpet will be fresh and clean, which will reduce many health problems.

Tobacco smoke is one of the unhealthy indoor air pollutes in homes and offices. The smoker is inhaling a complex mixture of over 4,000 compounds, more than 40 of which are known to cause cancer. Tobacco smoke lingers on for days. It has the nature to cling on fabrics and walls. I have seen darkened walls at homes and apartments of people who smoked. The unhealthy fact is that nicotine and carbon monoxide are present in the sticky oily residue tobacco leaves behind on fabrics and walls.

Heating and air conditioning filters, are culprits, which cause unhealthy indoor air pollution in homes and offices.

Mechanical ventilation systems in large buildings are designed and operated not only to heat and cool the air, but also to draw in and circulate outdoor air.

Inadequate ventilation can occur if the air supply is blocked in such a way that outdoor air does not actually reach the breathing zone of building occupants. Improperly located air intake vents can also bring in air contaminated with automobile and truck exhaust, fumes from dumpstors, or air vented from restrooms. These air vents can also become a breeder for bacteria, mold and mildew. These toxins are airborne making  it unhealthy in working and living environments.

To insure your safety and those around you, invest in a good air cleaner. Air cleaners with a HEPA filter removes 99.9% of tobacco smoke, pollens, bacteria, harmful fibers, allergens and pollutants. There are many types and sizes of air cleaners on the market, ranging from relatively inexpensive tabletop models to sophisticated and expensive whole-house systems.

Indoor air pollution can be reduced, and make your home or office a healthy environment for your family and co -workers.

Do you suffer from headaches, runny or itchy eyes, blocked sinuses, asthma, dizziness, nausea, fatigue or having trouble concentrating? If so you might be suffering from illnesses brought on by indoor pollutants. Although you don’t realize it your home could be full of things that are making you ill. When people think about pollutants they instantly think about chemicals and other harmful substances but indoor pollutants can be much more innocent and are often not even seen by the naked eye.
If you feel as though your home or office could be making you ill there are different things that you need to consider. Take a look at the list of indoor pollutants that could easily be in your home and contributing to your illness:
Pet dander – This is the dandruff that occurs on animals very much like it does on humans. However when pets groom themselves they will spread their saliva all over their bodies, then when they shed their dander this saliva covered dandruff gets in to the air and fabrics causing irritation to some people. This irritation can take the form of skin complaints or breathing difficulties, runny eyes and nose and sneezing fits. One of the problems with this dander is that it is covered in protein which comes from the pet’s saliva and it is this can be the main source of irritation, especially if you are prone to allergies. To get rid of pet dander you should vacuum regularly and change pet bedding, do not allow your pet into your bedroom as this can make your symptoms worse. You should also fit HEPA filters into your air conditioners and buy a HEPA filter vacuum.
Dust mites – These live everywhere and can be very tricky to get rid of totally. They live on dead skin cells and microscopic bits of discarded food and their feces can cause breathing difficulties and skin irritation. To remedy the problem vacuum regularly with a HEPA vacuum cleaner, keep surfaces clean and fit HEPA filters into air conditioning systems. HEPA filters catch 99.995% of airborne particles and ensure clean air in residential and commercial properties.
Radon – This is a naturally occurring noble gas that is thought to be responsible for thousands of lung cancer related deaths in the US every year. Radon gets sucked into houses through their basements and occurs when radium decays. Houses can be tested for radon and if found radon mitigation systems can be fitted and run cheaply and efficiently reducing the levels of radon indoors.
Carbon Monoxide – This is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas that is a by product of combustion. Appliances that burn fuel can all leak carbon monoxide if they are old or not properly maintained. CO gas is a killer and if you suffer from lethargy, nausea, dizziness and headaches, you should install a carbon monoxide detector in your home. If appliances leak CO gas the detector will sound and alert you to the danger.
Pollen – This can enter the house though open doors and windows and is a massive irritant for people who suffer from hay fever. In order to keep pollen levels to a minimum you should close doors and windows when the pollen count is high and use HEPA filters on air conditioning systems. Using a HEPA filter vacuum can also help to reduce the levels of pollen that are stuck on carpets and in upholstery.
There are of course other irritants within the home that could be making you ill such as household cleaning chemicals and tobacco smoke and these should also be kept to a minimum. Smokers should only smoke outside to prevent passive smoking and make sure that doors are kept shut whilst they are doing so.
Your local HVAC technician can help you properly fit your air conditioner with HEPA filters. Allergy proof the air in your home or office so that you can live a more comfortable life.

Indoor air pollution – is it a problem? Everyone knows about air pollution affecting urban areas and industrial regions. Mexico City and Southeast Asia have hit the headlines. But wherever there are cities and industry there is pollution, from industrial effluents and the omnipresent automobile.

But indoors? The fact is that indoor air can be one hundred times more polluted than outdoor air. As the majority of people spend up to 90% of their time indoors, this is a cause for concern.

“Sick building syndrome” is a phenomenon which emerged in the 1970s when, to conserve energy as well as to provide a more comfortable draught-free environment, many naturally ventilated buildings were superceded by airtight air-conditioned buildings. It is used to describe a situation in which a substantial proportion of a building’s occupants report a number of symptoms while occupying that building. It is estimated that as many as one third of U.S. buildings suffer from sick building syndrome. Symptoms experienced by people vary as widely as drowsiness, lethargy, nausea, headaches, nosebleeds, dizziness and respiratory problems.

What are the sources of indoor air pollution? Tobacco smoke is a major culprit, with its lethal cocktail of toxic chemicals. Insulation, synthetic fabrics, treated wood and carpets,

especially when new, release potentially harmful chemicals, such as formaldehyde, into the air. When this air is recycled indefinitely, high concentration levels can be reached. Printers and copiers emit toxic gases. Then there are chemicals used in the manufacture of computers, especially those added to VDUs as fire retardants, which emit high levels of pollutants when new. Even cleaning solvents make their contribution to the pollution. In some cases, prolonged exposure to this mixture can cause chemical sensitivities which may be difficult to cure.

How can indoor air pollution be dealt with? Potted plants can improve room air quality. They reduce levels of carbon dioxide and increase oxygen levels. Among the most effective are spider plants, rubber plants and yucca. Plants can even be used to monitor pollution. Plants can wither from pollutants before people start to sicken from them.

Regular maintenance of air conditioning systems is essential in centrally-controlled air-conditioned buildings. This should include coil, fins and filters for the equipment to function effectively. The most important maintenance task is cleaning or replacement of filters. Not only do clogged, dirty filters block normal air flow, but also can directly reduce the effective working life of the equipment. Not to be overlooked is the correct

installation of air-conditioning systems in the first place. Air intake ducts need to be properly located. If they are placed in polluted areas, the system will actually bring polluted air into the building.