YOUR HOME and YOUR HEALTH

Many of us are concerned about outdoor air pollution:  

 

Few people, however, realize that the air they breathe inside their homes may actually be more hazardous to their health than outside air. The link between human shelter and the healthfulness of the indoor environment is not new, even caves had indoor air quality problems. But as houses have become more complex, especially with the increased use of synthetic, chemical-based products, so too have the risks to human health. Today, depending on your level of sensitivity, you may be negatively affected by anything from furniture to fuel oil and from wax to wallpaper. Another major source of trouble, especially for allergy sufferers, is molds.

 

Molds grow wherever it is damp.

  • They can be found outside the house,

  • in the structure of the house and throughout the house;

  • in obvious places like the kitchen and bathroom; and

  • in not so obvious places like carpets and walls.

How Contaminants Enter Our Bodies: Contaminants can enter our bodies in three ways:

  • through the water and food we consume (ingestion);

  • through the materials and furnishings we come in contact with (touch); and

  • through the air we breathe (inhalation).

This information is primarily concerned with airborne contaminants and the improvement of air quality as the major step in creating a clean house.

 

Airborne contaminants: are generally divided into two different groups; biologicals and chemicals.

 

Biological contaminants: can originate from outdoors or within the home. They include molds, dust mites, pollen, animal dander and bacteria. Molds are underrated contaminants in the home; they produce particulates (spores and residual matter) and gases (volatile compounds characterized as moldy or musty odors). High moisture levels inside the home support the growth of molds and dust mites.

 

Chemical contaminants: Chemical contaminants include both gases and particulates. Gases can originate from numerous sources, including:

  • gases released by occupant activity (body odor, carbon dioxide [CO2], cigarette smoke);

  • combustion gases generated by the burning of fossil fuels in gas and oil furnaces, fireplaces, hot water heaters, and woodstoves;

  • gases released by building materials, furniture, fabrics, floor coverings, carpets, paints and caulking as they age, dry or cure;

  • other gases, such as ammonia from cleaning products, chlorine from bleach, pesticides, vapors from personal care products and ozone produced by some electrical equipment;

  • cooking and hobby activities;

  • gases from the soil and rocks, such as radon.

Chemical particulates may originate from a variety of sources, including dust and soils, combustion processes and cigarette smoke, as well as building materials and furnishings, such as concrete, lead paint, insulation, carpets and draperies.

 

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