Where is the Outrage?
Secondhand smoke is estimated to cause 3,400 lung cancer deaths annually in the U.S. So far, swine flu has killed 4 Americans, and drunk driving kills about 13,000 people each year. Radon is estimated to cause 25,000 U.S. lung cancer deaths annually. Laws protect citizens from secondhand smoke and drunk drivers, and millions of dollars are being spent on swine flu prevention, yet except for a very few states that have radon awareness laws, no one is protecting us from deadly radon gas right in our own homes.
The U.S. EPA, the U.S. Surgeon General, the World Health Organization and many organizations such as the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society acknowledge that the research on radon is sound and compelling. And yet, although most states, municipalities and the federal government do not allow smoking indoors in public buildings, restaurants, ballparks and - in some localities - public parks and beaches, no law exists in the U.S. that requires citizens to protect themselves against radon.
Where is the fear? Where is the outrage? Cigarette packs are required to carry a warning about the dangers of smoking. Where are the labels on homes? Where are the requirements to perform a simple radon test on every home to ensure that it does not have high levels of radon? Would you allow your child to play all day in a smoke-filled room? Any rational person would answer No to that question. But do you know whether your child is playing in a room filled with invisible, odorless radon gas? Most people would also have to answer No to that question.
Continue reading "Radon Kills 6x More People than Secondhand Smoke!" »
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: May 18, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Tags: health fears, lung cancer, radon, radon deaths, secondhand smoke, smoking, swine flu
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy, Parenting and Family, Radon Testing and Awareness
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Indoor air quality can often be worse than outdoor air quality. While we may seem more aware of outdoor air quality due to shifts in temperature, smog, ozone, etc., we are often desensitized to the indoor air quality of our own homes and offices since this is where we spend much of our time and we're used to it. Being aware of your indoor air quality is a very important step in preventing indoor air pollution released from cooking fumes, chemicals in cleaning products, dust and dander, radon, mold, and others.
Here are some tips to improve indoor air quality in your home which will provide allergy relief and asthma relief for those who suffer from these afflictions. These tips were inspired by an article at WebMD.
Keep it natural. Any cleaning chemical you use in your home is bound to end up in your home air. Turn to natural cleaners like lemons and baking soda or use environmentally friendly detergents and cleansers.
Get Rid of Dust. Whether you have carpets, tiles, or hardwood floors, it's very important to keep dust to a minimum. Dust is composed of so many potential irritants like pet dander, dead skin, chemical matter, lead (if the home has or had lead paint), that it is critical to mop, vacuum and/or sweep often.
Monitor your home's level of humidity. Prevent mold by keeping your house at between 30-50%. This can be achieved by using a dehumidifier or an air conditioner combined with proper ventilation.
Test your home for radon gas. Radon is a naturally occurring gas that is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. The US EPA recommends that all homes be tested for radon with a home radon test kit. If radon gas is found to be present in the home at unsafe levels, a radon remediation system including a radon fan should be installed immediately.
We do many of these things all the time to keep our home's appearance clean; but, with a little extra attention and effort, you can improve your indoor air quality and protect your family's health.
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: April 2, 2009 at 1:24 PM
Tags: allergy relief, asthma relief, radon fan, radon remediation
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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Ragweed season begins in mid-August and is now reaching its high point to the chagrin of over 50 million ragweed allergy sufferers in the U.S. It’s a hard allergy to manage, especially because the tiny pollen grains are able to travel 400 miles! Ragweed season is at its peak, bringing bad news for the more than 50 million Americans who suffer from allergies to the plant. And the season seems to be getting longer each year.
A recent issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology links this increase in length of the ragweed season to global warming. The effects of global climate change include warmer weather, and therefore, a longer growing season. Ragweed plants are growing faster, lasting longer, and producing more pollen.
What can we do?
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology recommends keeping your home and car windows closed, minimizing outdoor activity, and showering after spending time outside. Allergy relief can also be achieved using air purifiers like HEPA filters and air cleaners, including central vacuums.
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: October 2, 2008 at 1:40 PM
Tags: allergy relief, central vacuum, HEPA filter, ragweed
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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The EPA just released its 2008 Report on the Environment: Highlights of National Trends. One of the topics covered in the report is air quality. Since most Americans spend the majority of their time indoors at work, school, or home, we have decided to focus on the indoor air quality section of the report.
It’s important that we know what is in our air in order to mitigate our risk of exposure to potentially harmful pollutants. Two types of indoor air pollution that are most prevalent are radon and tobacco smoke.
Radon is a dangerous gas that is found naturally underground but can seep into buildings and homes through cracks in the floors or foundation. If you suspect you have a radon problem, it is strongly recommended that you test your home with a home radon test kit. In order to lessen the chance of contracting lung cancer and other diseases associated with this gas, the EPA suggests installation of a radon mitigation system in the home or office if radon is found to be a problem.
Tobacco smoke, which is the first leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. presents the biggest threat to our children, according to the EPA. This is because they are still developing. The only way we can safeguard our children from the dangers of tobacco smoke is by not smoking in our homes and not smoking around them. The report contains additional information about air quality issues, water quality, land, human exposure and Health, and Ecological Condition.
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: September 29, 2008 at 4:41 PM
Tags: epa, home radon test kit, indoor air quality, tobacco
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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The term “air quality” seems pretty straightforward, right? There are two types of air quality, however – indoor and outdoor. Outdoor air quality may get a lot more press since it’s often easier to see or smell (especially when it’s negative), but your indoor air quality is something that is much easier for you to directly improve.
A new article “Americans Believe Air Inside Their Homes Is Cleaner Than Outdoor Air; Data Suggests Otherwise” cites a study that found that 38% of U.S. homeowners think the air inside their homes is cleaner than the air outside their homes. The EPA counters that evidence suggests that indoor air quality in homes and other buildings can be
“more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities.”
If that doesn’t take your breath away, read about the following sources of indoor air pollution. These include:
Continue reading "Indoor Air Quality Misconceptions" »
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: August 14, 2008 at 4:30 PM
Tags: air purifier, duct booster, indoor air quality, outdoor air quality, room ventilation
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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The truth about granite countertops and radon
For the last few months newspapers and TV stations from Texas to Iowa, from New York to Seattle and points in between have been telling us that granite countertops can emit hazardous radon gas. But it wasn't until the New York Times published "What's lurking in your countertop?" on July 24, 2008 that we began to receive calls asking us to comment on this increasingly emotional and controversial issue.
We have spoken with our own experts here at HomeAire and its parent company Spruce Environmental Technologies as well as with radon researchers and scientists across the country. All agree that radon is a dangerous gas that is known to cause lung cancer. (Radon-induced lung cancer kills more than 21,000 Americans each year.) They also agree that the most significant potential source of radon in your home is the rocks and soil beneath it, but that building materials such as granite also can emit radon.
Because of the escalation of public concern, the Technical and Science Committee of the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST), whose members include many of the world's leading radon researchers, educators and mitigation experts, released a statement on August 5, 2008 that presents the current opinion regarding the danger of granite countertops and recommends steps for determining whether you and your family are at risk from radon in your countertops.
Continue reading "Are Your Granite Countertops Killing You?" »
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: August 6, 2008 at 8:26 AM
Tags: granite countertops, radon, radon test kits
Filed under: Green Living, Home Ownership / Home Improvement, Indoor Air Quality and Allergy, Radon Testing and Awareness
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Are house plants a (literally) green solution to one of the major challenges to improving indoor air quality in modern construction and architecture? For decades, people have been concerned about the indoor air quality in tightly sealed buildings. Paradoxically, those buildings that are most energy efficient, may have the highest problems of indoor air toxicity.
In the 1980s, NASA conducted studies to test the hypothesis that domestic plants have a mitigating impact on the level of toxins in the air of a well insulated home. The study found that certain plants can actually pull from the air such harmful substances as trichloroethylene, benzene, and formaldehyde, all of which are carcinogenic, or suspected to be so, for humans. Additionally, formaldehyde’s role as the basis for many industrial resins makes it a relatively common pollutant in buildings, as noted by the California Air Resources Board in 2005.
Continue reading "Plants Can Improve Indoor Air Quality" »
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: July 30, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Tags: air purifiers, central vacuum, improve indoor air quality, plants, ventilation fans
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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All of the indoor pollution controls mentioned in our previous entry about indoor air quality solutions for new homes can be incorporated into existing homes. Radon and sub-slab moisture systems can be retrofit. Upgraded filtration and ventilation systems can readily be installed. Homeowners that want more fresh air, but don't want to pay for an open window, can have a heat recovery ventilator installed to dilute contaminants that can't be removed at the source. Central vacuum systems and much more effective local ventilation systems can be readily installed. One example of local ventilation that can remove moisture and particulates is the dryer boost fan which increases the exhaust from clothes dryers reducing drying time and reduces the potential for a fire from the build-up of lint in an exhaust vent.
Addressing the basics of good indoor air quality "from the ground up" is the most effective method for ensuring you and your family have good air to breathe in your home. So, building a home that incorporates the principles of good IAQ is your best bet.
You can still greatly improve the quality of your air in the home you live in right now by incorporating systems designed to control, exhaust and dilute the contaminants.
The question is, Where do you want to spend your money? On expensive testing that frequently has limited usefulness? Or on the solutions that have a track record of addressing all the contaminants in your home? Visit our indoor air quality information center to learn more about the options offered in this entry and more.
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: May 29, 2008 at 4:00 PM
Tags: central vacuum system, dryer boost fan, heat recovery ventilator, indoor air quality, indoor air quality information, local ventilation system, sub-slab moisture
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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When we remember what it takes to have good indoor air quality, we can see that there are a myriad of actions we can take to give us healthy homes. Some of our actions depend on our specific problems. BUT-several actions should be taken by EVERY homeowner to reduce the potential for indoor air quality problems in their homes.
If you're building a home
Very simply: choose a builder who understands and builds in good indoor air quality. The mark of a builder who truly understands good IAQ is one whose home bears the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Indoor Air Package designation. Next best is a home that has qualified for a Green Building designation from the U.S. Green Building Council or the National Association of Home Builders. Both of those standards have built-in IAQ protections.
You'll see that new homes built with upgraded attention to IAQ address radon and moisture in the design process by installing activated systems that use a small fan to draw radon and moisture from under the slab through a system of pipes. The latest guidelines from standard-writing agencies are incorporated to address ventilation, both whole house and local exhaust.
Low-emitting building materials are also specified in these standards to encourage source control. And filtration options are also suggested. Other source control methods include central vacuum cleaners which vent outside of the conditioned area of the house.
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: at 11:00 AM
Tags: building a home, central vacuum system, IAQ, IAQ certification, indoor air quality, indoor air quality solutions
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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The American Lung Association of New England just released a statement last week that the indoor air quality guidelines from the EPA that were released earlier this year aren't stringent enough to counteract ozone poisoning this summer. According to the report, only 54 days of high ozone levels were recorded last year, when in actuality, if abiding by the proposed new air quality standards, this number would have nearly doubled to 98 days. When it comes to our health, this is nothing to take lightly!
When the EPA developed its safe air quality standards this year, the ozone level designated as safe was higher than it technically should be, according to the American Lung Association of New England. New Englanders are particularly susceptible to ozone poisoning, with the overall highest rates of asthma in the entire United States. This fuels the research and statements behind asthma and allergies like we mentioned in one of our previous posts.
So what exactly is ozone poisoning? It's created when things like like car exhaust and pollutants from power plants and other industrial, fossil fuel burning establishments react with sunlight, creating harmful chemicals that we breathe day in and day out. Areas with a high concentration of cars or industrial buildings are logically the biggest contenders, and during the hot days of summer, the ozone levels rise significantly, putting people at an even higher risk for permanent lung damage and even premature death.
Ways to find asthma relief and allergy relief include limiting automobile travel through public transportation, walking or bicycling, and being sure to make every best effort to conserve energy in your every day life by turning off lights, running less electric appliances, or taking other "green" initiatives. Using Energy Star appliances or implementing indoor air purifying systems are two really great steps to take toward protecting yourself this summer.
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: May 27, 2008 at 9:16 AM
Tags: allergy relief, asthma relief, high ozone days, ozone poisoning, ozone poisoning prevention, rising ozone levels, summer ozone levels
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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With allergy season upon us, we thought we'd expand on our previous 10 Asthma and Allergy Facts You Should Know post with a bit more background information about asthma and allergies.
What exactly is asthma? According to the American Lung Association, Asthma is characterized by excessive sensitivity of the lungs to various stimuli. Triggers range from viral infections to allergies, irritating gases, or particles in the air. Each person reacts differently to the factors that may trigger asthma, including:
respiratory infections, colds
allergic reactions to allergens such as pollen, mold, animal dander, feathers, dust, food, and cockroaches
exposure to cold air or sudden temperature change
cigarette smoke
excitement/stress
exercise
While there is a wealth of information indicating or suggesting an association between environmental exposures and asthma outcomes, not much is known about what brings upon the change to asthma as opposed to simply an irritation or allergy.
What are allergies? Allergy symptoms occur when the immune system reacts to substances (allergens) that are generally harmless and in most people do not cause an immune response. For someone prone to allergies, their immune systems are super sensitive. Antibodies that build up in an allergy-prone person's system produce histamines and other chemicals to try to counteract the allergens, causing the itchiness, watery eyes, and other irritated symptoms commonly associated with allergies. Thankfully, many indoor air pollutants can be eliminated safely with air purifiers and other indoor air quality solutions.
The mystery behind allergies and asthma is that they could come or go without a moment's notice. Some people experience seasonal allergies every year of their lives. Others don't have any allergy symptoms at all in childhood, only to develop them later as adults for seemingly no reason. Others have them as children and then appear to "outgrow" them. This is what makes studying them so frustrating and so fascinating.
One reason for developing allergies after childhood can actually be one of the topics we've touched on here - Sick Building Syndrome. Being exposed to low to moderate levels of chemicals in "sick buildings" can cause a person to experience symptoms that they never had before, and can leave them very frustrated and confused if they haven't made the connection between their illness and their workplace environment. Mold in the home or office is also a large contributor to seemingly sudden symptoms. Since it can lurk within walls and other non-obvious places, sufferers may go years without proper treatment or identifying the source of the problem.
Are you asthmatic or do you have allergy sufferers in your home or workplace? Try HomeAire's selection of air purifiers and ventilation systems to bring a happy and healthy environment back to the places that you live and work.
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: May 7, 2008 at 3:00 PM
Tags: air purification system, air purifiers, allergy symptoms, asthma and allergies, asthma symptoms, indoor air pollutants, indoor air quality, treating allergies, ventilation system allergies
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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You may have read our previous entry, Is Your Home Making You Sick? to learn ways in which you can isolate indoor air quality problems in your home and help you and your family to feel better. Since this is such an important topic that can affect virtually all of us at one point or another, we thought it was important to include some further information on home indoor air quality and the impact that it's having on asthma and allergy rates. The following are 10 facts and figures to help put the seriousness of allergies and asthma into perspective:
In 2004, there were 13.6 million physician office visits and 1 million outpatient department visits due to asthma [alone, this does not count all the allergy visits.] - Centers for Disease Control
According to a 1997 survey data from primary care physicians, 16.9 million office visits were made for sinus problems and nasal congestion, which are symptoms suggestive of, or associated with, allergic rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis itself comprised 7.7 million visits, and related conditions comprised an additional 40.3 million visits. - Medscape
Allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in the United States, and cost the health care system over $18 billion annually. - National Pharmaceutical Council
Direct health care costs for asthma in the United States total more than $10 billion annually; indirect costs (lost productivity) add another $8 billion for a total of $18 billion. - Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
Prescription drugs represented the largest single direct medical expenditure, over $5 billion. - American Lung Association
Nine million U.S. children under 18 have been diagnosed with asthma.
More than 70% of people with asthma also suffer from allergies.
10 million Americans suffer specifically from allergic asthma.
The prevalence of asthma increased 75% from 1980-1994.
Asthma rates in children under the age of five have increased more than 160% from 1980-1994. - American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
For many, these figures are startling. Clearly there is something that is triggering these outbreaks and increases in allergies and asthma. Thankfully, many of the allergy-causing particles in your home can be eliminated with proper use of a HEPA Filtration System or other whole house indoor air quality and air purifying devices.
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: April 28, 2008 at 3:32 PM
Tags: air purifier, allergy rates, asthma and allergies, asthma rates, asthma statistics, HEPA filtration system, indoor air quality
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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Walk through your home, top to bottom. That means from the attic to the basement (or crawl space). Walk around your home. Do you see anything that might be contributing to poor air in your home?
Are all combustion appliances properly vented?
Do all bathrooms have exhaust fans vented to the outside?
Does the kitchen have an exhaust fan vented to the outside?
Is there indication of water or moisture anywhere in the house?
Is there indication of water or moisture collecting outside of the house?
Is your attached garage vented to the outside?
Do you have collections of stuff piled up or overstuffed storage areas?
Do you have collections of household cleaners or chemicals in your garage or basement or under the kitchen sink?
Is your dryer vented to the outside?
Are your heating/cooling vents clean?
Is your furnace filter new?
When the heat goes on, does it smell "musty" in your house?
Do you have a pet?
Do you have evidence of furry invaders anywhere in your home?
Do you have evidence of non-furry invaders like roaches?
Follow your nose. If something doesn't smell right, it's probably not. If you smell mold, you've got mold. You can't always see it and sometimes you've got it even when you can't smell it. Mold and bacteria create unique odors when they're growing. They grow when they get moisture. So, as soon as the mold or bacteria that's there gets enough moisture, it'll start to grow-AND THEN, you'll be able to smell it.
Trust your nose. It's one of the best detectors available and will lead you to many indoor air problems. And if you're having trouble smelling anything, ask a woman! Livescience.com says "Women have keener whiffers than men."
Trudy Y. Smith
Senior Training Specialist
Spruce Environmental Technologies and HomeAire
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: April 11, 2008 at 4:55 PM
Tags: household mold, how to identify mold, indoor air evaluation, indoor air quality, mold and mildew, mold in the home, moldy smell
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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Good indoor air quality follows the Golden Mean: not too hot, not too cold; not too dry, not too humid; not too breezy, not too still and a level of contaminants that is low enough so occupants aren't getting sick.
These conditions will vary for different people. Some folks are strongly affected by odors or pollens or other allergens that don't affect others. So, good indoor air quality for you might not be exactly the same as good indoor air quality for me.
There are, however, certain basic requirements for good indoor air that seem to hold true for most of the population. Dampness is crucial. The current guidelines recommend home humidity should be below 60%. Many consultants are pushing for lower and lower humidity levels to be maintained in homes.
The contaminants that we create by living in our homes need to be diluted by sufficient fresh, outdoor air. Since outdoor air frequently is not at the right temperature or humidity for our homes, it has to be conditioned (heated or cooled and dehumidified) to make us feel comfortable and to keep the house dry. Contaminants that we bring in from the outdoors can be filtered out. The same can be said of indoor contaminants like dust and pet by-products.
Since we frequently can't introduce enough fresh air to dilute the contaminants we create, it's often a better solution to remove the contaminants where they're created. So, good exhaust fans vented to the outside remove moisture, particulates and odors in bathrooms, laundry rooms, kitchens and garages.
Another contributor to good indoor air quality is to reduce the contaminants we create: source control. If you don't put the contaminant in the house, you don't have to dilute or remove it.
According to the U.S. EPA, "There are many sources of indoor air pollution in any home. These include combustion sources such as oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, and tobacco products; building materials and furnishings as diverse as deteriorated, asbestos-containing insulation, wet or damp carpet, and cabinetry or furniture made of certain pressed wood products; products for household cleaning and maintenance, personal care, or hobbies; central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices; and outdoor sources such as radon, pesticides, and outdoor air pollution."
Trudy Y. Smith
Senior Training Specialist
Spruce Environmental Technologies and HomeAire
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: at 4:50 PM
Tags: air contamination, dampness control, external pollution, good indoor air quality, indoor air qualit, indoor pollution, pollution
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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The first step to mold prevention is isolating and eliminating the moisture in the area where the mold might form. If you already have a mold problem in your home, there are ways to clean mold safely and eradicate it for good, but since cleaning mold can be tricky and time consuming, the best method for tackling a mold problem is to stop it before it even starts.
One of the most common places in the home for mold to form is the bathroom, and it makes sense as to why. Bathrooms are a prime location for moisture to build. Even if your bathroom is well-ventilated with a window, you may notice condensation forming on your walls and ceiling or fogging up your mirror when you take a hot shower. There are some surefire ways to counteract excess moisture and dampness in your bathroom with a properly installed bathroom ventilation system or bathroom exhaust fan.
Bathroom exhaust fans draw the moisture-filled air from inside your bathroom and expel it outside of your home into the outdoor air, keeping the air recirculated and moving so the moisture can be wicked away in an efficient manner. The Home Ventilating Institute recommends at least 8 Air Changes per Hour (ACH) in order to have the best effect for your bathroom ventilation. The size and strength of your bathroom exhaust fan may vary depending on the size of your bathroom and how far the air must be re-routed to reach the outdoors. There are a variety of bathroom exhaust solutions to choose from, some with a light, others with just the fan, quiet, loud, you name it! What matters the most, though, is finding a bathroom exhaust fan that will provide you with the adequate recommended air changes per hour, and that will keep your bathroom nice and dry as to prevent any mold or mildew from collecting on damp surfaces.
To learn more about how important proper bathroom ventilation is to your home and your health, read more in HomeAire's Bathroom Ventilation Solutions section or have a look at some of the bathroom exhaust products that we offer in the HomeAire Store. Our brands are Energy Star Certified and include products such as Panasonic Bathroom Fans, NuTone Bathroom Fans, and our own Spruce inline fans.
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: March 28, 2008 at 10:24 AM
Tags: bathroom exhaust fan, bathroom mildew, bathroom mold, bathroom ventilation, bathroom ventilation system, how to prevent mold, mold and mildew, mold prevention
Filed under: Apartment Living, Home Ownership / Home Improvement, Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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We've mentioned Active Dampness Control in a couple of our previous blog posts but we haven't really expanded on what this term means. This post is going to change that! Read on to find out what we mean when we refer to an Active Dampness Control System, and why you can benefit from having one in your home.
Active Dampness Control is a system that is exclusive to HomeAire - developed by HomeAire professionals and only available for installation by HomeAire professionals. This system was created to safely and effectively eliminate moisture from the home. The moisture and gas that the Active Dampness Control System removes could be excess humidity from living in a temperate climate, dangerous radon gas from beneath your home's foundation, or the heat building up from beneath your home that can cause condensation and moisture to form.
The system works from the ground up, eliminating hazardous soil gases and moisture before they have a chance to enter your home.
Continue reading "Basement Mold and Active Dampness Control" »
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: March 21, 2008 at 2:28 PM
Tags: active dampness control, active dampness control system, bathroom ventilation, damp basement, home ventilation, indoor air quality, mold in the home, mold prevention, mold removal, radon gas
Filed under: Home Ownership / Home Improvement, Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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Leaving a mold problem untreated can not only lead to negative effects in your bronchial health, but it can cause permanent damage to the areas of your home that it inhabits - water damaged ceiling panels, rotted flooring or cabinetry, carpeting that can't be salvaged, etc. Black mold is particularly dangerous to allow to spread. Though it might be obvious once the problem has spread, you might not realize you have a mold problem at first. The key to treating black mold the most effectively is to catch it early, or better yet, prevent black mold from forming altogether. As mentioned previously, not all molds are dangerous to your health, and even some of the more dangerous molds might affect you differently from a family member depending on your personal sensitivity to it, but it is always best to take action against mold as soon as you notice it forming colonies. Here are some black mold symptoms to look for when checking your home for mold problems:
High Humidity levels (greater than 55%) provide a breeding ground for black mold. If you live in a humid climate or have damp areas of your home, it will be important to install dehumidifiers, ventilation fans, active dampness control systems, or to fix leaky pipes and find a way to dry out affected areas.
Continue reading "Black Mold Symptoms in Your Home" »
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: March 19, 2008 at 3:22 PM
Tags: black mold in the home, black mold problem, black mold symptoms, how to clean mold, how to eliminate black mold, indoor air quality, indoor humidity, mold in the home, ventilation fan
Filed under: Home Ownership / Home Improvement, Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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In this post, we're addressing the nefarious contender - black mold. We are featuring some important black mold poisoning symptoms in order to help you recognize the warning signs. Our next post will discuss black mold symptoms in your home - how to identify a black mold problem and get help.
Not everyone who comes in contact with mold reacts adversely to it, which is what makes it difficult for the government to issue regulations on specific mold levels. Whether you know you are sensitive to mold or not, it's always better to be safe than sorry. Black mold can cause a condition called Black Mold Poisoning. Molds and other chemicals or synthetic materials can release particles into the air called VOCs - volatile organic compounds. These contaminants, while not always dangerous in small amounts, can be very toxic to breathe in larger quantities and can often be found in items like new carpeting, paints, cleaners, and other chemicals. Mold releases VOCs as it breaks down materials to feed. Mold can also release particles called mycotoxins into the air. Like VOCs, these particles are also dangerous if breathed in large quantities, or if consumed by eating a moldy piece of food.
As we mentioned before, there are many molds that can appear to be very dark green or black at first glance, and it's important to recognize that not all molds that look black are actually the "black mold" that we're talking about - Stachybotrys chartarum. You don't need to remember the scientific name for this mold, but there are some important black mold symptoms to watch for. If you suspect your home has black mold, click here to contact a professional.
Continue below to find out the symptoms that you need to be aware of.
Continue reading "Black Mold Symptoms Affecting Your Health" »
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: March 10, 2008 at 2:15 AM
Tags: black mold, black mold asthma, black mold in the home, black mold mycotoxin, black mold poisoning, black mold symptoms, black mold VOC, mold in the home, mycotoxins, toxic black mold, toxic black mold symptoms, VOCs
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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Would you consider yourself a household mold expert? Do you currently have mold in your home but don't know how to get rid of it? Would you be able to spot a mold-prone situation to ward it off before it gets out of control? Mold can be a tricky household problem if you don't know much about it; household mold can appear just about anywhere. Read these ten mold facts and you'll be armed with the information you need to recognize the warning signs and stop household mold dead in its tracks.
It's all about moisture. Mold can't grow in dry climates, so if you took a shower and didn't use an exhaust fan, or spilled something on your carpet and didn't adequately soak it up and dry it, you could be asking for trouble.
Two days is all it takes. Materials that stay damp or wet for over 48 hours provide plenty of time for mold to start growing and creating a problem.
You don't need to be "tested" for mold. Unlike radon, which requires testing in the home due to its unnoticeable properties as a colorless, odorless and flavorless gas, mold requires no special testing to find out if you have it. Generally if you have an overgrowth, you'll know! Testing can be performed if you're unsure, but it can be expensive and the warning signs of visible colonies, 'water damage', and musty odors are generally enough to indicate a problem.
You might get sick or you might not. Mold can cause drastically varying reactions in different people depending on their sensitivity and predisposition for mold allergies and reactions. Some people may get bronchial infections or asthma attacks where others remain completely unaffected. This difference is what has made it difficult to devise safety regulations concerning mold growth.
Not all black mold is 'black mold'. Remember that nasty picture from one of our previous mold posts? That was toxic "black mold", Stachybotrys chartarum. It's known for causing respiratory problems and other serious reactions due to overexposure. Many molds may appear to be black or otherwise dark in color, but not all are technically this dangerous black mold.
Are you ready to take action against mold in your home or apartment? If so, find some solutions that can prevent you from having a mold problem for as little as $54.95.
Continue this entry below to read the rest of the list!
Continue reading "10 Mold Facts You Need to Know" »
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: March 7, 2008 at 12:24 PM
Tags: black mold, cleaning mold, household mold, indoor mold, mold, mold facts, mold in the home, mold prevention, mold symptoms, testing for mold
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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A press release discussing HEPA filters for cardiovascular health was recently featured on television as well as in numerous online publications. According to the American Thoracic Society, a recent study in Denmark by the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine has shown links between the use of HEPA filters and improved cardiovascular health of the non-smoking elderly in as little as two days of use. They've reported that the HEPA filter eliminated 60% of ultrafine, fine, and coarse home air particles, yielding an 8.1% increase in microvascular function (the use of the small blood vessels in areas like fingers).
Running tests using air purifiers with and without HEPA filters in several homes, the researchers were very excited by the results. HEPA filters dramatically increased the effectiveness of the air purifiers, and consequently, the cardiovascular health of the individuals affected by the indoor air.
At HomeAire, this gives us even more reason to be proud to represent top quality HEPA air cleaners in our online HomeAire store. The HEPA, portable room air purifiers and other HEPA filtration systems we have are the most effective, eliminating 99.7% of airborne particles and allergens. Now in addition to the already evident benefit to our respiratory health regarding allergies or infections, we're happy to broaden our knowledge of the more widespread benefits of HEPA filters in people of all ages.
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: March 5, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Tags: air purifier, airborne particles, HEPA air purifier, HEPA filter, HEPA filtration systems, HEPA indoor air quality, homeaire, homeaire blog, indoor air allergies, indoor air purifier, indoor air quality
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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Mold is kind of like you and me - if we don't have any water, we can't survive. Mold thrives in damp areas and can quickly grow colonies that take over these moist areas in your home. This could be a bathroom ceiling, a laundry room wall, or it could even lurk inside your walls where you can't see it. You might not realize it's there unless you or a loved one has an allergic reaction that prompts an investigation. Thankfully, you can strongly reduce your chances of a mold problem by controlling the moisture levels in your home and being on the lookout for high-moisture situations.
Here are five great tips with some help from the Environmental Protection Agency's Mold Information site for keeping your home at a safe moisture level and keeping toxic molds like black mold at bay.
Keep everything well-ventilated by placing fans in rooms or opening windows if weather permits. Circulating the air in your home will help neutralize the temperature so you don't have warm rooms and cold rooms mixing and causing moisture.
Use exhaust fans and vents in your kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room to expel the moist air outside and prevent condensation from forming.
Run a dehumidifier if you live in a humid climate or if your basement tends to get damp.…or better yet for damp basements, hire a professional to install an Active Dampness Control™ (ADC) System from HomeAire. ADC Systems eliminate moisture at its source, before it enters the home, and most are ENERGY STAR® qualified. Basement dehumidifiers consume more energy and do not effectively vent water vapor away from the home.
Be sure that you fix all leaky pipes and seal off your home's foundation or install a pump in case any flooding should ever occur from heavy rain.
Always run the fan in your kitchen or bathroom every time you cook or take a shower, and leave it on for awhile after you're done in order to help ventilate the moisture outside and keep your walls mold and mildew-free.
Stay tuned for more information on how to help prevent and treat mold in your home! Do you have the proper equipment mentioned in this post? If not, be sure to have a look at HomeAire's selection of:
Bathroom Ventilation Fans
Kitchen Ventilation Fans
and Other Home Ventilation and Mold Prevention Solutions
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: February 29, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Tags: active dampness control, bathroom ventilation, black mold, energystar, household mold, kitchen ventilation, mold and mildew, mold elimination, mold in the home, mold prevention, mold removal tips, toxic mold
Filed under: Apartment Living, Home Ownership / Home Improvement, Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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Mold in the home is a serious problem that can occur where you might not even suspect or be able to see it. Thankfully with the wealth of information available to people on the Internet and otherwise, many homeowners or renters are aware of the warning signs and how to prevent mold and mildew from forming in the first place. However, there are still a lot of concerns about mold in the home, whether it's about how to prevent it, how to get rid of it, how to know what to watch for, or even what symptoms to be aware of in case you're allergic or getting sick as a result of it.
We're going to be offering several posts on different mold topics for you, so this is just the first introduction to more information to come in helping you keep your indoor air quality safe and your home mold-free.
What is mold?
Mold is comprised of microscopic fungi that can grow just about anywhere that there's moisture. Thriving off of the decaying matter that it inhabits, mold reproduces through spores, many surviving in airborne environments as well as on surfaces. Mold is everywhere, but we're only able to see it when it grows in colonies (the blotchy, fuzzy clusters you see on food or surfaces in your home). Mold is essential in breaking down organic compounds like food or other biodegradable items like antibiotics.
What types of Mold are there, and are they all dangerous?
There are thousands of mold species in existence, and with such a versatile playing field for growth and expansion, it's easy to see why it can be confusing to identify what molds are dangerous and what aren't. Some of the most familiar, helpful mold is evident in foods like blue cheese. This mold is harmless to you and lends the cheese its tangy flavor and pungent aroma. Other mold, such as the fuzzy kind that grows on fruit, is much more harmful if ingested in enough quantity because it produces harmful compounds known as mycotoxins. One of the most important and dangerous molds to be aware of in your home is known as black mold (see picture). We will dedicate more posts specifically to this mold on the blog.
Is mold easy to get rid of?
Since mold lives everywhere, even when you can't see it, it's safe to say it'd be impossible to eradicate all of the mold in your life. We don't want you to feel paranoid and go scrubbing every surface you touch and every food you eat! But for the more dangerous molds, it's important to find ways to get rid of the colonies before they spread further. Getting rid of mold can be a difficult process. It involves eliminating moisture and identifying the source of the problem, which isn't always straightforward. We will be offering some information on how to treat a mold problem and prevent further outbreaks.
Until our next mold post, please feel free to explore some more mold information with the following resources that we found useful for this post:
The EPA's Mold Resources Site
Wikipedia
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: February 26, 2008 at 9:42 AM
Tags: black mold, black mold in the home, how to get rid of mold, mold eradication, mold in the home, mold information, mold problem
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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Many homes have garages, particularly newer construction. It's not uncommon to find an attached two-car garage with a large family room or storage area sitting on top, or a connected garage with a mudroom or breezeway into the rest of the house. In addition to providing a safe area for cars, garages are also prime areas for storage for seasonal items, paints, tools, you name it! Some people can't even fit their cars into their garage because of so many stored items. While this extra space and protection for your belongings is definitely useful, you may not realize the dangers that garages can pose to your health if you don't take proper precatuions. Offroaders.com has provided a great article with six ways that you can make your garage a healthier place:
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Install a Garage Exhaust Fan. We couldn't agree with this suggestion more. Keeping cars, paints, tools, and other fuels and fume-emitting items in the garage can spell a recipe for disaster. Even if the garage isn't attached to the house, having a garage ventilation or exhaust fan is important to circulate the air in your garage to expel the hazardous chemicals and keep the indoor air quality at a safe level.
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Safely Dispose of Unsafe Items. If you have chemical products or paints in your garage, unless you absolutely need them, it's best to get rid of them. Remember to dispose of them safely by taking them to a center that specializes in hazardous waste removal.
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Seal your garage from your house on the walls, ceiling and the door. While having some air circulation from the outside is important to maintaining your garage's air quality safety level, you want to have a tight seal around where your garage connects to your house, if you have an attached garage. Also be sure to apply a weatherstrip to your connecting door, and make sure the seal is air tight. It would also be advisable to purchase a stand alone air purifier if you have a room above your garage in the event that opening windows will allow car exhaust in, depending on the placement of the windows.
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Use a detached garage. While it may seem less convenient, having a detached garage will be safer for you and your family because any fumes are contained in a separate area from your living space. It's still very important to eliminate unnecessary chemicals and to install a garage ventilation fan, but you will not have the added concern of sealing off common walls with the rest of your home.
We wanted to add a couple of our own suggestions to the great list that Offroader came up with as well:
For HomeAire's selection of garage ventilation solutions, click here.
Continue reading "Garage Ventilation Fans and Other Garage Safety Tips" »
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: February 11, 2008 at 3:00 PM
Tags: garage air quality, garage exhaust fan, garage pollution, garage safety, garage ventilation fan, home air, homeaire, indoor air quality
Filed under: Home Ownership / Home Improvement, Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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If you're painting a nursery and are concerned about how it might affect your baby's health, you have every right to take precautions. Even after paint dries, it can still emit fumes or harbor bacteria, according to Bob Formisano at About.com. Paint, just like carpeting or other household chemicals, contains VOCs - volatile organic compounds. We won't go into the molecular breakdown of these compounds, but what you need to know is they're dangerous for you to breathe, and this means that they're even more dangerous for a baby to breathe.
There is good news, though! There are safe paints that you can use not only in a nursery, but anywhere in your home. Whether you're repainting your living room, freshening up some dull paint in your bathroom, or even want to paint your furniture, there are some wonderful, eco-friendly, low-VOC paints to help you get the job done beautifully and healthily.
Popular "green lifestyle" blog Jetson Green introduces us to milk paint. Oddly enough, its name sounds like exactly what it is-- milk! This paint dates back thousands of years to cave paintings, and there's a reason it's withheld the test of time: it's safe, it hardens with age, and it's versatile. It's created from a mixture of milk and crushed pigments. You can order it dry, and then just add water, stir and paint! Powder generally costs about $45 a gallon. This may sound a bit pricey, but for the safety of your family and the environmental benefits, we think it's worth it. To find out more about it and where you can get it, try milkpaint.com or realmilkpaint.com.
Stay tuned for our next entry where we'll be going into a bit more detail about some other safe, interior and exterior eco-friendly paints for your home.
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: February 8, 2008 at 2:44 PM
Tags: eco-friendly paint, home aire, homeaire, indoor air quality, low voc, low voc paint, milk paint, milkpaint, nursery safe paint, nursery safety, safe house paint
Filed under: Green Living, Indoor Air Quality and Allergy, Parenting and Family
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Oprah Winfrey has climbed aboard to spread the word about better indoor air quality. In an episode of her show entitled Dr. Oz on Aging: How to Turn Back Time, Part 2, a segment included some tips for healthier home air from Dr. Oz. In addition to the tips listed below, he has also included a more detailed plan for how to detox your home. This part of the website has a fun, interactive diagram that lets you see different rooms of the house and how you can make them safer and healthier to live in.
As far as indoor air quality, Dr. Oz and Oprah had a variety of products on their table to examine that could help eliminate the use of more harsh chemicals or other hazards.
Their safety tips included:
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Regularly open windows to air out your home.
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Remove your shoes when coming inside to avoid spreading pesticides and chemicals.
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Don't microwave your food in plastic containers.
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Use household ingredients to clean your bathroom (Where have we heard this before?).
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If you dry clean, remove the bags from your clothes while you're outside and air them out for a day before you wear them.
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Use a dehumidifier to prevent mold and mildew growth.
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Keep paints or varnishes in well-ventilated areas away from your living space.
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Have lots of plants for rejuvenated oxygen.
It's great to know that key societal influencers like Oprah are spreading the word about healthy home air. We love the tips that Dr. Oz has suggested, and we have a few more of our own healthy home tips to add.
Continue reading "Oprah's Advice for Indoor Air Quality and More" »
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: February 7, 2008 at 4:00 PM
Tags: healthy home tips, home safety tips, indoor air quality, mold and mildew, oprah home tips, oprah winfrey, radon testing
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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Do you have Sick Building Syndrome? Do you work or live in a 'sick building'? How would you know? Many of us might come home after a long day at work with a headache, or feel a little dizzy after sitting for awhile at a computer. Others might complain of eye strain from fluorescent lights or stuffiness because of a warm or crowded office; but the truth of the matter is these symptoms and far worse can be caused by the physical infrastructure and upholstery of the building you work in. Countless people are going about their daily lives at work feeling sick, thinking it's just stress or another factor in their lives, when in actuality it's a serious condition known as sick building syndrome. The name of this disease certainly doesn't sound very scientific, but it's very real and a serious health hazard that shouldn't be taken lightly.
What are the symptoms of sick building syndrome? If you suspect you or a coworker is experiencing sick building syndrome, here are some symptoms to watch out for.
Continue reading "Sick Building Syndrome - Is Your Workplace Making you Sick?" »
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: January 17, 2008 at 12:55 PM
Tags: building causing illness, building making you sick, feeling sick at work, hazardous work environment, home air, home aire, homeaire, homeaire blog, illness at work, indoor air quality, indoor air quality health problems, sick building syndrome, sick building syndrome causes, sick building syndrome symptoms, sick building syndrome treatment, sickness from indoor air, symptoms of sick building syndrome, unhealthy office air, work causing illness
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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It's a common misconception that people begin ‘waking up stuffy' in the winter because of the change in the seasons, the dry, cold air, or because they must be just getting that ‘wintery stuffiness' that always seems to happen. If you've ever woken up with half of your nose plugged up for no apparent reason, you're going to want to read the rest of this post.
Get ready for some not so appetizing facts. The reason you've been sniffing in the morning is because of mold, fungus, and dust mites in your pillow and sheets. A pillow study conducted by the University of Manchester, England, observed up to 16 different types of fungi in assorted pillows that they sampled. How does this happen? A doctor associated with the university study says that we sweat over 100 liters while we're sleeping each year. That, of course, is absorbed into our beds - our sheets, our blankets, our mattresses, our pillows. We also slough off a lot of dead skin cells, which are like candy for dust mites and fungus. As the fungi grow, the dust mites consume that, and then create fecal matter which is actually what sensitive sleepers are allergic to, not the mites themselves. Your pillow can accumulate 2 pounds of dust mite feces over a 2 year period, according to allergybuyersclub.com. The fungus could also lead to chronic sinusitis or other dangerous conditions.
To make matters worse, most people wouldn't even think to throw a pillow in the wash on a regular basis, or to vacuum a mattress, so the colonies just grow and grow. Any kind of moisture provides a breeding ground for fungi, bacteria and mites. Only some people are particularly sensitive to these particles, so you may not be bothered at all, but if the thought of microscopic creepy crawlies sends shivers down your spine, thankfully there are things you can do to get control of this situation.
Continue reading "Waking up Stuffy? Check your Pillow" »
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: January 2, 2008 at 2:00 PM
Tags: dust mite allergies, dust mite allergy, dust mites, homeaire, homeaire blog, how to clean your mattress, how to get rid of dust mites, hypoallergenic bedding, kill dust mites, pillow fungus, pillow mold, protective bed covers, waking up stuffy
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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If you’re thinking of taking a turn toward the greener side of living, there are some great ways that you can make the transition with ingredients you may already have on hand in your kitchen. This not only saves you money, but it does just as great a job without releasing any hazardous fumes into the air. The next time you find yourself reaching for bleach or other olfactory offenders, think twice and see if you might be able to use something on this list instead.
Continue reading "Common Household Ingredients can Replace your Chemical Cleaners" »
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: December 20, 2007 at 10:45 AM
Tags: alternative to chemical cleaners, antibacterial soap, chemical-free cleaning, eliminating odors, homaire, homaire blog, home air, home aire, household cleaner, natural cleaning products, safe cleaning products, using baking soda as cleaner
Filed under: Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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Hello and welcome to the brand new HomeAire blog. This is the beginning of a new initiative here at HomeAire to help spread the word about more than just indoor air quality. In addition to the products and services that we offer, we’re excited to offer helpful how-to articles, informational resources and more on topics like family living, personal health, living an environmentally conscious lifestyle, and home ownership, among other things. Throughout the development of this blog, you may learn about how you can reduce heating costs in your home in the winter, or perhaps you’ve always wondered what you can do to cut down on the allergens in your home’s air.
Have a topic in mind or a question you need answered? Just send us an email or leave a comment and we’ll be happy to feature your topic. We encourage you to contact us any time with any questions or feedback you have for how we can further improve this site to help bring the best and most useful content to you – our readers and customers.
The blog is configured to accept comments and trackbacks, so always feel free to share your opinions on the articles with us there, or even if you just want to say hello. We want this to be a friendly, open place for you to feel comfortable discussing the topics that most interest you, with hopefully a bit of learning along the way. So bookmark us, blog about us, add us to your RSS feed, StumbleUpon us, or call us Del.icio.us, we won’t mind.
Thanks so much for visiting the HomeAire blog, and be sure to check back frequently for great new content that could save you money, peace of mind, and even your life.
Breathe Easy,
The HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted by HomeAire Blogging Team
Posted Date: December 17, 2007 at 5:00 PM
Tags: first post, home air, home air blog, home aire blog, homeaire blog, IAQ blog, indoor air quality blog, new indoor air quality blog, welcome
Filed under: General, Indoor Air Quality and Allergy
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