Bring outside in, get inside out to keep your indoor spaces healthy

Our home should be our oasis, a place to recharge. But even though it may feel like a reprieve from the outside, your lungs, therefore your health, may suffer from a silent enemy—poor indoor air quality. A 6-year study by the Environmental Protection Agency showed that people in industrialized societies spend up to 90 percent of time indoors, including at home, where indoor air is 2 to 10 times more contaminated than outdoor air. More surprising is that people who live in rural areas are exposed daily to indoor air 5 to 10 times more contaminated than that which is right outside their threshold. Infants, young children, elderly and those with chronic illnesses may be at greater risk of developing health problems, or having problems made worse by indoor air pollutants. Although effects may be short term and mimic that of a cold or allergic reaction, including irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue, symptoms of some diseases, including asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and humidifier fever, may also show up soon after exposure. Other effects may show up years after exposure has occurred or long or repeated periods of exposure. Following are three types of indoor air pollutants and how to avoid their unnecessary presence. Particulate matter: Particulates are bits of solid or liquid small enough to float, like cigarette smoke, combustion products from unvented gas appliances, viruses, bacteria, and some mold spores. They’re considered the most dangerous, since they can be drawn deep into the lungs where they may lodge for long periods of time and can eventually cause lung cancer or permanent lung damage. Larger particles, such as mold spores, pollen, animal dander, and spoor of dust mites, do not infiltrate the lungs as deeply, but can cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Particulate Pollution Prevention: -Choose soy or beeswax candles over paraffin. Researchers at South Carolina State University have found paraffin emits chemicals linked to liver damage, neurological problems, and leukemia. Avoid lead candle wicks which can raise indoor lead levels high enough to violate standards set by the Clean Air Act. -Avoid plug-in air fresheners which emit a high number of VOCs. -Do not let your car idle in the garage. Back your car out as soon as the engine starts and when you arrive, turn the engine off as soon as you park. -Avoid incense. Tests conducted by the EPA showed that incense releases fine particulates in larger quantities than any other indoor source. -Smoke outside. -Turn on stove fans when cooking to vent smoke and greases. -Avoid using unvented natural gas, propane, or kerosene space heaters. -Keep your gas or propane furnace in good working order. -If you burn wood, have the chimney and wood stove or fireplace inspected and cleaned annually. Gases: Hundreds of different gaseous pollutants have been detected in indoor air, including cigarette smoke, solvents, cleaning products, personal care products, fragrances, pesticides, and fumes from building materials and furnishings. Gases can immediately cause allergic reactions, as well as eye, throat, and lung irritation. Long-term exposure to gasses can induce cancer, cause liver damage, and harm the immune, reproductive, nervous, and cardiovascular systems. Gaseous Pollution Prevention: -Replace toxic cleaners with equally effective biodegradable, non-toxic counterparts, or use natural solutions like vinegar and water for windows, and hydrogen peroxide to remove mildew. -Choose furnishings made with safe, low-emission materials or that are at least five years old (New products will off-gas for up to five years.). -Have your gas- or oil-burning appliance — including furnace, stove and water heater –cleaned and maintained at least once a year (they all can emit lethal amounts of carbon monoxide). -Install a carbon monoxide detector on each level of your home, and check frequently to be sure they work. -Use low VOC products such as solvents, oil-based paints, pesticides and products that contain synthetic fragrances. Radon: Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that emanates from natural sources such as rock, soil, groundwater, natural gas, and mineral building materials, including concrete, stone and brick. It is suspected of inducing lung cancer in humans, and may be responsible for as many as 15,000 lung cancer deaths each year. Radon is not a health threat outdoors, only when levels build up in an enclosed space, seeping up from the dirt floors of basements, through gaps and cracks in foundations or concrete slabs, and through pipes, sumps, and drains. Radon Infiltration Prevention: -When building a new home, use a radon-resistant technique common in the industry today. -If you live in an older home, have radon levels tested. Contact your state radon office or local public health official for information (www.epa/gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html). Ventilation is another pollution-reduction strategy. Inadequate ventilation is a large reason indoor pollutant levels rise to harmful levels. When outdoor air is brought into the home, it dilutes emissions from indoor sources and carries indoor air pollutants out. For better indoor/outdoor air-exchange: -Open windows whenever you get the chance and air it out, even if only for 10 minutes, especially when you are cleaning with toxic cleaners, painting, or doing some other activity causing toxic fumes. -Since high temperature and humidity levels can increase concentrations of some pollutants, use a outside venting fan when taking a shower, washing clothes in hot water and cooking. -Don’t use caulking too liberally. It’s good to have an energy-efficient home, but if it’s too air-tight, it can cause problems due to not enough natural infiltration of outdoor air. You may also choose one of many indoor air quality products on the market. Electronic air cleaners create an electrical field that attracts particles, zaps them with an electric charge, then attracts and captures the charged particles. Although they are fairly efficient, a major concern is that they create ozone, a toxic gas and a major component of smog. Another option is to use a high-efficiency particulate air filter vacuum cleaner, which is supposed to have a minimum particle-collection efficiency rate of 99.7 percent. Finally, houseplants, in addition to producing oxygen, attract dust and absorb toxic gases, by bringing some of the outdoors in!