Residential Real EstateIs Your House Making You Sick?
It"s cold outside, so you have all the windows shut tight. Along with other energy-efficient measures that you"ve taken, you should be all snug as a bug in a rug for the winter. But by keeping the cold air out so effectively, you could be adversely affecting the quality of your indoor air, trapping pollutants that could make you and your family potentially ill.
Indoor pollutants are a fact of life in all homes. But with more and more people choosing to live in energy-efficient homes, it is important to understand that energy-efficient features may also increase the potential for greater concentrations of indoor air pollutants. Although energy-efficient measures do not cause indoor air pollution, they may aggravate existing or potential air quality problems.
What are indoor air pollutants? Indoor air pollutants are often gases and particles generated when people use wood-burning stoves and gas ranges, or when they smoke. Other pollutants, such as formaldehyde and organic chemicals, are emitted by certain building materials, home furnishings, cleaning products, and pesticides. Outdoor pollutants can also contribute to poor indoor air quality. Gases like carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide from cars and industrial emissions can migrate indoors. Radon, a gas emitted by soil under homes, is another source of indoor pollution. As pollutant levels rise, they can increase the risk of harmful health effects for those living in the house.
Because pollutant levels vary so much from home to home, it is difficult to predict whether any one residence will have a pollution problem. But health effects can range from eye irritations to serious illness and even death. Last year, on ABC"s "20/20," a young couple was profiled who had just purchased a new home, insulated it for the winter, and were found near death from toxic gases. One passed away.
Healthy air exchange is key to proper ventilation. As a consumer, you can be aware of the contents of products that you use, and be sure to ventilate the home"s air supply if there is any danger from fumes or vapors. If you are building a new energy-efficient home, talk to your builder to find out which kinds of ventilation systems are being installed. BPA requires that mechanical ventilation systems be installed in every home built under its programs. Mechanical systems provide a steady level of controlled air flow. The faster pollutants are removed, the lower overall concentrations will be. Mechanical ventilation systems can also be installed in existing homes. Make sure you understand how to operate the ventilation systems properly.
There are a few relatively inexpensive devices available to measure pollutant concentrations. You can purchase detectors for formaldehyde, radon, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide at your local hardware store. These easy-to-use devices are left in your home for a designated amount of time. You then send them to a laboratory to be analyzed, and the results are returned to you.
Information courtesy of the Energy Outlet