EPA AND INDOOR AIR QUALITY
Most people are aware that outdoor air pollution can damage their health but may not know that indoor air pollution can also have significant harmful effects. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies of human exposure indicate that the levels for many pollutants may be 2-5 times higher indoors than outdoors. High levels of indoor air pollutants are significant because it is estimated that people spend as much as 90% of their time indoors.
Over the past several decades, our exposure to indoor air pollutants has increased due to a variety of factors, including the construction of well-sealed buildings, reduced ventilation rates, the use of synthetic building materials and furnishings, and the use of chemically formulated personal care products, pesticides, and household cleaners.
In recent years, comarative risk studies performed by EPA's headquarters and regional offices have consistently ranked indoor air pollution among the top five environmental risks to people's health.
(Information above provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; http://www.epa.gov/iaq/largebldgs/graphics/iaq.pdf)
AIRBORNE PARTICLES AND VOCs CAN TRIGGER ASTHMA AND ALLERGY SYMPTOMS
If someone in your family suffers from asthma, allergies or other respiratory problems, then airborne particles in your home such as dust mites, pollen, molds, pet dander and insect debris, can trigger allergic reactions, respiratory problems, and asthma attacks.
People with chemical sensitivity can also experience similar symptoms when they are exposed to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in building materials, furniture, paints and solvents, household cleaners, and fragrances.
Airtight construction, designed to improve energy efficiency, permits less fresh air to enter the home. High efficiency heating and cooling systems constantly recirculate indoor air so particles and VOCs build up over time.
According to U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies, levels for
many pollutants may be two to five times higher indoors than outdoors.
Children, the sick, and the elderly can be particularly sensitive to these indoor air pollutants. If someone in your family has allergies, asthma or other respiratory problems, you may want to test VOC and particle levels in your home.
CARBON MONOXIDE AND OTHER HARMFUL GASES CAN BE UNSAFE
Good ventilation and proper maintenance of furnaces, ductwork, and exhaust systems prevents carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and the buildup of other harmful gases in the home.
Combustion gases, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide, can be back-drafted from the chimney or flue into living spaces if the furnace, fireplace, woodstove, or gas appliance is not properly vented or does not receive enough outside air. Back-drafting, along with poor ventilation, creates dangerous conditions that can threaten family health and safety.
Automobile exhaust from attached garages is another source of combustion gases.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is rarely a safety problem, but can indicate that your home has poor ventilation or exhaust problems that lead to a buildup of more harmful gases.
If you answer, “yes” to any of the following questions, you may want to test for carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, or other harmful gases in your home.
• Do you have an attached garage?
• Does your home seem “stuffy”, especially in the winter?
• Have you ever smelled gas in your home?
• Have you ever noticed fumes from the furnace or fireplace?
• Have you ever noticed a metallic taste in your mouth when you’re heating your home?
THE AIRADVICE IAQ TEST EVALUATES YOUR HOME'S INDOOR AIR QUALITY
Get the facts. The AirAdvice IAQ test pinpoints air quality problems in your home that can affect you or your family’s health, as well as their comfort and safety. Your HVAC professional places an AirAdvice IAQ monitor in your home for a few days where it measures temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and airborne particles in one-minute cycles. Then once a day it transmits the data via the phone line to AirAdvice for analysis.
(Information above found at http://www.airadvice.com
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