AIR POLLUTION AND THE
QUALITY OF AIR IN OUR HOMES
Speak to the average individual about air pollution
and they will tell you how our outdoor air quality has been compromised
over the years, due to automobiles, industrial air pollution and
environmental causes, such as, grasses and pollens. They won’t be wrong
concerning this pollution of our environment, but what they don’t do, is
equate the sick environments found in their own homes as being possibly
worse and more important to their health considering the amount of time
spent there and the fact that they sleep there. The air pollution found in
our homes can be as bad and probably even worse than that found outdoors.
Living in a shuttered environment that does not
allow the free circulation of air, places a tremendous strain on our
respiratory systems. It will mostly affect infants, the elderly and those
with impaired immune systems.
Our homes are sickened by an enormous bombardment of
pollutants, so much so that our indoor air environment can be 100 times
worse than the air quality outdoors. The sources of indoor pollutants are
chemicals known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They are the
pollutants that release gases and particles into the air. These VOCs are
found in many of the fabrics, rugs, dry cleaned clothing and drapes. Other
sources are tobacco smoke, which is the number one pollutant, paint
products, paint removers and strippers and cleaning products, pesticides,
laundry detergents, etc.
Other pollutants can be found in our cooling and
heating systems and in our chlorinated water systems. Household pets, as
much as we love them, are great contributors to indoor pollutants because
of the pet dander they shed. Insects, such as cockroaches also add to the
pollutants. The use of aerosol hairsprays, deodorizers and cleaners will
also add to our sickened environments.
The above are not the only contributors to poor home
air quality. An extremely serious form of pollutants can be molds. Molds
are formed wherever there is dampness, such as the bathroom, shower and
laundry room. If a leak occurs anywhere in the roof, the water will find
it’s way into the inner walls and molds will take hold and proliferate if
not stopped. These molds will send spores into the air, which we breathe
and eventually cause a serious respiratory problem for whoever comes in
contact with them.
We have mentioned many of the contributors to the
cause of making our home air environment polluted; yet there are still
others. Indoor fireplaces and gas burning stoves contribute also to the
contamination of the home air environment. Fireplaces continuously
build-up soot, a source of contanimints that need to be cleaned on a
regular basis. They also have to be properly vented to the outdoors, and
many are not.
Some homes are situated in areas where Radon gas in
the ground can invade the home atmosphere. These homes should be tested
for the presence of Radon gas. There are test kits that are relatively
inexpensive and you can do this yourself. Even if Radon gas were not
found, it would be wise to install an inexpensive Radon gas detector for
continuous monitoring. Radon gas is insidious and can seep into the home
at anytime.
Anyone exhibiting any of the following respiratory
distress symptoms should not only see their healthcare provider, but would
do well to call an environmental professional to have their home
inspected. 1. Increased difficulty in breathing. 2. A constant feeling of
fatigue. 3. Difficulty in sleeping and the feeling you want to sit-up to
sleep. 4. Pains in chest due to labored breathing. 5. Increased shortness
of breath on exertion. 6. Coughing excessively and wheezing. 7. An
increase of sputum with changes in the character of the sputum. 8. Signs
of blood when bringing up sputum. 9. Night sweats, or chills and fever.
How then do we combat this hostile environment in
our homes? Read on to learn how we can combat this very serious threat to
our health.
Improving the environmental pollution of your home
requires an aggressive approach. Each room must be thoroughly inspected,
even the cellar and attic if you have them. Apartments and condominiums
are no different. If you don’t have an attic, you have a crawl space and
that too must be inspected. Use a pad and pencil. Write down the room you
are starting in, and start your inspection, jotting down the things that
need to be corrected.
THE KITCHEN: Open each cabinet and check to
see if you have any detergents, cleaning materials, or any other
chemicals. Items that you are not using, or haven’t used for a long time,
should be discarded. Place these items aside in one location to be
disposed of later. When finished with the upper cabinets, start on the
lower cabinets and repeat the same procedure. Ant items to be disposed of
are to be placed with the other items. When all the items have been
evaluated and you decide what you will keep, place the remaining items in
one cabinet. Generally, it will be the cabinet under the sink. This
cabinet should have a lock so that it can be secured, especially if you
have children or grandchildren that visit you.
THE BATHROOM: Check to see if there are any
moist or rusted areas on the tile, walls, toilet rim or floor. See if
there are areas where mold is forming. Any of these signs can indicate a
water leak within the wall. With any of these signs, you may wish to
consult with a professional plumber or a construction specialist. If there
are no water leaks, you still must remove any mold that has accumulated on
the tile, floor or toilet rim. There are sprays sold that will remove
mold, but here again you will just be adding more chemicals into your
homes’ environment. Instead of using a spray, make your own solution by
adding one cup of white vinegar to a half gallon of water. You will find
that this will work just as well. Using this solution on a monthly basis
will keep your bathroom mold-free and sparkling.
THE MASTER BEDROOM: In the bedroom open your
medicine cabinet. (In some home homes the medicine cabinet may be in the
bathroom). Wherever the cabinet is, you need to inspect all your
medicines, both prescription and over the counter items. Those that are
unlabeled, no longer being used or with outdated expiration dates, should
be thrown out. Check perfumes, bath salts or powders and fragrances that
are no longer being used, or smell rancid, and discard those. When you
decide what you will keep, place the prescription and the over the counter
medications in one location. All the other items can be placed in the
under-sink cabinet as you did in the kitchen, and should be secured to
prevent children from being able to open it. The next step is to
thoroughly clean the bedroom itself.
Start by stripping the bed of all linens, sheets,
pillowcases, mattress covers, blankets, shams, etc. Wash them in hot
water, using an environmentally safe detergent. While the linens are being
washed, vacuum the entire room thoroughly, starting with the bed, under
the bed and turning the mattress. Be sure to vacuum the box spring, top
and bottom as well. Complete the vacuuming by doing the drapes and
carpeting. If not carpeted, vacuum the floor anyway, paying attention to
the corners. Washing the bed linens should be done twice weekly, or at
least on a weekly basis at a minimum. Vacuuming the entire room as above
should be done monthly.
THE CELLAR: A thorough inspection will be for
water leaks, mold accumulation and insect infestation. The heating and
cooling systems must be inspected as well. What is the condition of the
filters? When have they been changed last? Filters need to be changed
monthly. Designate a day to change filters so that you will remember to
change them on that day on a monthly basis.
Next, inspect the whole area for all the things you
have accumulated. Cans of paint, paint thinners, paint strippers and all
other chemicals that have not been used for months, will probably never be
used. Place these in one area to be discarded. These will need to be
disposed of in a proper way at a chemical disposal site. Each city usually
has one, and they may have special dates for pick-up.
THE ATTIC: In the attic first check to see if
there are areas of exposed fiberglass insulation. These areas should be
covered with wallboard to keep them from being exposed to the air. An
attic fan will pick up fiberglass particles and distribute them throughout
the home. Be sure to clean and vacuum the attic fan as well. The attic is
notoriously used as a storage area for items that have been accumulated
over the years. These items just gather dust that eventually ends up in
the home. Throw away or dispose of those items you will no longer need or
want. Dust and vacuum those items you are keeping and throw a sheet or
plastic cover over them. Vacuum the entire floor, ceiling, paying
particular attention to the corners.
Now that you have gone through the house with a fine
toothcomb, so to speak, it will be up to you to do preventative
maintenance on a regular basis. Performing this maintenance will not take
as long, because the initial cleaning out of the not needed items was
already done. In all of the above we haven’t addressed the issue of pets.
As a pet lover, I am not advocating you get rid of your pets. You will
however need to be more aggressive in vacuuming the areas they use on a
more frequent basis. Dogs need to be bathed often and cats should be
brushed regularly and even bathed from time to time. This will keep animal
dander at a minimum.
Maintaining environmentally clean air in your home
is a daunting task. There are units that will help filter the air. It is
not always feasible to install a central air filter because the cost can
be prohibitive. However, do think of using individual units for the rooms
that are most often lived in. The single most important room to place and
air filtering unit is the bedroom. Using a good air-filtering unit in your
bedroom will allow for a better night’s sleep.
Getting an air filtering unit that will do the job
properly is the most important investment you can make to protect yourself
and your family. I have researched many units and the best I have found by
far, is the BLUEAIR.
You can get more information on air pollution and
what to do to combat it by going to these websites:
www.epa.gov
www.lungusa.org |
