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One way to help keep the air cleaner in your home is to vacuum regularly, picking up pollen and dust that can add to the problem.
The world worries about air pollution, with most of the concern focused on outdoor smog and emissions.
What many people don't know or think about is indoor air pollution, which the World Health Organization says kills 1.6 million people around the globe yearly, or one every 20 seconds.
Those statistics are skewed by foreign nations with little or no air quality laws, where open fires are often used indoors for cooking, WHO said.
Most Americans cook indoors with gas or electricity, but the threat of unhealthy air in homes here remains, according to WHO, the American Lung Association and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
That's because home air pollution can cause cancer and respiratory and heart diseases, according to the EPA, which lists radon gas in homes as the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States
The good news is that you can do something about home air pollution and it probably won't cost you a lot of money according to the aforementioned home air pollution experts.
That's what Rusty Vaughn of Air Quality Consultants in Grass Valley also tells people.
Vaughn isn't worried that cheap home air quality solutions will put him out of business. He does the bulk of his work checking the air quality of homes for sale and verifying that they have been dealt with if needed.
The first thing is to "maintain your heating and air conditioning system and switch the filters," Vaughn said, according to the manufacturer's recommendations. That's usually about once every three months and perhaps more often if you live on a dusty road.
Radon gas is an in-home pollutant that people should take more seriously, Vaughn said.
"The EPA says everyone should have their home tested," Vaughn said. "You can get one at the hardware store." The in-home radon detection kits work well he said.
That is fortunate for most homeowners, because radon can cause lung cancer over a long period, particularly in smokers, according to the National Ag Safety Database and the University of Clemson extension service in South Carolina. The gas which can come from the ground or well water can also cause eye, nose and throat irritation and bronchitis, the database said.
What many people don't know or think about is indoor air pollution, which the World Health Organization says kills 1.6 million people around the globe yearly, or one every 20 seconds.
Those statistics are skewed by foreign nations with little or no air quality laws, where open fires are often used indoors for cooking, WHO said.
Most Americans cook indoors with gas or electricity, but the threat of unhealthy air in homes here remains, according to WHO, the American Lung Association and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
That's because home air pollution can cause cancer and respiratory and heart diseases, according to the EPA, which lists radon gas in homes as the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States
The good news is that you can do something about home air pollution and it probably won't cost you a lot of money according to the aforementioned home air pollution experts.
That's what Rusty Vaughn of Air Quality Consultants in Grass Valley also tells people.
Vaughn isn't worried that cheap home air quality solutions will put him out of business. He does the bulk of his work checking the air quality of homes for sale and verifying that they have been dealt with if needed.
The first thing is to "maintain your heating and air conditioning system and switch the filters," Vaughn said, according to the manufacturer's recommendations. That's usually about once every three months and perhaps more often if you live on a dusty road.
Radon gas is an in-home pollutant that people should take more seriously, Vaughn said.
"The EPA says everyone should have their home tested," Vaughn said. "You can get one at the hardware store." The in-home radon detection kits work well he said.
That is fortunate for most homeowners, because radon can cause lung cancer over a long period, particularly in smokers, according to the National Ag Safety Database and the University of Clemson extension service in South Carolina. The gas which can come from the ground or well water can also cause eye, nose and throat irritation and bronchitis, the database said.
Go to the source
House pollution experts tell homeowners to go to the source initially for pollutant removal. Eliminating the source could stop damage to your home and your family's health, the EPA said.
In the case of mold, Vaughn is not as enthusiastic about the home testing kits. If mold conditions get in behind a wall, it has to be removed anyway to avoid health problems like asthma or allergies.
How to prevent and deal with mold are the most common questions Gloria Barrett receives at the UC Cooperative Extension in Sacramento County.
You can clean mold up continuously unless moisture sources are removed or controlled. Look for them from cooking, spills, wet clothes dried indoors and the steam from showers, according to Barrett.
Dealing with mold and many other home pollutants is the subject of a free book consumers can get from the UC Extension entitled "Help Yourself to a Healthy Home." (See the accompanying information box for the contact information.)
To prevent mold, "People need to think about leaks, floods and condensation," Vaughn said. "Make sure the roof is patched, and that water is flowing away from the home."
Ventilation can stop mold from forming and rid the house of other pollutants if you are willing to open the windows and doors, according to the EPA. Fans, exhaust fans with emissions routed outdoors and air conditioners with exhaust vents can move polluted air out of a house.
Carbon monoxide is another indoor pollutant that can harm and even kill people. It can be caused by vehicle exhaust leaking into a home or by dirty or unvented heaters, according to the ag safety database.
Once again, an inexpensive solution is available in the form of carbon monoxide detectors, Vaughn said.
"You can buy one for about $40 and put it in the room where the combustion is," Vaughn said, like where the furnace is located, or near the kitchen.
Lead paint
Lead paint is one possible pollutant that can't be removed cheaply, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
"Lead-based should be removed only by professionals trained in hazardous material removal," the commission said.
That's because removal of lead paint can release it into the air, where people can breathe it, and possibly get high blood pressure, muscle or nerve damage. Children who get lead poisoning from breathing or eating the paint can become mentally or physically challenged, according to the commission.
Fortunately, few homes built after 1960 contain lead paint. However, lead-based paint was used in about 2/3s of new homes built before 1940 and in about 1/2 of them built from 1940 to 1960, the commission said.
If you don't know if there is lead paint in your old, rustic home, you can have it checked by professionals, the commission said.
Common sense
Common sense comes into play when dealing with cleaners, pesticides and tobacco smoke, according to the experts.
Cleaners and pesticides should be kept where children can't get to them, according to Barrett at the university extension in Sacramento County.
Cleaners and their fumes that can be harmful according to the ag database and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Overexposure and individual sensitivity can lead to a number of problems, including headaches, drowsiness, lung and brain maladies.
The same is true for pesticides and if you use them or a cleaners, experts say to do so in a well-ventilated area or outside.
Second-hand tobacco smoke has long been known to cause cancer, heart and lung problems, Barrett said. The American Lung Association you turn your home and car into smoke-free zones.
Simple mopping, dusting and cleaning of a home can reduce pollen and dust which adds to air pollution, along with changing filters and vacuuming, according to the disease control center.
ooo
To contact Senior Staff Writer Dave Moller, e-mail davem@theunion.com or call 477-4237.
Indoor air information
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: www.hud.gov/ healthyhomes
• American Lung Association: www.healthhouse.org/consumer/
tipsheets.cfm
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
For a free copy of HUD and the UC Extension Service's booklet "Help Yourself to a Healthy Home," contact Gloria Barrett at 916-875-6913 or jgarrett@ucdavis.edu
- Dave Moller
Second-hand tobacco smoke has long been known to cause cancer, heart and lung problems, Barrett said. The American Lung Association you turn your home and car into smoke-free zones.
Simple mopping, dusting and cleaning of a home can reduce pollen and dust which adds to air pollution, along with changing filters and vacuuming, according to the disease control center.
ooo
To contact Senior Staff Writer Dave Moller, e-mail davem@theunion.com or call 477-4237.
Indoor air information
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: www.hud.gov/ healthyhomes
• American Lung Association: www.healthhouse.org/consumer/
tipsheets.cfm
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
For a free copy of HUD and the UC Extension Service's booklet "Help Yourself to a Healthy Home," contact Gloria Barrett at 916-875-6913 or jgarrett@ucdavis.edu
- Dave Moller
