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Why is Indoor Air Quality important? | |
The Problem
Most of our time is spent indoors where there are many types
of air pollution: consumer products, appliances, building materials,
cigarette smoke, and furniture can all contribute to the problem.
The Environmental Protection Agency ranked indoor air pollution fourth
in cancer risk among 13 top environmental problems analyzed. Indoor
radon gas was at the top of this list. A lot relates to the problem of
indoor air quality problems. First of all, we spend most of our time
indoors. Because many pollutants are found indoors we all inhale them
everyday. Secondly, indoor air pollution is often higher than those
outdoors. The EPA has said indoor levels of pollutants, such as
formaldehyde, chloroform, and styrene, range from 2 to 5 times higher
than outdoor levels. Exposure to pollutants such as cigarette smoke is
usually indoors.
Indoor air pollution consists of toxic gases or particles that can harm
your health. These pollutants can build up rapidly indoors to levels
much higher than those usually found outdoors. This is especially true
if large amounts of a pollutant are released indoors. Additionally, the
better construction in newer homes can prevent pollutants from escaping
to the outdoors.
Facts
- According to the EPA, the air inside your home may be 10 times more polluted than the air
outside.
- More than half -- 55% -- of the US population is breathing unhealthy amounts of air pollution according to the American Lung Association’s State of the Air, 2004.
- According to the American Lung Association, 20.3 million Americans are currently battling asthma.
- Today, some 50 million Americans suffer from at least one allergic condition according to American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology. These allergies are responsible for $15 billion in medical costs and an estimated 10 million lost school days and 3.5 million lost workdays each year.
- Asthma cases have increased by more than
100% since 1976.
- About 1 in 9 children now
have asthma.
- Death rates due to asthma have tripled, and
quintupled in children ages 5 to 9, since 1976.
- Hospitalization rates and doctor visits are
still continuing to increase dramatically.
- According to the American
College of Allergies, 50% of all illness is aggravated or
caused by polluted indoor air.
- Today's homes and buildings are built
air-tight,
and contain a long list of pollution sources (see list). As a
result, natural air-cleansing agents such as ozone and negative ions
are kept out, while contaminants are kept in. A recent study found that the
allergen level in
super-insulated homes is 200% higher than it is in ordinary homes.
- According to Scientific America, a baby crawling on the
floor inhales the equivalent of 4 cigarettes a day, as a result of the
outgassing of carpets, molds, mildews, fungi, dust mites, etc.
- The EPA informs us that
6 out of 10 homes and buildings
are "sick", meaning they are hazardous to your health to occupy as a result of airborne pollutants.
- High levels of microscopic, soot-like particles are increasing the risk of premature death for millions of people, including those with heart or lung disease, according to the American Lung Association State of the Air: 2004.
-
Sick Building Syndrome, a worldwide phenomenon, results when chemical substances used in office construction are steadily released into the atmosphere from electronic equipment, carpeting, furniture and fittings.
- Virus, fungus, bacteria and hundreds of other germs are carried in the air at all times. If inhaled into the lungs, germs can cause cold, flu, pneumonia and other respiratory infections. When these germs lodge in your lungs, your breathing can be disrupted and you can become ill. American Lung Association
- Indoor air pollutants can cause asthma attacks, as well as itchy eyes, sneezing and runny nose. Radon and tobacco smoke can cause even more dangerous health effects, including lung cancer, according the American Lung Association
- Strong new evidence suggests that air pollution emitted by power plants and vehicles across the U.S. raises the risk of lung disease, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Our Web site endeavors to provide you, our customer, with the knowledge necessary to understand the complicated issues of indoor air pollution and its remedies. Much of the dangers found in our homes and places of work often can't be seen and may have no detectable odor, unfortunately these silent invaders are responsible for all types of allergies and disease, which for many results in a poor quality of life and sometimes even death. Few of us realize that items such as laundry and dishwasher detergent, polishes, paints, wood based building material, carpets, cosmetics, etc., generate measurable air pollutants.
 Listed below are the categories that pollutants fall into:
1. Particulates: dust, smoke, etc.
2. Bioaerosols: micro-organisms such as viruses, bacteria, mold, etc..
3. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): chemical or odor causing gases etc.
Click on the above pages for more detail and definitions.
Of the three categories of contaminants mentioned above, the Center for Disease Control has reported that bio-aerosols and volatile organic compounds combine for over 65% of our indoor air pollution and are the main contributors or causes of allergies, asthma, respiratory problems and general poor health. See How Second Wind Air Purifiers Can Help!
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Is air pollution being produced and distributed in your home?
Unfortunately, often the answer is yes.
Just as uncontrolled industrial processes can foul the air outside, many of industrial products, wonderful as they are, can contribute to air pollution in our homes. The process of cooking, as well as heating and cooling our homes, can also add to indoor pollution.
And this pollution can be trapped indoors. In past years, our need to save energy encouraged us to conserve it where we could. So we made our houses airtight, adding storm windows and insulation. We applied weather stripping and caulking to seal cracks, and have increasingly turned to kerosene, wood and coal to help heat our homes. However, we have often ignored the effects of these measures on indoor air quality. As a result, researchers have found air pollution can be much greater inside the home than outside.
On average we spend about 90 percent of our time indoors - out of that 90 percent, 65 percent is spent at home.
The people who are especially susceptible are the very ones who spend the most time at home. Children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with lung disease -- these become the major victims of indoor air pollution.
What's worse, like so much air pollution, many of the contaminating substances give no warning and produce vague and sometimes similar symptoms that are hard to pin down to a specific cause or produce symptoms years later, when it's even harder to discover the cause.
Based on research already done on industrial and outdoor air pollution, and more recent research on a variety of indoor pollutants, we can identify many harmful substances.
We know the effects they can have and many of their sources. In many circumstances, we can take responsibility for the quality of air in our own homes.
What
Causes Indoor Air Problems?
Indoor pollution sources
that release gases or particles into the air are the primary cause of indoor
air quality problems in homes. Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor
pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions
from indoor sources and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the home.
High temperature and humidity levels can also increase concentrations of some
pollutants.
CAUSES
OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
There
are many items in a home or office that can be sources of
indoor air pollution. These include:
- Building
materials and furnishings:
New or damp carpeting.
Cabinets or furniture made of pressed-wood products.
Deteriorated asbestos-containing insulation.
- Combustion
sources:
Oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, tobacco products.
- Combustion
appliances (vented or unvented):
Gas ranges and ovens, gas water heaters, furnaces, gas
clothes dryers, wood or coal-burning stoves, fireplaces,
and space heaters.
- Products
for cleaning and building maintenance:
Air fresheners, glues and adhesives, paints and coating
materials.
- Products
for personal care or hobbies:
Hair spray, woodburning, soldering, welding.
- Central
heating and cooling systems:
Air ducts and shafts contaminated with mold and fungi.
- Outdoor
sources:
Radon, pesticides, outdoor air pollution (factories, etc.)
and combustion engines such as in lawn mowers or vehicles.
Water
vapor can affect air pollution as well. It results in wet
surfaces and/or high humidity. This, in turn, promotes the
growth of biological toxins such as mold, bacteria, and
dust mites.
The
amount of pollution a particular source gives off can vary
widely, depending upon how old that source is and/or how
well it has been maintained. For example, new carpeting
can emit high levels of toxic gases while older carpeting
has relatively few. A gas stove can give off much more carbon
monoxide if it has not been properly adjusted compared to
one that has been properly maintained.
Some
sources of indoor air pollution release their toxins fairly
continuously…these include things like building materials,
central heating and cooling systems, air fresheners, etc.
Other sources release pollutants erratically-these sources
are typically related to activities in the building such
as smoking, cooking, the use of solvents in hobbies, redecorating,
or cleaning activities; and the use of pesticides and cleaning
products. High levels of these toxins can remain in the
air long after the source activity has ceased.
BIOLOGICAL
CONTAMINANTS
Bacteria,
viruses, mold, mildew, animal dander, cat saliva, dust mites,
cockroaches and pollen are listed among the types of biological
contaminants often present in homes or offices.
Sources of these pollutants are quite diverse:
- Viruses are transmitted by people and animals
- Pollens come from plants
- Pets have saliva and dander
- Bacteria are spread by people, animals, and soil/plant material
- Protein from urine in mice and rats is a potent allergen
and can become airborne when dry
When
biological contaminants enter the central/forced air heating
and cooling systems, these systems become their breeding
grounds. Mold, mildew, and other pollutants are then distributed
throughout the home or office.
If
standing water, water-damaged materials, or wet surfaces
are present, they also become breeding grounds for mold,
mildew, bacteria, and insects. House dust mites are a strong
biological allergen for many people and these breed in damp,
warm environments.
Health
Effects of Biological Pollutants
All of us are exposed
to biological pollutants. However, the effects on our health depend upon
the type and amount of biological pollution and the individual person.
Some people do not experience health reactions from certain biological
pollutants, while others may experience one or more of the following reactions:
- Allergic
- Infectious
- Toxic
Except for the spread
of infections indoors, ALLERGIC REACTIONS may be the most common health problem
with indoor air quality in homes. They are often connected with animal dander
(mostly from cats and dogs), with house dust mites (microscopic animals living
in household dust), and with pollen. Allergic reactions can range from mildly
uncomfortable to life-threatening, as in a severe asthma attack. Some common
signs and symptoms are: - Watery eyes
- Runny nose and sneezing
- Nasal congestion
- Itching
- Coughing
- Wheezing and difficulty
breathing
- Headache
- Fatigue
Health
experts are especially concerned about people with asthma. These people have
very sensitive airways that can react to various irritants, making breathing
difficult. The number of people who have asthma has greatly increased in recent
years. The number of people with asthma has gone up by 59 percent since 1970,
to a total of 9.6 million people. Asthma in children under 15 years of age
has increased 41 percent in the same period, to a total of 2.6 million children.
The number of deaths from asthma is up by 68 percent since 1979, to a total
of almost 4,400 deaths per year.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES caused
by bacteria and viruses, such as flu, measles, chicken pox, and tuberculosis,
may be spread indoors. Most infectious diseases pass from person to person
through physical contact. Crowded conditions with poor air circulation can
promote this spread. Some bacteria and viruses thrive in buildings and circulate
through indoor ventilation systems. For example, the bacterium causing Legionnaire's
disease, a serious and sometimes lethal infection, and Pontiac Fever, a flu-like
illness, have circulated in some large buildings.
Indoor
Air and Your Health
Health effects from indoor
air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years
later. Immediate effects may show up after a single exposure or repeated exposures.
These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness,
and fatigue. Such immediate effects are usually short-term and treatable.
Sometimes the treatment is simply eliminating the person's exposure to the
source of the pollution, if it can be identified. Symptoms of some diseases,
including asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and humidifier fever, may
also show up soon after exposure to some indoor air pollutants.
The likelihood of immediate
reactions to indoor air pollutants depends on several factors. Age and preexisting
medical conditions are two important influences. In other cases, whether a
person reacts to a pollutant depends on individual sensitivity, which varies
tremendously from person to person. Some people can become sensitized to biological
pollutants after repeated exposures, and it appears that some people can become
sensitized to chemical pollutants as well.
Certain immediate effects
are similar to those from colds or other viral diseases, so it is often difficult
to determine if the symptoms are a result of exposure to indoor air pollution.
For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the time and place the
symptoms occur. If the symptoms fade or go away when a person is away from
the home and return when the person returns, an effort should be made to identify
indoor air sources that may be possible causes. Some effects may be made worse
by an inadequate supply of outdoor air or from the heating, cooling, or humidity
conditions prevalent in the home.
Other health effects may
show up either years after exposure has occurred or only after long or repeated
periods of exposure. These effects, which include some respiratory diseases,
heart disease, and cancer, can be severely debilitating or fatal. It is prudent
to try to improve the indoor air quality in your home even if symptoms are
not noticeable.
The term "sick building syndrome" (SBS) is used to describe situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified. The complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone, or may be widespread throughout the building. In contrast, the term "building related illness"
(BRI) is used when symptoms of diagnosable illness are identified and can be attributed directly to airborne building contaminants.
A 1984 World Health Organization Committee report suggested that up to 30 percent of new and remodeled buildings worldwide may be the subject of excessive complaints related to indoor air quality (IAQ). Often this condition is temporary, but some buildings have long-term problems. Frequently, problems result when a building is operated or maintained in a manner that is inconsistent with its original design or prescribed operating procedures. Sometimes
indoor air problems are a result of poor building design or occupant activities.
Indicators of SBS include:
- Building occupants complain of symptoms associated with acute discomfort, e.g., headache; eye, nose, or throat irritation; dry cough; dry or itchy skin; dizziness and nausea; difficulty in concentrating; fatigue; and sensitivity to odors.
- The cause of the symptoms is not known.
- Most of the complainants report relief soon after leaving the building.
Indicators of BRI include:
- Building occupants complain of symptoms such as cough; chest tightness; fever, chills; and muscle aches
- The symptoms can be clinically defined and have clearly identifiable causes.
- Complainants may require prolonged recovery times after leaving the building.
According
to the EPA, there are three basic ways in which the quality
of the air we breathe while indoors can be improved: controlling
or removing the source, improving the ventilation, &
cleaning and purifying the air.
1.
Source Control
An
effective way to improve indoor air quality is to eliminate
individual sources of pollution or to reduce their emissions.
Some sources, like those that contain asbestos, can be sealed
or enclosed. Other sources, like gas stoves, can be properly
maintained and adjusted to decrease the amount of emissions.
Source control is often a more cost-effective approach than
improving ventilation because increased ventilation increases
energy costs. It is difficult to control the source of indoor
air pollution, however, when the issue is biological contaminants.
That's where UV comes in.
2.
Ventilation Improvements
Increasing
the amount of outdoor air that comes indoors can decrease
the concentrations of indoor air pollutants. Most home heating
and cooling systems, including forced air heating systems,
do not mechanically bring fresh air into the home. In the
absence of such a system, a homeowner’s recourse is
to open windows or doors, using window or attic fans, or
running a window air conditioning unit with the vent open-weather
permitting for all options. Localized fans such as kitchen
and bathroom exhaust fans can help by removing air pollution
directly from the room where the fan is located.
Office
buildings can pose special challenges. In the past, most
buildings had windows that opened and airing out a stuffy
room was commonplace. Differences between indoor and outdoor
air pressure also helped ventilation by the movement of
air through leaks in the building.
Today,
most newer office buildings have no operable windows, buildings
are sealed tightly, and mechanical systems are the only
way to exchange indoor air for the relatively cleaner outdoor
air. Ventilation rates, or the rate at which outdoor air
is supplied to a particular building, is specified by the
building code. If these mechanical ventilation systems are
poorly designed, operated, or maintained, the systems themselves
can add to indoor air pollution levels. Sometimes in an
effort to save energy costs, ventilation systems do not
bring in proper amounts of fresh outdoor air. Air supply
and return vents in particular rooms can be blocked or poorly
placed so that the fresher outdoor air does not reach the
people in the building.
The
ventilation systems themselves can be a source of pollution
by spreading biological contaminants that have been breeding
in cooling towers, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, air conditioners,
or the ductwork. Lastly, outdoor air intake vents may be
placed in areas that bring in air that has been contaminated
with vehicle exhaust, dumpster fumes, boiler emissions,
or air vented from restrooms. In the event of biological
warfare, these intake vents may be in areas accessible to
the public and thus, susceptible to pathogens being placed
in the intake vents. High output UV systems can destroy
many of these bio-terrorism agents like Anthrax or Small
Pox.
How
the building is used can also contribute to indoor air pollution
if it is not properly ventilated. Buildings that house multiple
uses or businesses such as restaurants, print shops, dry
cleaning stores, etc. have various emissions that may be
circulated back into offices in the same building if proper
precautions aren’t taken.
3.
Air Cleaners
Many
types and sizes of air cleaners are available on the market,
from relatively inexpensive table-top models to expensive
and sophisticated whole house systems. Some air cleaning
systems are quite effective at particle removal, while others
(particularly table-top & tower models) are much less
effective. Air cleaners are generally not designed to eliminate
gaseous particles or living organisms.
Many
companies tout “ozone generators” as the best
thing for indoor air pollution.
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