| Did
you know that the air inside your house is probably more polluted
than the air outside? Though we think of our houses as places
of safety and refuge, they may be falling short of this expectation.
Gasses, chemicals, and toxins given off by
building materials, cleaning products, molds, and other pollutants
may put our health in jeopardy or--at best--make our homes
less comfortable. Some of the primary offenders include asbestos,
lead, radon, airborne dust and chemicals, and water pollutants.
With today's high-tech windows, weatherstripping,
insulation, and other energy barriers, our houses don't "breathe"
as well as older, drafty homes do. As a result, a residual
buildup of indoor air pollutants can occur.
Ventilation can solve many of the air pollutant
issues, but it's tricky to ventilate rooms without wasting
expensively heated or cooled air. Heat-recovery ventilators
can ventilate a house without wasting energy, but they work
only in certain situations and are an expensive solution when
the problems are minor.
Concentrated radon, a radioactive gas that
is emitted by bedrock in many regions, is a serious health
concern. If testing has revealed that your home's radon levels
exceed the EPA's recommended maximum levels, consider mitigation.
Typically, this means blocking the rise of
radon gas into your living spaces, diluting levels of the
gas, and expelling the gas outdoors. You can begin by increasing
ventilation, and you may even want to consider a Heat Recovery
Ventilator (discussed above), but this is not a reliable long-term
method of radon mitigation.
Asbestos fibers, when airborne, can create
a serious health risk. Although building materials containing
asbestos were phased out in 1986, many homes built before
that date have heating ductwork, pipe wraps, artificial fireplace
logs, siding, resilient flooring, and sprayed acoustical ceiling
materials that include asbestos.
In many cases, asbestos can be left alone
or covered over if the material isn't flaking or crumbling.
But some types--notably ductwork--hould be removed because
air blowing through ducts can loosen and carry fibers.
Of course, there are many other types of airborne
pollutants, from cigarette smoke to pet dander to molds. To
deal with these, you can get either a whole-house or room-size
air cleaner.
Lead poisoning is a serious hazard for everyone;
children and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to its
effects. Though lead was outlawed as an ingredient in paint
in 1978, lead is found in older paint, plumbing and solder
used to join pipes, water, and some other home products.
Before sanding, scraping, or stripping old
paint, test it for lead. (You can buy a simple test kit at
home improvement centers.)
Lead and other pollutants can be removed from
water by using appropriate water treatment devices. As with
air cleaners, several different types are made; the right
one to choose will depend upon what you want to remove from
the water.
Air
Purifiers | Basic
Types Of Air Purifiers | Your
Whole House Air Purifier |
A
Quick Guide to Air Purifiers |
Quiet
Air Purifier
| Hidden
Dangers: Reduce Toxins in Your Home
|
How
an Air Cleaner Works
| How
Effective Are Home Air Cleaners and Air Purifiers?
|
About
Air Purifiers And Dusting Your Home
| Air
Purifier Ratings |
Using
Car Air Purifiers To Prevent Allergy Symptoms |
