AC-Appliance Pros
Indoor Air Quality
Information
Brown haze over the Dallas skyline may look nasty, but breathing
the family-room air presents more of a health threat.
Indoor air typically is five times more polluted than outdoor
air and sometimes 100 times dirtier, according to the U.S. Environmental
Protection agency. Because most Americans spend about 90 percent
of their time inside, polluted indoor air generally merits greater
concern than urban smog, the EPA says.
Ignoring the problem can be a deadly mistake, according to
the American Lung Association, Consumer Product Safety Commission
and EPA. For Example:
- Exposure to dust mites, animal dander, cat saliva and mold
cause about 200,00 emergency-room visits a year for asthma patients.
Asthma claims more than 4,000 lives per year in the United States.
- More than 200 Americans succumb to carbon monoxide poisoning
from combustion appliances each year.
- And radon, found in every state, leads to about 15,000 lung
cancer deaths each year.
Indoor air quality can be improved - many methods are inexpensive
and easy.
Problems started with the energy crisis of the 1970s, says
Dr. Paul Kubic, a pediatric lung specialist involved with the
American Lung Association's air-quality programs. To reduce energy
use and save money, thermally efficient buildings were born.
"It's like living in a ZipLoc Baggie," says Dr. Kubic,
who practices in St. Paul, Minn.
How do you know you have a problem? - Dr. Kubic says
the home's air probably is to blame if someone has respiratory
problems (congestion, cough, wheezing) "that persist two
to four months intermittently or consistently. Be especially
suspicious if there's a family history of allergy, asthma or
sinus trouble." Polluted indoor air also can cause irritated
mucous membranes, sneezing, a runny nose, fatigue, headache,
coma and death.
What to do? Experts say source control is by far the
best tactic for improving air quality. Ventilation and air-cleaning
devices are second and third on the list of strategies.
Professor Bill Angell, Indoor Air Quality Project director
for the University of Minnesota, says a phased approach usually
is best. "Take small steps and see when the problems stop."
The goal is to improve air quality so that it poses no risk
to a home's inhabitants or to the environment, says David Bary,
a spokesman for the EPA office in Dallas.
Source: The Dallas Morning News
If you don't know which firm to call, ask if the contractor
is a member of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA).
consumers can call (972)247-5383 or 1-800-260-8041 to confirm
the contractor is a member or to locate a contractor who subscribes
to the organization's code or ethics.
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