AC-Appliance Pros
Indoor Air Quality
Introduction
Where There's Fire, There's
Pollution
Which combustion source poses the biggest health menace:
A. wood-burning fireplace
B. natural-gas appliances
C. second-hand tobacco smoke?
C. is correct, says Professor Bill Angell, Indoor Air Quality
Project director for the University of Minnesota. Joyce Stanton,
and indoor air-quality specialist in the Dallas office of the
Environmental Protection Agency, explains why. "Secondhand
tobacco smoke is the most common source of combustion pollutants.
The more you're exposed, the higher your risk."
"Smoking releases 4,000 compounds, and dozens are known
or suspected carcinogens. And a very heavy smoker in an enclosed
area may actually show signs of carbon monoxide poisoning."
Dr. Paul Kubic, a pediatric lung specialist involved with
the American Lung Association's air quality programs, adds: "I
can't say enough against it." An asthmatic child is three
times more likely to be rehospitalized "if he or she returns
home where there's smoking indoors."
Mr. Angell is emphatic about the solution: Don't smoke, "especially
if there are children or individuals with cardiac or respiratory
problems, including asthma. In healthy children, you're still
increasing their risk of lung cancer and potential respiratory
problems."
Nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide
Natural gas-burning appliances also produce toxic combustion
pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. Both
are colorless and odorless.
Nitrogen dioxide causes eye, nose and throat irritation; impaired
lung function ; and increased respiratory infections in children.
Carbon monoxide can cause fatigue, chest pain, impaired vision
and coordination, headaches, dizziness, nausea, confusion and
death. It can produce flulike symptons, although they'll clear
up after you leave the house.
If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, the EPA says to
act immediately: Open doors and windows, turn off combustion
appliances and leave the building. See a doctor immediately for
correct diagnosis and treatment.
The steps for reducing exposure to these pollutants are the
same.
Have gas- and kerosene-burning devices serviced once a year,
Mr. Angell says, and run a vented exhaust fan when they're in
use.
Older appliances are more likely to produce carbon monoxide,
warns Barbara Bannon Harwood, a Carrollton builder and author
whose specialty is healthful environments. Natural-gas flames
should be totally blue, without yellow or red, according to Lone
Star Gas Co. Smoke and soot also are signs that a natural-gas
stove is releasing pollutants.
A qualified technician can service an appliance so that it
will be safe.
Always vent
Never use unvented gas appliances; stoves/cook tops, space
heaters (kerosene heaters also should be vented), water heaters,
furnaces, clothes dryers, and faux logs, Mr. Angeli says. "You're
living in a chimney" if you use unvented appliances.
Ms. Stanton adds that even though it's noisy, you must run
a ventilation fan or open nearby windows to exhaust fumes when
cooking with gas.
Another absolute; Never use a hibachi or other charcoal grill
indoors or inside a tent, recreational vehicle or camper. Misuse
of these grills kills an average of 25 Americans a year, according
to the EPA and Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Fireplaces
Mr. Angell says "fireplaces get tricky" when evaluating
them as pollution sources.
"The best fireplace is going to be one that's vented
and airtight with a supply of combustion air from the outside,"
he says. But he concedes that's all but impossible. It should
be your goal, though, so "you're separating the pollutant
source from the occupant."
Mr. Angell warns that a poorly vented fireplace can interact
with a forced-air heating system to distribute carbon monoxide
through-out the house.
Put the brakes on another carbon monoxide hazard: idling a
car in a garage attached to the house.
And although a carbon monoxide detector is a good ides, don't
rely on it completely, Ms. Stanton says. Use it in conjunction
with - not as a replacement for - the preceding common-sense
tips.
Products That Cause Problems
Household products ranging from cabinets to nail polish can
be a big-time health hazard if they release formaldehyde and
other organic gases.
Levels of several organic gases, or volatile organic compounds
(VOCs), average two to five times higher indoors than outdoors,
the Environmental Protection Agency says. And after an activity
such as stripping paint off kitchen cabinets, levels may be 1,000
times higher, the EPA says.
All organic gases can cause eye, nose and throat irritation;
headaches; loss of coordination; nausea; and damage to the liver,
kidneys and central nervous system. Formaldehyde also can lead
to wheezing, coughing, rashes, severe allergic reactions and
cancer.
To reduce dangers, follow the manufacturer's directions for
using a product. Often these products should be used only in
well ventilated areas.
Following are VOC sources and EPA/Consumer Product Safety
Commission tips for reducing exposure. (For more information
about formaldehyde and consumer products, call the EPA Toxic
Substance Control Act assistance line at (202)554-1404.)
Pressed-wood products (paneling,
furniture, cabinetry, etc.): When shopping, ask about
formaldehyde content and release. Products with phenol resin
(used in exterior-grade wood products) emit less formaldehyde.
A coating of polyurethane or laminate over pressed-wood products
can reduce emissions. After installation, open windows and use
ventilation equipment for a couple of days. Warmth and humidity
accelerate emissions; maintain a moderate temperature and humidity
to reduce exposure.
Formaldehyde-based insulation:
In the past, urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) was sprayed
in wall cavities as an energy-saving measure. It hasn't been
in wide use since the 1980s.
If the insulation has been in place for several years, which
usually is the case, it is unlikely to cause problems, experts
say. A qualified home inspector can determine its age, according
to The Home Environmental Source-book.
As with pressed-wood products, ventilation and moderate temperature
and humidity will reduce exposure.
Dry-cleaning fluids: Dry-cleaned
goods should not have a strong chemical odor. If they do, ask
the cleaner to return the items to the dryer to remove fluid
residue or take your business elsewhere. When you bring clothes
home from the cleaners, remove the plastic bag and air clothes
outside for a few days.
Grooming products and aerosols (nail
polish, hair spray, etc.): While using them, open
a window or use and exhaust fan.
Household cleaners: Open
a window when using. Consult a resource such as The Safe Shopper's
Bible for a guide to the safest products, from stain removers
to oven cleaners.
Stored fuels (gasoline, kerosene):
Buy as small a quantity as possible so storage isn't necessary.
Never store fuels in the house because they're a fire hazard.
Even in an attached garage, fumes from stored fuels can leak
into the house.
Hobby and workshop products (paint
and related products; adhesives): Use outdoors if
possible. Indoors, open windows or use an exhaust fan. Reseal
containers well. Buy only as much product as you need so you
won't need to store containers, which leak organic gases. As
with fuels, these should never be stored indoors; if stored in
an attached garage, the fumes can leak indoors.
Some manufacturers are producing low-VOC paints and urethanes.
Read labels and ask store personnel to guide you to low VOC products.
Dispose of VOC-emitting products safely as specified in label
directions. Recycling Roundup, a frequent feature in the House
& Garden section, lists dates and sites for hazardous-waste
collection.
Storage of VOC-emitting products in the garage rather than
in the home is not necessarily adequate protection. "An
attached garage can leak its chemistry into the house,"
says Barbara Bannon Harwood of Carrollton, owner of Enviro Custom
Homes and author of The Healing House. Toxic emissions include
gasoline from vehicles, lawn mowers and other gasoline-powered
machinery as well as products such as paints and strippers.
The solution is to seal off the house from the garage. She
recommends hiring a contractor to spray the dense expanding -foam
product Icynene into stud cavities in the wall shared by the
house and a garage.
New carpet: Look for Carpet
and Rug Institute (1-800-822-8846) labels indicating that carpet,
padding and adhesives meet emission standards.
Especially sensitive individuals may need to take extra precautions.
They can vacate their homes while old carpet is taken out (it
should be vacuumed just before removal to minimize dust and other
pollutants that will be stirred up). Other tips: Stay away from
home 48 to 72 hours after installation of new carpet (during
which time ventilation equipment is running).
EPA advice: Ask the retailer to unroll and air carpet in a
well-ventilated area before installation. Contact the retailer
if odors persist.
Asbestos and Lead Mean
Very Risky Business
Mount Everest, skydiving, and breathing lead and asbestos:
All put life on the line.
Microscopic and potentially deadly asbestos particles come
from deteriorating and damaged insulation (around pipes, for
example), fireproofing products (wood-stove gaskets), acoustical
materials (some ceiling tiles and "popcorn" ceilings),
light-fixture insulation and older floor tiles, according to
The Home Environmental Source book.
Environmental and medical experts say asbestos doesn't cause
any immediate symptoms. But long-term risks include chest and
abdominal cancers as well as lung diseases. Smokers face a higher
risk of asbestos-related lung cancer.
Homeowners should leave asbestos alone - no cutting, tearing
or sanding - if it's undamaged and unlikely to be disturbed.
Only specially trained contractors should do cleanup (some are
listed under the heading Asbestos Abatement & Removal in
the classified phone directory).
For information about Environmental Protection Agency asbestos
programs, call (202)554-1404.
Lead
Like asbestos, lead is bad news. Lead affects practically
all systems of the body, the EPA says.
It can cause convulsions, coma, death, damage to kidneys,
blood cells and the central nervous system. Even at low levels
in the blood, lead can impair children's mental and physical
development, even causing blindness and mental retardation. Lead
is more easily absorbed by growing bodies, including a developing
fetus, although adults can be poisoned, too. Adequate consumption
of iron and calcium reduce the absorption of lead into the body.
Airborne lead dust can be ingested by breathing or inadvertently
swallowed after it settles. Before its devastating effects were
known, lead was used in gasoline, water pipes and paint.
Old lead-based paint is the most significant source of exposure,
the EPA says. Most homes built before 1960 - and some built as
late as 1978 - contain heavily leaded paint.
Avoiding dust
EPA strategies for reducing exposure to airborne lead dust
include:
- Leaving lead-based paint undisturbed if it is in good condition.
Do not sand or burn off suspect paint.
- If a surface with lead-based paint is subject to abrasion
(windows, doors and their framing, for example), remove the paint
or the object it has been applied to. Lead-paint removal is not
a do-it-yourself job; hire a specialist (some are listed under
the heading Lead Paint Detection and Removal in the classified
phone directory).
- Keep areas occupied by children as dust-free as possible,
especially window ledges and crib rails where kids may chew.
Clean with automatic dishwasher detergent, which is high in the
phosphorus needed for lead removal. Ordinary cleaners rarely
are adequate, the EPA says.
- Do not bring lead dust indoors on your shoes or clothes.
Wipe your feet before entering a house. Change clothing and launder
it separately if you suspect it contains lead dust.
So how do you evaluate the likelihood of lead contamination?
Contamination is possible from construction, demolition and
painting, batteries, radiator repair shops, lead factories and
certain hobbies (it's in solder and stained-glass supplies).
People who work in those fields or with those materials may have
microscopic deposits of lead dust on their skin and clothes.
In addition, lead can be picked up from soil close to buildings
whose exterior walls are coated with lead-based paint. And soil
beside roads can be contaminated by years of exposure to exhaust
fumes from leaded gasoline.,
For more information, contact the National Lead Information
Center, 1-800-532-3394.
Radon Alert
Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United
States, and it is found in every state.
Colorless and odorless, radon is a gas emitted from soil or
rock resulting from the radioactive decay of uranium. Radon enters
a house through openings such as foundation cracks.
The National Academy of Sciences estimates that 15,000 Americans
die each year from radon-caused lung cancer. (By comparison,
cigarette smoking causes nearly 140,000 lung cancer deaths a
year, according to the American Lung Association). "Smokers
exposed to radon substantially increase their risk of lung cancer
in comparison to exposed nonsmokers," according to the association's
report Lung Disease Data 1997.
The Environmental Protection Agency recommends that all apartments
below the third floor and every house be tested for radon.
Although the potential for a problem is lower in Texas than
in many other states, "the chances are a lot better of having
a radon problem than winning the lottery," says Joyce Stanton,
and indoor air-quality specialist in the Dallas office of the
EPA. "You can have a problem even if your neighbors on each
side don't."
Some hardware stores sell charcoal-filter radon-detection
kits for about $20 or less. Follow the test kit's instructions
carefully, Ms. Stanton says.
If your test results indicate a problem, call the EPA for
advice on dealing with it. The agency can help you find a qualified
contractor to seal the foundation and possible take other measures
to bring radon below dangerous levels. For EPA assistance, call
the radon hotline at 1-800-767-7236, or contact the regional
EPA office in Dallas at 214-665-6714.
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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1701 North Greenville Ave. Suite 606
Richardson, Texas 75081
972-664-0055
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