Indoor air quality can be big problem

[Guest guest]

Indoor air quality can be big problem

Radon, carbon monoxide and mold are all health risks.

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle - Rochester,NY*

McLendon

Staff writer

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

AID=/20080216/LIVING/802160303/1032

(February 16, 2008) — Poor indoor air quality is a quiet but deadly

health risk, and public health experts advise homeowners and

prospective home buyers to take the initiative and test for radon,

carbon monoxide and mold in homes.

Each pollutant affects indoor air quality differently.

" Radon is a naturally occurring gas, " said Corrigan, who

inspects the air quality of homes and businesses for the Monroe

County Department of Health. " Asbestos is installed. Mold issues are

related to water and moisture, and carbon monoxide is a gas where

appliances are a problem. They all affect indoor air quality. "

Corrigan stresses that indoor air quality is a health issue.

It also can impact home sales and an area's real estate market, but

that impact varies from place to place.

Rochester's cold, dry climate makes indoor air quality less of an

issue than it would be in warmer, wetter areas.

" In other areas of the country, heat and humidity in homes is more

of a problem, " said Nunzio Salafia of ReMax Plus in Brighton.

However, radon, mold, carbon monoxide and asbestos issues crop up

regularly here as well, Corrigan said. He and Salafia each said they

steer clear of offering air-quality related advice in relation to

real estate deals.

" I discuss the health issues and what it means to homeowners.

Everything else is a bargaining thing between the buyer and the

seller, " said Corrigan.

Conducting indoor air quality tests " is not a requirement for the

seller or the buyer, " said Salafia. " However, most buyers are

choosing to do engineering inspections. "

Whether buying, selling or just living in a house, experts say

checking a home's indoor air quality is a good idea.

Radon

Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas you can't see, smell or

taste. It is released by uranium, a substance found in soil and

rock. Radon gets into homes through cracks in solid floors,

construction joints, cracks in walls, gaps in suspended floors and

around service pipes, cavities inside walls and the water supply.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, nearly 1 of every

15 homes in the United States is estimated to have elevated radon

levels.

Breathing in too much radon can damage lung cells and lead to lung

cancer. Radon causes about 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year. The

EPA recommends radon levels be lowered to four picocuries per liter

of air or lower.

Salafia said in his 23 years as a broker, it's unusual for sellers

to voluntarily test or turn over professional radon test results to

buyers.

" Sellers as a rule do want to have inspections before homes are on

the market, " said Salafia, because there's a liability issue if a

buyer relies on information supplied by the seller.

" It's best to get a neutral inspector that is paid for by the buyer.

That's how you get the best results without anything being hidden. "

Professional home inspections should include radon testing. However,

homeowners can take preliminary radon precautions themselves.

Sealing cracks in floors and walls openings around pipes are first

steps homeowners can take to lower radon levels, said

Mazurowski, director of environmental health for the Livingston

County Health Department.

He also suggests radon testing both before and after repairs are

made to monitor radon levels.

Carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that interrupts the

processing of oxygen in humans and, at high levels, can kill. The

gas is usually found in faulty combustion devices such as stoves,

furnaces, kerosene heaters and generators.

" It always comes from some sort of combustion, " Mazurowski

said. " The source is typically a heating system or using something

to heat or cook. It occurs in confined areas when not all the fuel

burns. You need ventilation; you need to get that combustion

outside. " He said that ice storms and power outages increase the

potential for carbon monoxide poisoning because homeowners often

place generators too close to homes, and exhaust is drawn inside

homes.

Salafia called carbon monoxide problems such as a cracked heat

exchanger a very rare problem when selling a home.

Asbestos

Asbestos is a building insulation material found mostly in older

homes and buildings. " You worry most when asbestos is friable (loose

or particulate) and can be crunched in your hand. That's the worst

case. Asbestos has potential for lung cancer deaths. ... The

exposure can take quite a while, " Mazurowski said.

Unlike other indoor air quality issues, homeowners are advised not

to try to remove asbestos themselves. " You need a professional to

remove the stuff while using breathing protection. Professionals

seal off areas and typically create a negative pressure zone — pump

air in one direction into a filter, " Mazurowski said.

Mold

Mold is fungus, and fungi and spores are present everywhere.

" What causes them to be a problem is moisture and something the mold

can grow on, " Mazurowski said. " The best way to control mold in a

home is to control moisture. "

Any roof leak, leaky plumbing or a wet basement can support mold

growth.

" Roof leaks are probably the biggest problem we see. Water saturates

ceiling tiles and wall board, and you see it growing inside of

walls, " Mazurowski said.

Unlike other indoor air quality pollutants, mold is visible and you

can smell it.

Mazurowski suggests preventing water entry and fixing plumbing leaks

right away.

He also suggests using a dehumidifier for decreasing moisture in

living areas — not for mold growing inside of walls.

That kind of mold problem requires mold testing from professionals.

The Monroe County Health Department will inspect for mold damage at

a resident's request.

In Livingston County, the health department will inspect for mold if

the request comes from a physician on behalf of a resident.

In a nutshell, said Mazurowski, monitoring air quality in homes for

homeowners and potential buyers and sellers means controlling

moisture, making sure any combustion devices and fuels are located

outside and working properly, and furnaces are well maintained and

inspected.

" You definitely want to check for carbon monoxide. For radon, seal

up cracks and crevices in the basement and test for it, " he said.

Professional air quality inspection is the best way for buyers to

protect themselves and their potential purchase, Salafia said.

" Too often the air quality is something that cannot be detected as

we walk though the house. "

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