Is Home Sweet Home hazardous to your health? 12.18.97

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INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

Is " Home Sweet Home " hazardous to your health? 12.18.97

Originally published in Mayo Clinic Health Letter, November 1993

Updated: December 1997

On the days you see a brown haze hanging over downtown, you probably don't

mind staying inside. But is the air in your home any better?

Maybe not. Indoor air, including the air in your home or apartment, can be

even more polluted than the outdoor air of a big city. Many of today's newer

homes with weather-tight construction and inadequate ventilation actually

have higher levels of unhealthful air than some older, more drafty homes.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates indoor air pollution

among the top environmental health risks. (Others are atmospheric air

pollution, toxic chemicals in the workplace and contaminated drinking

water.)

If you're like most people, you spend as much as 90 percent of your time

indoors. For this reason, health experts suggest you assess the air quality

at work and home. This is even more important if you have young children or

if you're older or chronically ill (particularly if you have cardiovascular

or respiratory disease).

Three of the worst offenders

The most dangerous pollutants of indoor air include:

Tobacco smoke — Cigarette, pipe and cigar smoke causes lung cancer. Even if

you don't smoke but live with someone who does, you have a 30 percent higher

risk of lung cancer than someone who lives in a smoke-free home. There are

many other serious health problems associated with smoking and long-term

exposure to secondhand smoke.

Secondhand smoke - Clearing the air of a cloudy debate

Don't smoke. But if you must, do it outdoors. Room air-filtering devices may

help, but they remove mainly smoke's solid particles, not the gases.

Radon — This naturally occurring gas is the result of radioactive decay of

uranium found in varying amounts in rocks and soil. You can't see, taste or

smell radon.

Yet, radon can seep into your home and other buildings through basement

cracks, sewer openings and joints between walls and floors. Basements

typically have slightly higher radon concentrations compared to upper

floors.

Radon breaks down into other radioactive elements that cling easily to

airborne particles, such as dust and smoke. If breathed in,

radon-contaminated air can harm delicate cells in your lungs.

Prolonged exposure to high levels of radon may lead to lung cancer. Radon is

believed to be the second leading cause of lung cancer, and results in 7,000

to 30,000 deaths (from lung cancer) annually, according to the EPA. Smoking

in a home with a high radon level compounds the risk.

About 7 percent of American homes have significant levels of radon. To

assess your home, buy a radon detector. Hardware stores usually carry the

most common type, a charcoal radon monitor, for about $20.

Follow the instructions that come with your test kit. Typically, you will

leave a small canister in the lowest lived-in part of your home for a few

days and then mail it to the lab designated on the package for analysis (lab

fees are included in the price). Consider testing your air for radon even if

you live in a first- or second-floor apartment.

If you find that your home contains dangerous levels of radon (see below),

call the EPA radon hot line (800-SOS-RADON) or contact the air quality

division of your state's health department for help in handling the problem.

The EPA recommends taking action if your home's radon level is at 4

picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher. For more information, check out the

EPA's " A Citizen's Guide to Radon. "

Carbon monoxide and other gases from burning fuels — Burning fuel such as

oil, natural gas, kerosene, coal or firewood releases pollutants. The most

dangerous of these is carbon monoxide.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas. Sources of

CO include tobacco smoke, car exhaust, fireplaces, incinerators and gas

appliances and furnaces. It's harmful in any amount, and it can kill you.

Installing carbon monoxide detectors, preferably outside each bedroom, can

help protect you.

Carbon monoxide - How to protect yourself

Have your central heating system inspected annually. Make sure gas

appliances, such as your clothes dryer and water heater, work properly and

are vented to the outdoors.

Check to see that your fireplace is in good working condition. If you use

portable fuel-burning room heaters, follow instructions carefully for proper

use. Never use charcoal barbecues indoors. Never leave a car running in an

attached garage.

Checklist for other troublemakers

Gases, toxic fumes, mold — even trapped dust — can pollute the air in your

home. After sufficient exposure, their cumulative effects could lead to a

variety of symptoms: irritated eyes, runny nose, nasal congestion, scratchy

throat, coughing, rashes, fever, nausea, headaches, dizziness, confusion and

fatigue. If you have asthma, air pollutants and irritants may trigger more

frequent and severe attacks.

If your symptoms disappear when you leave home for several hours but recur

after you return, something in the air could be the irritant.

Use this checklist to identify common sources of poor indoor air quality:

Mold — Tightly constructed and insulated homes may keep drafts out but trap

moisture inside. Excess moisture can lead to decay and can spawn mold.

Moisture can aggravate allergies and worsen breathing problems for people

with asthma.

Signs of excess moisture in a home include musty odors and excess humidity;

excessive condensation on windows or walls; buckling walls or ceilings;

sweating pipes; and peeling or cracking paint. Mold and mildew may appear on

surfaces as a discoloration, which may be white, orange, green, brown or

black.

Invest in a quality ventilation system for your home. Use an outside-vented

fan in bathrooms, and a dehumidifier in other high-humidity rooms, such as

where you keep a large aquarium.

Make sure that the foundation drainage system around your house protects

against water seepage. Keep gutters clean.

Also, clean places where mold likes to grow. Drain pans under your

refrigerator or air conditioner; clean out old flower pots; replace or clean

moldy shower curtains; and clean bathrooms, kitchens and basements

regularly.

Dust mites — Dust mites (microscopic insects found in household dust) and

their byproducts, along with mold, can cause severe allergy problems. Damp

conditions can aggravate the problem. To keep dust mites at bay, vacuum and

dust often. Put bedding in allergen-impermeable covers and wash bedding

weekly in hot water.

Home chemicals — Cleaning solutions can release toxic fumes. Never mix

chemical products, especially chlorine bleach, with an ammonia cleaner.

Follow instructions for use of all home chemicals — including hobby

materials such as solder, spray paint and paint stripper. Use them only in a

well-ventilated area. Air out your home after the use of insecticides or

pesticides.

Redecorating hazards — Newly installed carpet and other materials such as

paints can give off irritating fumes. Before having carpet laid, ask the

installer to unroll the carpet and air it out in a well-ventilated area for

as long as possible. For both new carpet and fresh paint, open up your house

and run exhaust fans during the first few days. Asbestos- and

formaldehyde-containing building materials usually found in older homes also

are potential sources of indoor air pollution.

Improve ventilation

Improving ventilation and air flow is basic to air quality, especially if

your home is new or recently remodeled.

Besides opening windows whenever weather permits, consider an air-filtration

system. Air-to-air heat exchangers (also called heat-recovery ventilators)

increase ventilation but recapture your home's heat to save energy. You can

install these devices in window units or as part of a central-air system.

If your home is equipped with a forced air furnace or air conditioner, you

may want to ask a contractor or housing specialist about newer grade

filters. Many systems come equipped with relatively poor and inadequate

filters that remove only large airborne particles. But many newer models of

filters can remove more than 95 percent of dust and pollutants. There also

are portable air cleaners available that offer similar results. (Note:

Filters remove contaminants such as pollen, tobacco smoke, animal dander,

but do not remove radon, carbon monoxide and some aerosols.)

Your nose knows

Use prudence in safeguarding your home against indoor air pollution. Install

carbon monoxide and radon detectors. Check that appliances and ventilation

systems are functioning properly. Practice common sense when using chemicals

indoors. And dust and vacuum regularly. Finally, if you smell a strange or

stale odor, investigate.

Web resources

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) operates an Indoor Air

Quality Information (IAQINFO) Clearinghouse for consumers. You may call the

Clearinghouse's toll-free number at (800) 438-4318 or visit the EPA's IAQ

homepage.

Search the American Lung Association for home indoor air quality checklists

and information for people with asthma.

For more information

Asthma - New understanding can help you gain more control over your symptoms

and lifestyle