|
What causes indoor air pollution problems and how can those
problems affect the health of my family?
First of all, there are many sources in the home of indoor air pollution.
Due to the fact that most of us spend up to 90 percent of our time
indoors, and that in order to conserve energy we have made our homes
airtight, many react to the poor indoor air quality of their homes.
As there are many indoor air pollutants, I will address the most
common to our area, and that is MOLD! Oh, there are many names for
it such as mildew, fungi, that green or black stuff, or just slime.
Any name we call it, it is a known and proven health hazard, especially
to the very young, the elderly, and those who are immuno-compromised.
Possible health impacts are allergies, respiratory irritation and,
most importantly, infectious diseases. Many of the molds are opportunistic
pathogens and these species of fungi will typically infect only
those who are immuno-compromised. Immuno-compromization may be a
function of age, sex, race, state of health, or nutritional intake.
Individuals exposed to immunotherapy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy,
immunosuppressant drugs, or who have contracted an immunological
disorder are at greater risk of infection.
But even a healthy individual who is exposed to indoor air pollution
over an extended period of time will probably develop and experience
some adverse health conditions.
In order to establish itself and grow within the home, mold basically
needs three things: a dark place, a food source, and moisture. Most
of us cannot control the first two, but we should be able to control
the amount of moisture in our homes. Water intrusion is the most
obvious and damaging to the indoor environment, but even extended
periods of humidity above 65 percent will promote mold growth. And
its not only the visible mold that can affect us, but the unseen
mold spores that get airborne and into our respiratory systems can
cause us distress, as well.
How do I know if there is a mold problem in my home?
If you are concerned about air quality in your home, you can make
a common-sense diagnosis by documenting health complaints. You can
also have tests done or samples taken to test for various pollutants.
Professionals often use the following questions when considering
the possibility of indoor air pollution.
What health complaints have been experienced by you or members
of your family?
Are complaints reported by more than one family member?
When were these complaints first noticed?
Can you associate these complaints with certain events or activities?
Do the health complaints occur seasonally, at a particular time
of day, or when a family member is in a particular part of the house?
How often do the complaints occur, and how long do they last?
Do the complaints or reactions go away when you are away from
the home? Do they return when you return home?
Do visitors have the same reactions or health complaints?
Are the complaints or reactions less severe when you ventilate
the house?
These are just a few of the questions we ask when called in to
do an indoor air investigation. Hopefully, any indoor air quality
concern you may have can be easily remedied. Many times, by taking
a pro-active approach to the indoor air quality in your home, you
may be able to detect a potential problem before it creates an air
quality issue.
Dick van Dyke owns Indoor Air Services, Inc. You can contact
him at (828)299-7103, PO Box 9013, Asheville, NC 28815, dvandyke@a-o.com.
For more information on this subject, contact Dick and ask for his
free informative brochure.
|
