Have you ever considered the affect indoor air quality could have on your health or the health of others in your home? Personally, I always thought that the air inside my home was healthier for me than the air outside because of common pollutants such as emissions from cars. However, this is not always the case. In fact, pollutants inside the home tend to be 2-5 times higher than outside; and pollutants in the home are even 2-3 times higher than those in commercial buildings!
The problem: People spend an average of 90% of their time indoors. Whether it be in the home, at the office, or in closed transit - we are always inside! While indoors, we are exposed to thousands of airborne pollutants released from products and materials we use daily. These pollutants release VOCs (volatile organic chemicals) which, when inhaled, can result in headaches, nose and throat irritation, and dizziness. If inhaled for a long period of time, or at high concentrations, these chemicals can be toxic and cause allergies, asthma, autism, neurological and reproductive defects, respiratory and cardiovascular problems, and even cancer! According to Dr. Black, of all VOCs found in homes, 21% of them are carcinogens, or cancer causing toxins. Not only can these indoor air pollutants affect you directly after contact, but also years down the road! In addition to VOCs, other common indoor pollutants include molds, allergens, ozone, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and dioxide, and dust. According to the research done by Dr. Black and her Greenguard team, the most common indoor pollutant found in airplane seats is hair lice - think about that next time you board an airplane!
So what exactly are these VOCs, and where do they come from? To break it down, "volatile" is a term meaning that these chemicals evaporate easily at room temperature; "organic" means that these chemicals contain carbon - and since carbon burns, many of these chemicals are flammable. VOCs can come from a number of things, including: wall coverings, floor covering such as carpet and hardwood, furniture, foam bedding, self adhesives, and even household cleaning supplies. These products and materials outgas harmful VOCs and pollutants into the air. Another source is when contractors use adhesives, sealants, or other materials during installation that contain VOCs instead of the newer, greener alternative (there is a significant need for education here, so make sure your contractor is experienced and knowledgeable of the materials and IAQ before hiring).
We reviewed a case study from Atlanta, Ga, the 2nd LEED home in the nation. After living in the home for about two years the family started experiencing flu-like symptoms including dizziness, nausea, and fatigue- all symptoms from an extremely elevated total VOC level. After thorough investigation researchers found the main source to be the adhesive used on their hardwood floors! It turns out, the contractor tried to speed up the process and installed the wood floors while they were still wet, therefore causing them to gap once completely dried. To fill in these gaps the contractor used an adhesive glue containing acetaldehyde that contributed to the poor indoor air quality. Needless to say they had the home stripped of all VOC containing materials bringing the levels back down to normal, but a lot of the damage could have been prevented had the contractor taken the time to let the wood dry completely.
Recent changes in buildings and the growing popularity of "green" building has only compounded the problem with indoor air pollutants. The increased attention on energy efficiency and homes being designed with a "tight envelope" sacrifices ventilation, reducing the air change in the house and raising the number of indoor pollutants. Don't get me wrong, I am all for energy efficiency and "green" building, as long as you take the extra precautions to make sure your home is thoroughly ventilated. According to Dr. Black, the most common indoor pollutants they have seen in these "green" LEED certified homes are phthalates, which come from plastics; mercury, from the energy efficient florescent light bulbs; and combustion VOCs from using the fireplace more often to save on energy costs. Dr. Black claimed that it is also common to see contractors who will make the mistake and use a product they have experience with rather than a "green" product the client may request because of their lack of knowledge of the product itself - another reason to find a qualified contractor with experience in "green" building.
What you can do: It may seem difficult to fight indoor air pollutants, but in fact there are simple every day decisions you can make to keep you and those in your home healthy. The obvious answer to reducing the level of total VOCs in your home is to reduce products you buy containing VOCs (cleaning products, furniture, bedding). But how do you know if products contain them? Well, according to Dr. Black, the only way to be completely sure is to buy products certified and labeled by independent third party sources that do emissions testing, such as Greenguard.
Other tips: beware of products labeled "VOC-free" since there is no industry standard of what this exactly means; when buying paints and stains, look for "low-emitting formulas;" and use detergents and cleaners that are biodegradable while avoiding products labeled "natural". When buying products you should look for the following labels: "low emitting," "mold resistant," and "non-toxic."
When building a new home or remodeling Dr. Black recommends working with your contractor to develop a schedule (or IAQ Management) to make sure any chemicals that are introduced are completed in an order that limits contaminating porous materials such as carpet or ceiling tile. Of all these tips, the key to keeping indoor pollution down is ventilation. Open windows at opposite ends of the home at least once a week to allow air to pass through and help flush out the house. Residents should also use their ceiling or house fans to circulate air throughout individual rooms. Another tip: Buy air filters that fit and do not alter the filter. After all, air takes the path of least resistance, so any little crack in the filter and the air will escape right through - completely defeating the purpose.
To learn more tips to help keep your indoor air pollutant level low check out
Greenguard's website. You can also find a list of over 250,000 certified products that are guaranteed to have low levels of VOCs.
Interestingly, I recently met with Skip Vest from Clean Air Lawn Care. His company is the first in our area to offer zero/low emission lawn care. They use organic fertilizers and soil treatment, and electric lawn mowers that are powered - and here's my favorite part - by solar panels on the truck (I tried to get some photos of the panels on his truck).
your goals - from reducing noise pollution (without a gas engine, the electric mowers are very quiet) and water consumption (native grasses and how you care for the lawn can impact water consumption), to reducing the chemicals used on the lawn and your carbon footprint.They are taking an environmentally friendly approach to lawn maintenance, and are actually looking at how they can help with the LEED rating system for commercial buildings.
