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I found this research article helpful when analyzing my own household. Since this article was so informative, and since links don't always stay active, you can find a copy of the news report below. If you want to read the original article or view the news story by CBS Chicago online, check out the link at the bottom of the article.
Clearing the AirFeb 24, 2004 3:49 pm US/CentralCHICAGO (CBS 2)If you're frequently sick in the winter, it may not be the cold air outside, but rather the warm air inside that's making you ill.The EPA tells us that the air inside our homes can be as much as a hundred times more polluted than the air outside, even in an industrial city like Chicago. There are some real health risks living in a home environment with poor air quality. Mold spores in Pablo Pirela’s home that were released when he started some remodeling caused serious problems for his son who was suffering from occasional bouts with asthma. “I made a little hole in the wall and it was infested with mold. [It had] probably been growing for about thirty to forty years,” said Pirela Alex Pirela had a severe reaction to the release of the mold spores that were caused by wet insulation. The mold closed Alex’s bronchial tubes. He was rushed to the hospital, barely breathing. “We tore out that whole wall and we almost killed my son,” said the elder Pirela. When he stabilized, Alex returned home, but didn't stay for long. He was going to the hospital almost everyday. The Pirela family didn't realize that after cleaning up the construction debris, the mold spores remained in the air. “[The air] was stale. There was no fresh air being brought into the system. All the airborne particles, the molds, the spores, the pollens, everything was being re-circulated, and he wasn't killing any of it,” said air ventilation contractor Jim Gates. Gates and Jim Zielinski installed a new ventilation device, a whole-house, hepa filtration system that trapped microscopic particles while constantly exchanging stale indoor air with filtered fresh air. A ultra-violet light was added to kill bacteria. Since the energy crisis of the seventies, heating experts in our climate have advocated building "tight" houses, where outside air doesn't penetrate sealed windows and doors. But there's a downside to that according to environmental engineer Gary Hutter. “We want our homes to be energy efficient so we need for them to be tighter. But if you think about all the solvents, cleaning compounds and chemicals that you bring into your house, there are hundreds of gallons that will eventually be used, evaporate, and become airborne and have to be flushed from your house,” said Hutter. It is often difficult to remember that laundry soap, furniture polish, fabric softener, bleach, ammonia, glass cleaners, deodorizers, sanitizers, bathroom cleaners, tile cleaners, dish soaps, floor cleaners, etc. are the chemicals here. Those types of products are assumed to be safe. This is a misnomer. Kristiana “The old fashioned chlorine bleaches and those kind of things work well but you may have a respiratory problem with those,” adds the EPA’s Jack Burnette. Bleach is known to affect the lungs, heart, brain and suspected to affect the reproductive system. Than information taken from the Toxin Checklist a compilation of information from the National Poison Control Centers of America and the MSDS. Kristiana The Plan-it-Green store in Evanston carries alternative household products, all free from pesticides and toxic chemicals. ”Part of the reason that people get sick in the winter is not that the cold makes you susceptible to getting sick, it's that they're indoor all the time, and the indoor air quality is horrible,” said Plan-it Green’s doctor Toni Bark. As an example, Bark explained that household carpeting is loaded with formaldehyde. The glue which binds most carpet backing together gives off a dosage of toxic gas for weeks after it's installed. What’s an alternative? Organic wool carpeting has no formaldehydes; it's a sewn burlap product. You can also find an assortment of paints produced from milk and clay bases instead of volatile solvents. And there are mattresses made from natural rubber and pesticide-free cotton which are alternatives to gas emitting foams and synthetics. “We recommend cleaning completely without chemicals or cleaning agents,” said Bark. Micro-fiber cloths used with organic cleaning products may be highly effective and safer, but two other ways to improve the air quality are very simple & economical. NASA research has shown that certain house plants can remove toxic chemicals in indoor air. Proper watering is essential so that they don't grow mold and other bio-organisms. And the simplest method to rid your house of bad air is to ventilate. Open those doors and windows -- even in winter. “Put a sweater on and put boots on and open your windows and let the exchange in your house,” explained Bark. "If you could bring in fresh air and eliminate the source you're much more better off generally,” adds Burnette. The US EPA says the top three ways to deal with
indoor air pollution are:
(MMIV, CBS Broadcasting Inc., All Rights Reserved.)
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