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Protect Your Children's Health

Indoor Air Quality | Asthma & Allergies | Mold & Moisture | Carbon Monoxide | Lead
Drinking Water | Hazardous Household Products | Pesticides | Home Safety

Indoor Air Quality
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Should You Be Concerned?

Most people spend at least half their lives inside their homes. The air inside can be more harmful to your family’s health than the air outdoors. Is the air in your home safe to breathe?

It is not always easy to tell if you have poor air quality. You may notice bad smells and see smoke, but you cannot see or smell other dangers, like carbon monixice or radon. This chapter and those on asthma and allergies, mold and carbon monoxide will help you ask the right questions to find out if the air inside your home is safe and healthy. They will also give you ideas about how to fix any problems you might find.

Asthma & Allergies

If someone in your home has health problems or is ill, polluted indoor air can make them feel worse. For example, asthma is a lung disease that affects a growing number of children. Indoor air pollution can make it worse. insects and other pests can also be a real problem for people with asthma or allergies. For example, cockroach and dust mite droppings cause asthma attacks in some people. Pesticides can help fight these pests but they can be dangerous. Click here for more information about using bug spray and other pesticides safely. Click here to find out about making your home healthier for people with asthma or allergies.

Mold

Mold grows in wet or damp places. It often smells musty. Many people are allergic to mold. Some kinds of mold are toxic, and coming in contact with large amounts of mold may cause health problems for you or your family. Click here to learn more about how to control in your home.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is a deadly gas that can come from appliances that burn gas, oil, coal, or wood, and are not working as they should. Car exhaust also has carbon monoxide. You cannot see, taste, or smell carbon monoxide. Click here for more information on how to protect your family from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Other Indoor Air Problems

Radon is another gas. It can come into homes from the ground below them. You cannot see, taste, or smell radon. Radon is found all over the United States. Radon can cause lung cancer. In fact, it is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. If you smoke and your home has high levels of radon, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.

Sometimes indoor air polution comes from what people do in their home.

• Tobacco smoking causes cancer and other major health problems. It's unsafe for children to be around smokers. Second-hand or environmental tobacco smoke can raise children's risk of ear infections and breathing problems. It can trigger asthma attacks too.
• Many families have pets. However, furry pets cuase problems for some people. Pers can make asthma and allergies act up, especially if you keep them in sleeping areas.
• Hobbies and home projects sometimes involves sanding, painting, welding, or using solvent chemicals, like varnish or paint strippers. (A solvent is a chemical that can dissolve something else. Solvents are usually liquid.) Home projects can pollute the air with dust or harmful chemicals.

Sometimes indoor air polution comes from what people have in their homes.

• Some househole products, especially those with solvents, can pollute the air if you don't use them the right way. (Click here for more information about household products.)
• New furniture, carpets, and building products may give off chemicals that were used in the making. Some of these chemicals can harm people, especially children.
• If your home was built before 1978, the paint may have lead in it. Lead is very dangerous for young children. Click here to learn about protecting your children from lead poisoning.

There are simple, but important steps you can take to find our what is causing poor air quality. The questions below can help you find problems around your home. This section will give you ideas of what to do. Look at the chapters on asthma and allergies, mold, carbon monoxide to learn more about indoor air problems. Remember, making your home a safer, healthier place to live may mean taking serveral steps.

Questions To Ask?

Your family’s health

• Does anyone in your family have asthma or allergies?
• Does a family member notice burning eyes, coughing, or sneezing that happens most often while at home?
• Does anyone in your home have chronic bronchitis?

Radon

• Have you ever tested your home for radon?
• Do any of your neighbors have problems with radon gas? If so, you might also have a radon problem.

Living in a Healthy Home

• Do some areas in your home smell damp or musty?
• Have you seen cockroaches in your home?
• Do you know how to safely run and take care of your fuel-burning appliances?
• Do you allow smoking in your home?
• Do you have pets in your home? In the bedrooms?
• Do you read the label on household products, and follow the directions for using them safely?
• Do you open windows or turn on fans when doing hobbies or projects that make dust or odors?
• Do you try to do dusty or smelly projects outdoors?
• Do you choose furniture, carpet, and building products that are made with non-toxic chemicals and materials? These are sometimes called green building products.
• Does your home’s air ever smell musty, damp, smoky, or like chemicals?
• Does your home seem stuffy or stale? Can you smell cooking odors the next day?
• Do you have bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans -- do you use them?

Action steps

Be sure to check the Action Steps in the chapters on asthma and allergies, mold, and carbon monoxide. You will find good suggestions for cutting down on polution in your home and making the air healthier.

Test your home for radon

You can buy low cost radon test kits at hardware or home supply stores. Or call your local health department for more information.

Living in a Healthy Home

• Don't smoke in your home or car. Never smoke near your children.
• Pay attention to housekeeping. Taking care of food and spills right away keeps bugs and pests away. A clean home is a healthier home.
• Open windows or use fans to let in fresh air whenever someone uses chemicals in the home or garage.
• Ask the sales person to unroll new carpet and leave it to air out for at least one day before bringing it into your home. Put in carpet in a season when you can open windows for several days afterwards. Vacuum the old carpet well before you remove it to reduce dust.
• Let new furniture and building materials air out for a few days before bringing them inside. Before buying new things for your home, ask for products made with non-toxic chemicals and materials. Some non-toxic or green building products cost more money. You need to decide if the cost is worth it to protect the health of your family.
• Keep pets out of bedrooms and living areas.

When In Doubt, Check It Out

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Indoor Air Quality Information Home Page -- http://www.epa.gov/iaq

Indoor Air Quality Information Clearhinghouse (IAQ INFO)
(800) 438- 4318
Monday- Friday, 9: 00am– 5: 00pm EST
or email: iaqinfo@aol.com

National Radon Information Hotline
(800) SOS RADON; (800) 767-7236

National Lead Information Center
(800) LEAD INFO; (800) 532-3394

National Hispanic Indoor Air Quality Hotline
(800) SALUD-12; (800) 725-8312
Monday- Friday, 9: 00am– 6: 00pm EST

American Lung Association, Contact your local organization or call
(800) LUNG- USA; (800) 586-4872
visit the web at http://www.lungusa.org

Healthy Indoor Air for America’s Homes
(406) 994- 3451
http://www.healthyindoorair.org

Home* A* Syst: An Environmental Rist Assessment Guide for the Home contains information about indoor air quality and other healthy home topics.
(608) 262- 0024
http://www.uwex.edu/homeasyst

Next Chapter:  Asthma & Allergies >>

This chapter was written by Kathleen Parrott, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. ©2002 University of Wisconsin Extension. All rights reserved.