Consumer Reports IAQ Dangers – Equipment Recommendations

As stated in the previous post, after reading the Consumer Reports article on IAQ dangers, I decided to share with you some general recommendations for protecting yourself, your family and your friends from health damaging indoor air quality (IAQ) problems (especially during this cold & flu season).  This first set of tips falls into the category of Indoor Air Quality Related Equipment.

Install Indoor Air Quality Related Equipment as Budgets Allow:

• Install a Carbon Monoxide alarm on each level of your home, including the basement.
• —Use an active air purification technology such as those produced by RGF Environmental, Green Tech Environmental, Best Living Systems or Vollara to address airborne particles, gasses, man-made chemicals, odors and biological contaminants (mold, viruses, bacteria, etc.).
• —Consider internal frame, antimicrobial coated, furnace/AC filters that contain no cardboard that could otherwise sustain mold growth.

That was a quick list, but having these 3 items in place can make a significant difference.  Do a little research and/or talk to an IAQ professional.  The “well worth it” costs can be from under $25 to over $1000 depending on which items you take on, depending on the size, age, architecture and other attributes of your home and depending on how the home is used (lifestyle factors).

Later I’ll share some tips on Maintaining Proper Indoor Moisture Levels, Filtration, Equipment Maintenance, IAQ/Mold Testing Remediation and Sanitization, Other IAQ Testing and lastly Other Lifestyle Practice Improvements.

Consumer Reports Warns Against Poor Indoor Air Quality

I recently came across a 2012 Consumer Reports magazine article which stated that only 9% of the US population considers Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) a health threat.  The article also stated that many people hurt the quality of the air in their homes, and their choices can worsen asthma, allergies and other health conditions. 

For example, “almost half of Americans use air fresheners at least once a week, and 34 percent use candles or incense that frequently.” That can seriously impact the IAQ in a home, especially if there is no active air exchange equipment integrated into the HVAC system. 

Couple that with the finding that “roughly 40 percent rarely or never clean their humidifier or kitchen range hood, though they use it daily,” and that “one quarter have never cleaned or replaced their furnace filter” and you have quite a chemical and biological toxic soup brewing in homes.

The article also drew attention to a 2009 study by the Environmental Working Group that identified significant air contaminants in 21 household cleaners.  Significant may be an understatement, for in the 21 cleaners, the study found 457 contaminants, 24 of which were linked to serious health concerns, including cancer.  Not all ingredients in those cleaners are required to be listed.  For example, manufacturers are not required to disclose fragrance ingredients, and “one fragrance can contain 50 to 200 compounds, including dozens of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).  VOCs are known to have negative health implications. 

I’d like to share with you some general recommendations for protecting yourself and your family and friends from health damaging indoor air quality problems.  I will share some tips in several follow-up posts.  Many of these tips were also recommended in the Consumer Reports article.  I have grouped the recommendations into the following categories:  Indoor Air Quality Related Equipment, Maintaining Proper Indoor Moisture Levels, Filtration, Equipment Maintenance, IAQ/Mold Testing Remediation and Sanitization, Other IAQ Testing, Other Lifestyle Practice Improvements. Stay tuned….

Window Condensation

It’s that time of year again – cold temperatures outside and adequate indoor humidity in some homes to produce condensation on windows.

To solve the problem, you really only have two options: 1) decrease the indoor relative humidity, or 2) increase the temperature at the window surface. Depending on the circumstances, either of these might be difficult to achieve. Increased air flow in the house is often the easiest approach.

Consulting with an HVAC contractor or a replacement window supplier/installer can help you set a course, if you have window condensation problems to navigate. If condensation has been happening for a while this season, or has been a problem in previous years too, consulting with an indoor air quality (IAQ) and mold inspector could also prove helpful. Window condensation can become much more than an inconvenience; it can quite quickly lead to mold problems, window damage and even health issues.

When minor microbial growth sets in, an environmentally friendly enzyme-based cleaner might be a short-term answer to the growth and discoloration problem. Protective coatings like Bac-Shield might also be an important part of your plan.

My own home, heated with in-floor radiant heat, has given me personal experience in the troubles that can exist with window condensation. I hope you take the issue seriously in your own home and bring in some expertise to help form a plan to resolve the issue soon (before it becomes a structural and/or health problem).