Standing water and wet materials are a breeding ground for microorganisms, such as viruses, bacteria, and mold. Failure to remove contaminated materials and to reduce moisture and humidity can present serious long-term health risks.
Healthy Home
Indoor Air Quality: Home Ventilation
If too little outdoor air enters a home, pollutants can sometimes accumulate to levels that can pose health and comfort problems. Likewise, one approach to lowering the concentrations of indoor air pollutants in your home is to increase the amount of outdoor air coming in.
Indoor Air Pollution: Biological Pollutants
Biological contaminants are all around us—molds, pollen, pet dander, the list is long. However, with a little preventitve maintenece they can be kept at a healthy distance.
Indoor Air Quality: Kitchen Remodels
Before starting your kitchen remodel or conversion project you should understand and address the various air quality factors that can arise during construction.
Indoor Air Pollution: Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is an important chemical used widely by industry to manufacture building materials and numerous household products. It is also a by-product of combustion and certain other natural processes. Thus, it may be present in substantial concentrations both indoors and outdoors.
Indoor Air Quality: Lead
Lead can cause serious damage to the brain kidneys, nervous system, and red blood cells. Lead exposure in children can result in delays in physical development, lower IQ levels, shorten attention spans, and increase behavioral problems.
Indoor Air Pollution: Organic Gases
Organic chemicals (volatile organic compounds or VOCs) are widely used as ingredients in household products. Paints, varnishes and wax all contain organic solvents, as do many cleaning, disinfecting, cosmetic, degreasing and hobby products. All of these products can release organic compounds while you are using them, and, to some degree, when they are stored.
Indoor Air Quality: Remodeling Practices
Regardless of what part of the house your remodeling project takes place in, there are good work practices that you can use to help minimize or prevent indoor air and other indoor environmental problems.
Indoor Air Pollution: Pesticides
According to a recent survey, 75 percent of U.S. households used at least one pesticide product indoors during the past year. Products used most often are insecticides and disinfectants. Another study suggests that 80 percent of most people’s exposure to pesticides occurs indoors and that measurable levels of up to a dozen pesticides have been found in the air inside homes.
Indoor Air Quality: Additions
Before starting your addition remodel or conversion project you should understand and address the various air quality factors that can arise during construction.