Q. What is a healthy home?

A: The air we breathe 15,000 to 35,000 times a day provides over 90% of our life energy! A healthy home starts with the basics – attention to controlling pollutants at their source, a Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning systems that delivers not only clean air, but exchanges the air.  Humidity and moisture is managed within the building envelope.  Chemicals and other pollutants are used sensibly, or not at all. Science based filtration systems exist in individual rooms to supplement central system filtration if appropriate.

Q: Why is there more concern today about indoor air quality in homes? 

A: Changes in the way houses are built and used have contributed to the increased interest in air quality issues.  New houses are generally much tighter, synthetic materials are much more common, and modern heating systems contribute far less to the ventilation of houses.  The CDC and other authorities have reported alarming increases in the rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Polluted indoor air is a significant factor in this increase. 

Q:  What is the issue concerning poor ventilation in homes? Is this new? Why aren’t homes properly ventilated? 

A: Ventilation means fresh air. We thrive on oxygen-rich air. With energy costs skyrocketing, windows are open less (especially in winter and hot summer days). Thus many homes are not getting enough ventilation (fresh) air exchange.  This impacts health, humidity, and can impact the structural integrity of your house.  Pollutants are trapped and re-circulated. For more information on the importance of ventilation see Homeowners Guide To Ventilation (EPA, NYSERDA) 

Q:  What are the fundamental causes of poor indoor air quality? 

A: The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has conducted the most comprehensive study of IAQ to date.  In 106 “sick” buildings it was found that 52% of the problems were traced back to faulty ventilation systems.  Maintenance of these systems was the largest single causative factor, followed by operation and design.  Dirty HVAC / ductwork systems are often at the top of the list of causative factors affecting IAQ.  Other factors include biological contaminants and other sources stemming from building materials or water intrusion. When moisture and dirt combine, it provides a habitat for microorganisms to flourish.  When air passes over this build-up, some debris is likely to become airborne, and then is circulated throughout the occupied space. This may result in increased health problems such as coughing, eye irritation, headaches, and allergic reactions.  In some cases, biological contamination can have very serious health consequences.

Q:  What are the most important actions I can take to provide a safe and healthy indoor environment in my house?

A:   The EPA says there are three actions that are opportunities for improvement in most homes:

• Manage source pollutants (e.g. housekeeping practices, use of chemical cleaners, clean heating and AC systems, mold contamination)
• Ventilation – most houses do not bring in enough fresh air – nor do they exhaust stale air.
• Air Cleaners – both whole house and room specific.

Q:  Why shouldn't I just buy an air purifier - isn't that enough? 

A:   There’s nothing wrong with buying an air purifier that meets proper performance requirements. It will reduce contaminants in the air. However, there may be more significant factors that impact air quality in your room.  For example: dust mites in carpet and bedding, dust spewing from a contaminated ventilation system, lack of fresh air (ventilation), mold migrating into the room from a contaminated space in your home. In summary, a programmatic approach is far better in the long run than any quick fix solution.

Q: How I know I’m buying a reliable air purifier? 

A: Ozone and ion generating air cleaning devices have been taken to task by EPA, American Lung Association, Good Housekeeping, Consumer Reports, and the Federal Trade Commission. Yet, the best selling purifier (info-mercial) advertises ozone and ionization as its method for cleaning the air. So – who do you believe? Guidelines from the American Lung Association suggest that a FDA Class II Medical Device listing is one of several credible Performance Standards for Air Cleaners rating among others. Another credible Performance Standard is the military standard for High Efficiency Particulate Arrestance (HEPA) filters.

Q: Have there been any studies showing a positive health impact from improving the indoor environment?   

A: One very credible study was conducted in 2004 by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. It reported a 19.5% reduction of asthma symptoms in a controlled study of 937 children in 7 major U.S. cities. (New England Journal of Medicine article).