Indoor Air Quality Solutions, IAQS

Financing, furnishing, fixtures and flooring. While these are important considerations for new home owners, many overlook the indoor air quality of their home before moving day – a significant oversight considering people spend more than 90 per cent of their time indoors.

Indoor air quality is about five times more polluted than the outdoors with more than 500 pollutants in common building materials. Traditional paints and chemically-based cleaning products can contribute to the poor air quality inside a home but surprisingly, the most the most harmful and widespread contaminant of indoor air is tobacco smoke.

“Cigarette smoke permeates into furniture, carpets, walls and windows, causing a significant impact on the indoor air quality of your home. People that live in a home with poor air quality resulting from second-hand smoke can experience eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, dizziness and other symptoms linked to volatile organic compounds exposure and other airborne toxins.”

The following tips can help improve the indoor air quality of their homes:

Do not smoke or allow guests to smoke in your home. Cigarette smoking is harmful to everyone’s health, especially indoor smoking.

Use natural and eco-friendly materials to avoid chemical exposure. There are various environmentally-friendly and non-toxic or low-toxic materials to make your home functional and inviting.

Choose stylish ‘green’ products for your home. There are many elegant and attractive eco-friendly design materials on the market, including solid surface and recycled content countertops, chemical-free leathers and non-vinyl wallpaper.

John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
www.Microshield-ES.com

Just one week into summer and many parts of the country are feeling the heat. As warm temperatures grip the nation, millions of people find themselves spending more time in the comfort of their air conditioned homes.

Approximately 20% of the population suffers from allergies and many of these people now wake up each morning to congestion, coughing and sneezing. Numerous studies have shown that indoor air pollution is higher than outdoor air pollution and with more people spending additional time in their homes to escape the heat those who suffer from allergies can feel the difference.

Allergens from cockroaches, rodents, pet dander, pollen and sources of mold can all trigger allergy attacks and for the 7% of the population that suffers from asthma they may also trigger an attack. EMSL Analytical, one of the nation’s largest allergen and indoor air quality testing laboratories, has almost 30 years experience analyzing environmental samples from homes.

“If you have noticed that your allergies are getting worse as you spend more time indoors you should consider what is causing the symptoms,” reported Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President for EMSL Analytical. “There are basic tests that can be performed to make sure homes are not contaminated by these allergens and they can make a huge difference in the quality of life for the people who live there,” Frasca continued.

Simple steps can also be taken to minimize allergens and allergen reservoirs in a home. Fabric furniture and carpeting are breeding grounds for dust mites and also collect all types of allergens from mold spores to pollen. Consider replacing carpeting with hardwood flooring and switching furniture with fabrics to ones that instead have leather, wood or other surfaces. Vacuum often and be sure to use a HEPA vacuum, and when finished, be sure to empty the canister outside of the home

John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
www.Microshield-ES.com