Indoor Air Quality Solutions, IAQS

The symptoms started the day Maj. Todd Hutchinson moved into his new office at the Titusville Police Department’s headquarters: constant coughing, sore throat, stuffy nose.

“It was similar to hay fever,” said Hutchinson, who had been promoted to take over the department’s administrative services division. “I assumed it was allergies, but I suspected the building.”

Hutchinson and his predecessor, Maj. Doug Massey, knew there were problems with the 37,000-square-foot building at 1100 John Glenn Blvd. The roof has leaked since the 2004 hurricanes, and the department has requested repairs every year since.

The money was never available, however, until this year: In September, contractors patched the roof.

But it sprung two fresh leaks during the Columbus Day weekend storm that dumped 1 foot of rain on parts of Brevard County. Hutchinson walked into his office, and the carpet squished under his feet: It was saturated with water.

For police officials, it was the last straw — a sign that couldn’t be ignored.

An expert’s testing revealed that mold had been festering beneath the carpet and in the walls “for years,” Hutchinson said. The air quality in his office was deemed hazardous.

Five offices, including the Chief Anthony Bollinger’s, were sealed Monday morning as workers started to perform emergency repairs: new carpets, ceiling tiles, sheetrock. Five other offices and the records division require cleaning and will be temporarily relocated. There is no timetable for the fixes to be completed.

City officials declined to estimate the financial impact. Several employees, including Hutchinson, also plan to seek funding for medical bills through workers’ compensation insurance.

Tom Abbate, the city’s support services director, said interior repairs have been made “piecemeal” since 2004. But extensive work couldn’t be done until the roof was fixed.

“The police building is a high-maintenance building, and we do as much as we can with the funding available,” Abbate said. “But whatever this costs, we have to take care of it. It’s not a discretionary item.”

Most of the problems are confined to the east side of the building, which was built for Lockheed in 1984. The city paid $2 million for it in 1997.

Hutchinson said the public shouldn’t be affected.

“We are in the business of dealing with crises,” Hutchinson said. “We’re using our training to work through this.”

Written by Andrew Knapp | FLORIDA TODAY

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20111101/NEWS01/311010014/Mold-drives-Titusville-police-staff-from-offices

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

The Air Conditioning Contractors of America Educational Institute (ACCA-EI) Standards Task Team (STT) announces an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 3rd public review period for a new standard “Existing Home Evaluation and Performance Improvement.” This third public review period, started on November 4, 2011, will close at 5:00pm Eastern Time on December 4, 2011.

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https://www.acca.org/archives/news-and-media/news-room/press-releases/5921

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

Toxic chemicals can be found everywhere we look.  Whether they are in your home, or the ground underneath, it is important to be aware of chemicals with which you and your family may come in contact.

What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was incorporated into more than 5,000 products in the 1980’s.  This mineral has excellent insulating and fireproofing characteristics which is why it was commonly used for commercial purposes. This toxic mineral can be found in various deposits throughout the world;   the environmental hazard surrounding asbestos still exists today.

Where has it been used?
As previously mentioned, asbestos has been used in thousands of products.  Some of these products include household items, paper goods, automobiles, heating and cooling systems, and even in the construction materials used to possibly build your house.  The majority of these materials are commonly found in construction materials used to in buildings and homes. Asbestos has such a high resistance to heat it was used in many heating systems and insulation.  High concentrations of airborne asbestos can occur after these materials are disturbed by improperly trying to remove the materials or a remodeling project.

Why is it toxic?
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. Due to a severe latency period of symptoms ranging between 20 and 50 years from the time of exposure, mesothelioma cancer is often diagnosed in a late stage of development.

This tendency for late diagnosis often complicates mesothelioma treatment options; as a result, the average mesothelioma life expectancy is 4 to 18 months. There is no cure for this cancer; but, some patients who were diagnosed early enough have survived mesothelioma. For this reason, it is important for anyone exposed to asbestos to seek regular medical exams to check for signs of asbestos disease.

The best way to prevent exposure to asbestos is to learn about it, however regardless of the knowledge that is now available, not everyone takes the proper precautions that are needed to prevent exposure. Prevention in the workplace can be as simple as wearing protective gear or breathing devices.  Since so many homes were built with asbestos containing products, the majority of household exposure comes from renovations, or do-it-yourself home projects.  Once the asbestos is disturbed you are at risk for exposure, so it is important to have professionals involved, or the areas tested for asbestos in advance.

The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com was created to assist patients affected by asbestos-related disease. Visit www.asbestos.com for more information regarding asbestos exposure.  You can “like” us on Face book and “Follow” us on Twitter  for daily updates and news articles surrounding asbestos and asbestos related diseases.

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

By ARAcontent

Posted: Oct. 12, 2011 | 1:11 a.m.
Updated: Oct. 12, 2011 | 3:10 a.m.

When the winter winds start to howl, it’s a natural response to want to close your home up tightly. To stay warm and avoid wasting energy, you close the windows – or even seal them with window film — find ways to stop air from leaking in through cracks and under doors, and then put your heating system to work. But when those instincts kick in, remember that what you’re doing is sealing air inside your home.

There’s a definite upside to sealing your house up well for the winter: you’ll stay warmer, with less impact on your energy bills. However, the downside is that those actions can negatively affect the quality of the air you’ll be breathing. It’s a particular concern because of the increased amount of time people spend indoors through the winter.

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems have been shown to act as a collection source for a variety of contaminants that have the potential to affect health, such as mold, fungi, bacteria and very small particles of dust. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air.

“When you flip that switch on your heater, there is a lot of dust and debris – collected in the coils over the summer months – that either burns into fumes or gushes into the house through your vents,” says Aaron Marshbanks, board member of the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA).

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