WARNING – YOU ARE BREATHING TOXIC CHEMICALS RIGHT NOW.

In part #1 we looked at radon and learned radon in the home is responsible for an estimated 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year.

In part #2 we looked at mold and learned nearly all chronic sinus infections afflicting 37 million Americans are a result of molds. Molds have been linked to a 300% increase in the asthma rate over the past 20 years and 20 million people, including over 6 million children, have asthma, accounting for over 10 million outpatient clinic visits, nearly 2 million emergency department visits and nearly 4,500 deaths annually (2000).

I think we can safely say Air Quality is very-very-very important in homes, but in case your still not convinced today we look at formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde is colorless but is not odorless like radon. It used in the manufacturer of many products including building materials such as particleboard, plywood, fiberboard, textiles, glues, insulation and carpet.  It has a pungent (new car) smell and its use is widespread (46 billion pounds in 2005) , yet presents significant health concerns.

Formaldehyde can cause watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea, and difficulty in breathing and has been linked to several forms of cancer including leukemia.  A 2009 report by the National Cancer institute reported that “workers exposed to higher amounts of formaldehyde had a 37 percent greater risk of death from blood and lymphatic cancers, and a 78 percent greater risk of leukemia than those with lower exposures.”

Not the kind of stuff you want to expose your family to, yet Formaldehyde is found almost everywhere. In fact, you are probably breathing Formaldehyde right now!

Sadly, The EPA has been dragging its feet for more than ten years.  On June 2, 2010 the EPA posted the IRIS (Integrated Risk Information System) Toxicological Review of Formaldehyde-Inhalation Assessment external draft for comment. Some day, the EPA will take action on all of this, but in the meantime you are on your own. Keep in mind when a house built to code it is perfectly allowable to use products with Formaldehyde.  Is that what you want for your family?

Answers to Quiz from last Post:  Question #1 – True, Question #2 – True, Question #3 – True, Question #4 – True

What is more important next time you buy a home, Air Quality or Granite Counter-Tops?

In part #1, we talked about radon and the fact that more than 20,00 lung cancer deaths per year are attributed to radon. Yes, I wrote that correct, 20,000 per year annually! If that isn’t enough to curl your toes, today we begin to look at mold and the major impact it is having on health.

Without going to too much of the gory details, there are numerous types of mold and it seems mold is present almost everywhere. It is in the air we breath, to the foods we eat. Most molds do not appear to pose a major health problem, but there are some molds that are not as friendly. Some mold can cause serious health issues; one such mold is black mold often found growing in homes. Sensitivity to mold is highly individualistic, but children and the elderly are typically at increased risk.

“According to a 1999 Mayo Clinic Study, nearly all chronic sinus infections (afflicting 37 million Americans) are a result of molds.  A 300% increase in the asthma rate of the past 20 years has been linked to molds (according to 1999 USA Today Cover Story).”

“The CDC reports more than 20 million people, including over 6 million children, have asthma, accounting for over 10 million outpatient clinic visits, nearly 2 million emergency department visits and nearly 4,500 deaths annually (2000). Asthma is the most common serious chronic disease of childhood, and the third-ranking cause of hospitalization among children under 15. In 2003, an estimated 12.8 million school days were missed due to asthma.31 The estimated cost of treating asthma in those under 18 is $3.2 billion per year.”

“Allergic response to mold include runny noses, itchy-watery eyes, coughing, sneezing, and throat irritation to more severe symptoms caused by chronic conditions such as sinusitis and asthma.” http://www.toxic-black-mold-info.com/moldhealth.htm

I have read a number of articles that says mold is on the rise, but they claim they don’t know why. In my humble, but expert opinion, it doesn’t take rocket science to understand why. Funny thing… since the mid-1980′s building codes began to change requiring much tighter and tighter building envelopes. Since that time mold has become increasingly a bigger and bigger problem in homes.  Tighter building envelopes create the conditions for moisture (homes can’t breath), one of the critical elements for mold to grow.  All it takes is a nail hole, a rip in the vapor barrier, glue missing someplace , gaps around electrical outlets, any number of construction imperfections and we all know that construction installation is 100% perfect, right?

Compound this with homeowners not even knowing they have HRV or ERV systems that need maintenance. When was the last time you maintained your mechanical fresh air system? Once I had a tornado reconstruction job and the customer complained about  high moisture in the house, so we investigated. We discovered the HRV system had not had the filters cleaned since the house was built more than ten years prior. We knew this because the seal had not been broken. The HRV was literally packed full with dust, dirt and debris (Sorry Steve).  The HRV was not working properly, which meant all moisture being created in the house could not leave and no fresh air was circulating. Do you think the conditions for mold were present? You bet. Mechanical ventilation is great, but it requires regular maintenance.

Then there is always the pursuit of greed that gets in the way too. About five years ago, I bought a bunch of beautiful executive houses from a certain national builder. I quickly sold them all except one which I proceeded to rent. After several years the tenant moved out and we had to paint the home and do some routine maintenance. Towards the end of the repairs, I was inspecting the house and noticed the exhaust fan in the upper hall main bath ran all the time. I tried to the wall switches, but they wouldn’t turn the fan off. Naturally, I thought something was wrong. I called in an electrician to check it out and he informed me the fan was “hard wired” and was the cheap way some builders address fresh air circulation code requirements. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. By code, the house is completely wrapped in plastic and does not have an  HRV or ERV fresh air system. Instead, the bathroom exhaust fan serves to meet building code.  The builder saved $1,500 (this was a supposedly $400,00 house), but in my mind the builder should have their license revoked permanently.  This national builder put thousands of occupants at risk and the buyers probably have no clue.

Bottom-line, mold is a major problem, even in new home construction today.  Building to the minimum building codes is still creating the conditions for mold to grow and create sick houses. There are better solutions, which Amaris employs.

Before we end todays blogging post, let’s take a test:

1) Some new homes have mold starting to grow the day they are delivered? True / False

2) Newer homes (post 1980) have more chance to have or grow mold? True / False

3) Your home may have mold, even if you can’t see it? True / False

3) Mold is dangerous to our health? True / False

Next up Formaldehyde and get answers to the test above.

Was Air Quality on the top of your list of “must have’s” for your last home purchase?

Let’s be truthful, if you are like most people air quality probably didn’t make your “must have” list and in fact I bet you didn’t give much, if any, consideration to air quality when buying existing or building a new home,  but it is VERY-VERY-VERY important.

In the last several years, a growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities.  Other research indicates that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors. Thus, for many people, the risks to health may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors.

Consider the following….

RADON: Unlike natural gas that has a scent added so you can smell it, radon is a completely colorless, odorless, radioactive gas. The most common source of indoor radon is uranium in the soil that naturally breaks down and releases into the air as a gas called radon. The EPA estimates that one in every fifteen homes in the United States has radon (http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/pubs/gbstats.pdf ).  It is fair to assume that this percentage is higher in the midwest (Zone 1) where Radon is more concentrated (http://www.epa.gov/radon/images/zonemapcolor_800.jpg). The Mayo clinic reported more than ten years ago that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer second only to tobacco smoke (http://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/tc/radon-health-effects-of-radon-exposure).

The EPA reports that exposure to radon in the home is responsible for an estimated 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year. http://www.epa.gov/radon/index.html.

Many of the people being diagnosed with lung cancer, never smoked a day in their lives. Shockingly, it wasn’t until 2009 that Minnesota Building Code even began requiring Radon Protection Systems be installed in a new home. Even now only a Passive Radon Protection Systems are required which is nothing more than a vent pipe connected to your sump. I am sure this had something to do with politics and some group lobbying law makers. Amaris installs Active Radon Protection Systems.  An Active Radon Protection System involves a simple in-line fan in the attic that runs 24/7. We just feel that a $150-300 exhaust fan is well worth it for our customers considering the health concerns.

Next up mold.  This is gonna get very interesting…