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Quebec Respiratory Health Foundation / Quebec Lung Association
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Pollution & air quality

Indoor air quality

Your home

Your home should be a safe and comforting, not a place that makes you sick. People can have air quality problems in any kind of home, new or old. The good news is that you can do something right now to improve the indoor air quality in your home.

Many things in your home can cause air quality problems. Learn more about these potential problems and how to solve them:

Common air quality problems in each room in your home

In the kitchen:

In the living room:

In the bathroom:

In the garage:

In the basement:

Healthy Home Audit

If you think that the air you breathe may be unhealthy, download the Lung Association's Healthy Home Audit to carefully diagnose your home's air quality problems.

Should I have the air in my home tested?

Testing for indoor air contaminants is possible, though not usually necessary. For example, if you see visible mould, it needs to be cleaned up. You then need to correct the problem (leaky pipe, excess moisture, etc.) that caused the mould to grow in the first place. If you notice a musty or mouldy odour in your home, trace it to its source and deal with the problem there.

You should remove obvious sources of contaminants as soon as possible, unless "before and after" documentation is required for medical and legal reasons. Testing can then be performed, if necessary, to pinpoint any residual contaminants that may be contributing to ongoing health problems.

If you or others in the home are experiencing symptoms which you feel are caused by something inside your home, check out the The Lung Association's Healthy Home Audit (PDF) or visit www.YourHealthyHome.ca, a website that takes you on a tour of a typical house and points out air quality trouble spots.

If you still can't find the sources of your symptoms, you may next want to consider air sampling by a qualified professional. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has a list of trained Indoor Air Investigators; call CMHC at 1-800-668-2642 to see if there is an investigator in your area. Or, check the yellow pages in your phone directory under 'Environmental Consultants' to see if indoor air quality services are available. Ask about the consultant's training. Inquire what they base their analysis on and if you will be provided with a written report. Ask for references and contact the Better Business Bureau.

Carpets, old and new

Carpets, underpadding and adhesives are all part of your floor covering and may affect air quality indoors. Carpets may be a source of both chemical and biological pollution in your home. Carpets emit a variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), gases which are emitted at room temperature. One of these, 4-phenylcyclohexene (4-PC) is primarily responsible for the odour associated with new carpet installation. Other VOCs detected in carpet emissions include styrene, toluene, formaldehyde, a variety of benzenes and many others. The cushion and adhesives are also sources of emissions. During the manufacturing process chemicals such as dyes, pesticides, fungicides, fire retardants and anti-stain coatings are added. These additive are frequently released into the air indoors.

Carpets also act as a "sink" for chemical and biological pollutants. In other words, they collect airborne pollutants and substances that may be spilled or tracked in from the outdoors. As well, studies have found that biological pollutants such as bacteria, mites and fungi are commonly found in carpets. Removing a carpet that has been in place for a long time can be a sobering experience, when we see and smell the pollutants in and under it.

Health effects of carpets

The chemical emissions from carpets may be responsible for a variety of adverse health effects including eye, nose and throat irritations, allergy or flue-like symptoms and fatigue. Often these effects occur during or immediately after the installation of carpets.

Allergic reactions may be the most common health problem associated with biological agents and carpet. These reactions can range from mildly uncomfortable to life threatening, as in a sever asthma attack. Some common signs and symptoms are a runny nose and sneezing, coughing, wheezing and difficulty in breathing, headache, fatigue and watery eyes. Little information exists about the possible long-term health effects of exposure to these chemical and biological contaminants.

Parents should avoid letting their babies and toddlers crawl on a new or dirty carpets since they risk breathing in full dose of biological and chemical contaminants.

What you can do about the possible problems with carpets

New Carpet Installation

Care of Old Carpets

Humidity - not enough

The air in my home feels dry. Should I install a humidifier?

Before installing a humidifier, buy a hygrometer (humidity measuring device) to measure your indoor humidity. You can buy a hygrometer at an electronic specialty store or a hardware store.

If the winter humidity is less than 30% Relative Humidity (R.H.), a humidifier may be helpful. There a couple of things you should keep in mind, though:

Humidity - too much

The air in my home feels too moist, especially in the basement. Should I install a dehumidifier?

When household humidity levels exceed 60% Relative Humidity, there is a danger of encouraging growth of dust mites and mould growth. Buy a hygrometer, a humidity measuring tool (available from electronic specialty stores or hardware stores), and measure exactly what humidity levels you are dealing with in various parts of the home.

In most parts of the country, it's a good idea to keep a dehumidifier in the basement and to run it, especially in hot and muggy weather. Insulating cold water pipes and toilet tanks will also help to avoid condensation and water dripping during a humid summer season.

Pesticides indoors

Pesticides are chemical or biological substances used to destroy living things such as: insects (insecticides), plants (herbicides), termites (termicides), rodents (rodenticides) and fungi(fungicides). They are sold most commonly as sprays, liquids, sticks and powders.

Pesticides are a problem whenever they are used indoors. Besides their immediate toxicity, many pesticides stick around after their initial application. This means you continue to breathe them in long after they are applied. For example, chlordane, which was used for termite and carpenter ant control and is now banned, may last for over twenty years.

In some cases, people may be unaware that pesticides are being applied in their residence. Exposure to pesticides occurs through skin contact, by ingestion or by inhalation. They can enter your home in a variety of ways:

Health effects of pesticides indoors

Pesticides are a concern because they cannot be adequately tested for long-term adverse health effects on humans. Nor can the mix of chemicals to which we are exposed or the varied responses of humans be replicated under laboratory conditions. It stands to reason that if pesticides can kill pests, then pesticides may also harm us. Pesticides are a broad category of complex chemicals which may cause many immediate and long term negative health effects. These range from:

There are approximately 1,200 ingredients registered for use in pesticide formulations, some of which (e.g. lindane used in shampoo for head lice) are suspected carcinogens.

What you can do about pesticides indoors

The best way to avoid indoor air pollution from pesticides is to not use them at all. The alternative is to implement an integrated pest-management program, with the most important element being prevention.

Caution against cosmetic pesticides:

The Lung Association strongly advises against the use of pesticides. In situations where their use is out of your control, landlords are required to give seven days notice to enact regular repairs and twenty four hours notice to enter your premises for an inspection. Therefore, try to persuade the landlord ask for a pesticide-free treatment (such as glue traps) from the pest management company. If all else fails, and your apartment is to be sprayed:

Biological pollutants

Biological agents, or pollutants, are things that are or were once living organisms. Some common biological agents are:

Biological agents contribute to poor indoor air quality and may be a major cause of days lost from work or school, and of doctor and hospital visits. Biological pollutants are often invisible and when airborne can be inhaled into your lungs. Some biological pollutants can even damage surfaces inside and outside your house.

Biological agents need two things to grow: nutrients and moisture. Around your home, sources of biological pollutants include:

Decreased ventilation may increase problems with biological pollutants around your home.

Health effects of biological pollutants

We are all exposed to biological pollutants and have evolved to survive low exposures. In many cases, adverse health effects depend on the type and amount of biological pollution, and on individual sensitivities.

Allergic reactions may be the most common health problem associated with biological agents. They are often related to animal dander (mostly from dogs and cats), dust mites and pollen. Reactions can range from mildly uncomfortable to life-threatening, as in a severe asthma attack.

Some common signs and symptoms include:

People with asthma are especially susceptible to allergic problems caused by biological agents. Their very sensitive airways can react to various allergens and irritants, making breathing difficult.

Infectious diseases are another health problem caused by biological agents. Bacteria and viruses, such as the flu, measles, chicken pox and tuberculosis may be spread indoors. Crowded conditions with poor air circulation can promote this spread.

Toxic reactions are the least studied and least understood problems associated with biological agents. Some research suggests that toxins related to biological agents can damage a variety of organs and tissues in the body, including the liver, the central nervous system, the digestive tract and the immune system.

What you can do about biological contaminants in your home

Before you give away the family pet or move, there are less drastic steps that can be taken to reduce potential problems. Proper cleaning and maintenance can help reduce problems with biological agents.

The following solutions will really help. People living with asthma or allergies may need to do these things and more:

Asbestos

Asbestos is a naturally occurring group of minerals that separate into very fine, extremely durable fibres. Since the 1940s, asbestos has been used widely; it's been used because is not affected by heat or chemicals and does not conduct electricity. Today, more than 30,000 commonly-used products contain asbestos. In your home asbestos may be found in:

  • Pipe and duct installation
  • Hair dryers
  • Floor tiles
  • Roofing materials
  • Electrical wires
  • Artificial fireplaces
  • Textured paints
  • Toasters
  • Furnaces
  • Many other products

Asbestos is rarely used alone. When combined with other materials, asbestos fibres remain firmly bonded and are rarely released into the air, posing no health risk. But occasionally asbestos fibres become loose and airborne, most often when contained in soft, easily crumbled materials such as insulation on boilers and steam heating pipes used in some older homes. Even in such well-bonded materials as floor tiles, asbestos can become loose and airborne when these materials are cut, scraped, filed, sanded or removed. Sometimes, during home renovation or repair, asbestos fibres may become airborne. If a significant quantity become airborne and inhaled, it can remain in the lungs for a long time. It is important to know that very few houses or other non-industrial buildings have high levels of asbestos in the air.

Health effects of asbestos

Asbestos must enter the body to be harmful. The most common way for this to occur is by breathing it into the lungs, where asbestos fibres can have serious effects on health. Asbestos can cause asbestosis, a scarring of the lungs that leads to breathing problems and heart failure. Workers who manufacture or use asbestos products and have a high exposure to asbestos are often affected with asbestosis. Inhalation of asbestos can also cause lung cancer. People who smoke and are exposed to asbestos have a much greater risk of developing lung cancer than from smoking alone.

From studies of people exposed to asbestos in factories and shipyards, we know that symptoms of these disease may not appear until 20 to 30 years after the first exposure. However, most people exposed to small amounts of asbestos, as we all are in our daily lives, do not develop these health problems.

What you can do about asbestos

Determine whether certain materials in your home are releasing asbestos fibres. In general, you may have asbestos-containing materials in your home (e.g. insulation on boilers and steam heating pipes) if it was built before 1978. If the material is in good shape and will not be disturbed, leave it alone. If you are concerned, you may want to have the materials in question inspected and repaired by a professional. Removal is a last resort.

Repair usually involves either sealing or covering asbestos material. Repairs should be done by a professional trained in methods for safely handling asbestos to avoid risking exposure to fibres.

Asbestos Do's and Don'ts:

DO

DON'T

What to do if you find mould in your home

If you find mould in your home, assess the damage. People can usually clean small and moderate amounts of mould themselves; larger amounts of mould should be removed by a professional. Follow these directions on how to clean up mould, from Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless gas that is produces as a result of incomplete burning of carbon-containing fuels. Many Canadians die every year and thousands of others become ill or need medical attention from carbon monoxide poisoning related to residential combustion appliances.

Any fuel-burning appliance that is not adequately vented and maintained can be a potential source of CO, including:

Health effects of carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide exposures especially affect unborn babies, infants and people with anemia or a history of respiratory or heart disease. Breathing in low levels of CO can cause fatigue and increase chest pain in people with chronic heart disease.

Breathing in higher levels of carbon monoxide causes flu-like symptoms such as:

At very high levels, carbon monoxide causes loss of consciousness and death.

What you can do about carbon monoxide

Preventing carbon monoxide poisoning from exposure to dangerous levels of carbon monoxide in the home is possible by taking some simple steps:

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Last updated on February 01, 2012

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