What air problem?
 

Drive behind a truck on the interstate that burps out a cloud of thick black exhaust and you instantly identify it:  air pollution.

Pass a factory with smokestacks billowing dark gray smoke into the sky and you see contaminants being released into the air.

But have you even considered the air inside your own home?  Sobering studies by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency show that "Indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air."  It's no surprise, then, that the Environmental Protection Agency ranks indoor air pollution as a high public health risk.


Just how did we get here?

The energy crisis of the 1970s called for new building codes that allowed for decreased air movement per person, per household — changing from 15 cubic feet to 3 cubic feet.  The end result was a more energy and cost efficient home.  Today, we realize that these tighter building and remodeling practices have left us with a polluted, toxic indoor living environment, often referred to as "Sick Home Syndrome."

How do I contribute to this problem?

Many indoor pollutants come from material used in the construction process or from furnishings and chemicals brought into the home.  What's more, everyday living adds to the problem: showering, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, and vacuuming; using hairspray, nail polish, paint; even petting the family dog — it all leads to a more polluted indoor environment, as these toxins have no way to escape the home.

  


Moisture:  Another Contributing Factor

According to the EPA, moisture is a key ingredient to indoor pollution, which is generated by some of these everyday activities, such as showering and cooking.  Three major issues present in today's energy efficient homes magnify the moisture problem:

  • Tighter homes do not provide an escape route for the moisture
  • The resulting buildup of excess moisture leads to dangerous mold growth
  • Homes lack proper ventilation, so we constantly breathe in the same stale air 

Moisture Breeds Mold

Invasive.  Toxic.  Deadly.  We've read news articles and seen TV reports about the dangers of toxic mold — and the growing number of lawsuits based on property damage and illness caused by the fungus. 

The reality is that mold poses a threat to all of us.  From costly insurance premiums to asthma and other respiratory ailments, mold is a growing problem — one that can be controlled by eliminating its source:  excess moisture.
 

 

Questions?  Want to learn more?  Call us at 1-913-226-6326 or e-mail ezbreathe@rbekc.com

  

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