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Articles & Agencies
- The Consumer Product Safety Commission "estimates that the problem costs the country as much as $100 billion a year in medical costs and lost days at work.
- "The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "Indoor air pollution as one of the top four environmental threats facing the country."
- USA Today wrote "Asthma, dust mites are linked."
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), found that "health threatening volatile organic compounds can be found in concentrations 100 times higher in enclosed spaces than outdoors. Even if a building is next to a major outdoor polluting source, the levels of pollution inside the building will be two to five times higher indoors than outdoors."
- The Massachusetts Special Legislative Commission on indoor air pollution, found that 20% of all office workers in tightly constructed buildings have shown symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) or Tight Building Syndrome (TBS).
- The Wall Street Journal wrote: "As Scientists hone in on their ability to determine what levels of contamination make people sick, lawsuits are expected to grow sharply.
- The South Florida Savings Bank moved from a new building after employees complained of nausea, chest pains and fatigue. If it had been established later that the employee' illnesses were building-related, the thrift might have been held liable."
- The Boston Globe quoted an official of the Harvard School of Public Health; "Of course, indoor pollution is the largest public health problem we have, some people say it's responsible for as high as 60 to 70 percent of all illness." "The real solution to indoor air pollution is getting rid of the sources."
- Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News, wrote: "Consultant says air ducts have more germs than a chicken coop"
National Institute of Health said, We usually think of air pollution as being outdoors, but the air in your house or office could also be polluted. Sources of indoor pollution include
- Biological contaminants like mold and pollen
- Tobacco smoke
- Household products and pesticides
- Gases such as radon and carbon monoxide
- Materials used in the building such as asbestos, formaldehyde and lead
Indoor Air Quality Severely Lacking
A recent study shows over 97% of homes were found to have lower than acceptable levels of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ).* These findings were recorded based upon over 49,000 individual tests performed over a two year period.
Why is this important?
During each minute the nearly 21 hours we spend indoors each day, we take in between one and two gallons of air. This air contains not only the oxygen we need to survive, but air pollutant levels that are usually 2 to 5 times higher than outdoors, and can get up to 100 times higher. These air pollutants include the following:
- Particle Allergens
- Chemical Pollutants
- Carbon Dioxide
- Excessive Temperatures
- Excess Humidity
- Carbon Monoxide
What problems can poor IAQ cause?
Poor IAQ is one of the top 5 most urgent environmental risks to public health. Despite this fact, many consumers are unaware that it could even potentially be a problem, much less that it can cause problems associated with the following conditions:
- Asthma
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Cancer
- Lead Exposure
- Birth Defects
- Neurobehavioral Disorders
Does this affect me?
Each year 342,000 lives are lost because of lung disease: 20 million people have allergy problems, and spending on allergy and asthma symptoms stands at over $5 billion per year. Over 97% of the homes surveyed showed unacceptable levels of at least one type of pollutant. So, chances are, it is affecting you right now.
What can I do?
While poor IAQ is a significant problem, there are actions each homeowner can take to improve it. For example, limiting smoking indoors, using exhaust fans while cooking, and properly maintaining your air conditioning and heating systems are all simple steps you can take to improve IAQ.
One common place where allergens build up in the home is in the duct work of your air/heating systems. In order to properly maintain these systems, the air ducts should be properly cleaned. Using advanced cleaning techniques and technology like the Rotobrush aiR+® air duct cleaning system and video inspection, Capstone can help reduce pollutants in your home.
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