THE AIR YOU BREATHE, CARBON MONOXIDE & THE TRUTH ABOUT MOLD
The Air You Breathe
Unfortunately, in today’s world, pollution is everywhere. And with the type of cleaning products, manmade goods, and activities undertaken within homes and buildings, indoor environments can become very uncomfortable. Even the air we consider to be “fresh” outdoor air has as many as 30 million dust or pollutant particles per cubic foot.
There are, however, measures that can be taken to lessen the effects of these particles in our homes. Since the home is essentially an enclosed system, we are able to take pollution head-on because the air is artificially moved around in our homes. By moving the air through a high efficiency air cleaner, we can remove many of the pollutants that cause discomfort.
What does an air cleaner do?
At a basic level, an air cleaner should filter out the particles that cause irritation such as pollen, spores, dust and other contaminates that circulate in our homes everyday. In order for any air cleaner to work correctly, the particles need to pass through it. Hence, if the particles are not in the airstream (i.e., dust on furniture), it is unreasonable to assume that these particles will be removed. However, a good air cleaner will:
- Remove allergy-causing particles that pass through it.
- Perform well consistently.
- Be economical to maintain.
- Handle a large volume of air efficiently.
How can an air cleaner help with allergies?
Ask most doctors and they’re likely to tell you that the best way to treat someone with allergies is to remove the offending allergen. By using an air cleaner, you can effectively reduce or remove pollutants, pollen, airborne mold spores and other harmful, unwanted irritants. This can be accomplished by selecting a portable air cleaner for smaller spaces or a whole-house air cleaner that works in conjunction with your forced air system to provide cleaner air throughout your home.
What kinds of residential air cleaners are out there?
There are basically two: a furnace-mounted, whole-house unit and portable single-room unit. Both types of cleaners have different models with varying methods of cleaning the air and capacities for doing so. Your dwelling may help determine the right unit for your needs. An apartment, for example, may better utilize a room air cleaner, while a home with a furnace and/or air conditioning system might be best suited to a whole-house unit. It’s important to note that both room and system air cleaners come in a variety of models, and that not all models use the same technology to clean the air.
Each cleaner type has its pros and cons, which may differ depending on your air cleaning requirements. Take a look at what your needs are based on your dwelling and choose the best unit to maximize the benefits.
What are the most effective air cleaners?
Media Air Cleaners
These units use high efficiency pleated media to remove larger particles with over 99% efficiency, including many allergens. With irritants in the spore and pollen range, they are as effective as HEPA filters. Where they differ is in their capability to filter out the super small particulate such as bacteria, viruses and respirable dust. Media air cleaners are cost effective compared to HEPA filters because the media is usually less expensive and generally needs to be replaced only once every one or two years.
HEPA Air Cleaners
HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) cleaners use high efficiency pleated media (filter) to remove particles. To be designated a HEPA, an air cleaner must remove 99.97% of all particles 0.3 microns (dust and mold spores) in size. Due to high cost, operational complications and other problems, HEPA units are usually seen in residential applications as one-room, portable units. When media in these units needs to be replaced, it’s often relatively expensive to do so. Some require charcoal filters that need to be cleaned frequently. Warranties for HEPA cleaners are normally one to three years.
Electrostatic Air Filters
Based on heating and air conditioning industry standards, electrostatic air filters are not recognized as true high efficiency air cleaners. However, they are generally recognized as being more effective than the standard one-inch throw-away filters. Electrostatic air filters depend on the movement of the air through the filter to give particles a weak electronic charge. Usually, these models are less than 20% efficient, with some models having efficiencies of less than 5%. They need to be cleaned often to maintain air flow, sometimes weekly. Electrostatic air filters have warranties ranging from one year to lifetime.
Electronic Air Cleaners
There are two types of electronic air cleaners. Both electrically charge particles and attract them to a collection material. The standard electronic air cleaner will collect charged particles on a “plate” designed to attract those particles. Most electronic cleaners can obtain 95% efficiency or more on various particles when the collection plates and ionizing wires are clean, but they can lose some efficiency as they collect dirt. A newer technology in electronic air cleaners is called electronically enhanced media. It combines elements of both electronic and media air cleaners. Particles are electrically charged and then collected by the massive air cleaning media of a traditional high efficiency cleaner. The replacement of the media is simple and there are no plates to clean, efficiency is maintained throughout the media’s life. Electronically enhanced media air cleaners are 99% effective in the removal of numerous particle categories. Electronic air cleaners generally have warranties of one to five years.
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PREVENTING DANGER: CARBON MONOXIDE An Ounce of Prevention
Carbon monoxide (CO) gas kills more than 500 people every year in the United States. It’s odorless and colorless, so you won’t know you’re inhaling it. Although the level of CO in most homes is not harmful, be concerned if you have any of these symptoms:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Vomiting
- Chest pain
- Confusion
If you experience these symptoms while you’re inside, open all the windows, turn off all fuel-burning appliances, and get out of the house. Go to the emergency room or call 911 if the symptoms are severe. Tell the doctors or emergency medical technicians that you think you may have CO poisoning.
When you return home, keep the windows open and call a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) contractor and ask him or her to come to your home and check for leaks in your HVAC system, especially if your furnace is gas- or oil-fired. Call other professionals who can check your stove, fireplaces, and space heaters.
What you can do to protect yourself and your family
Any heater or motor that burns natural gas, gasoline, coal, kerosene, diesel fuel, or charcoal can leak carbon monoxide. If a furnace or other appliance or a car or truck that burns one of these fuels is not vented properly, CO can build up inside your home or vehicle.
In your home:
- Install a carbon monoxide detector in your house. Check the battery every time you check your smoke-detector batteries, twice a year. A good way to remember is to do this when daylight savings time begins and ends or the first day of spring and fall.
- Every year, have an expert inspect and service all of your fuel-burning appliances, such as your furnace, gas water heater, fireplaces, gas stove, or portable butane or kerosene heater.
- Never burn anything in an improperly vented stove or fireplace, never burn charcoal indoors, and never use a gas oven to heat your house. Such actions can cause carbon monoxide to build up.
- If your home’s electric power goes out, you may need to use an alternate source of heat. Never use grills, camp stoves, or other gasoline- or charcoal-burning devices inside your home or garage. Do not run a gasoline-powered generator in an enclosed space (such as your basement or garage) or outside a window or door where the exhaust could blow into your home and cause carbon monoxide poisoning. If it’s cold and you have no safe alternative for heating, stay with friends or family or in a shelter.
In your car or truck:
- Never run the engine of your car or truck while it’s in the garage, whether the garage door is open or closed. If the garage is attached to your house, move your car outside to warm it up. Running the engine of your car or truck inside an attached garage could blow harmful fumes into your home.
- After a snow or ice storm, make sure your car or truck’s tailpipe isn’t blocked. A blocked tailpipe can cause harmful exhaust to enter the passenger section of your vehicle.
These are all simple, inexpensive steps you can take to ensure your and your family’s safety. And as we all know, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
For more information about carbon monoxide and other indoor air pollutants, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at http://www.cdc.gov/ .
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The Truth About Mold
There's Good Mold and There's Bad Mold
Molds are the “bleu” in bleu cheese and Roquefort. Molds improve our wine. They produce penicillin and antibiotics and are used widely in the food and beverage industry. Without mold and mold’s decaying mechanism, the natural environment would be overwhelmed with large amounts of dead organic matter.
Despite many harmless and beneficial molds, some molds can be toxic and pose very serious health threats to humans. The Environmental Protective Agency (EPA) cautions that all molds can cause health problems under the right conditions. The word “toxic” is used to refer to mold that produces toxic compounds, or mycotoxins.
Often included in the list of toxic molds is Stachybotrys Chartarum, a greenish-black mold, which can grow on high cellulose, low nitrogen materials such as fiberboard, drywall, paper, dust and lint in the presence of moisture.
How to Minimize Mold Growth
Mold is a natural byproduct of the fungi family that thrive when nutrients—primarily organic substances and water—are found in the right conditions. These organic substances include materials commonly found in buildings: soil, dead plants, carpets, drywall, fiberboard, wood, paper, dust, lint, and etc. Mold propagates via spores that can remain dormant—yet viable—for years during periods when moisture is not present. Mold issues require education, identification, remediation, and solutions to minimize mold growth in the environments we live.
HVACR mechanical systems are not generators of mold. Their metallic surfaces do not provide the organic matter mold needs to grow. However, systems that are not well maintained could support mold growth. It's important that your system:
- Be designed and installed correctly
- Be properly maintained regularly
- Control the moisture in your building
- Use good filtration methods to keep your air clean
Preventing Mold
- Consider air conditioning possibly augmented with a dehumidification system. These systems pull the moisture from the building thus minimizing growth by depriving mold of one of its nutrients.
- Use caution when you turning your air conditioning off. In humid climates, extended periods of non-operation of HVAC equipment may allow humidity levels to become quite high in buildings. These periods can permit mold to gain a foothold in the building and thrive.
- Install insulation and vapor barriers to prevent condensation on cold objects such as water pipes, beams, and plumbing fixtures.
- Keep sinks, showers, tubs and other “wet” areas free of standing water.
- Demand architectural, design, and construction applications that prevent water from entering the interior. Areas of concern include improperly pitched roofs, poorly designed balconies, windows, doors, improperly installed flashing, vapor barriers, and thin stucco.
- Maintain the integrity of the building envelope through regular inspections, caulking, roof flashing, and sealing of the buildings exterior.
- Perform semi-annual maintenance of HVAC mechanical systems using Preventative Maintenance Agreements with your ACCA-member contractor. If water pooling or dust and dirt are allowed to accumulate in a system, the HVAC system could support mold growth.
- Inform your HVAC contractor of your mold concerns and point out locations of suspicion or evidence of mold.
- Educate your family or building occupants about mold, the dangers, and prevention.
Potential Adverse Health Effects of Mold
There are correlations of mold exposure contributing to the following symptoms:
- Allergic reactions, including irritation of the eyes, nose, or throat
- Flu-like symptoms, including fatigue, dizziness, headaches, and diarrhea
- Worsening of asthma.
Some molds can amplify poor Indoor Air Quality and are capable of making people sick.
If You Suspect Mold in Your Home or Building
The first step is to alert your HVAC contractor and/or the building contractor (if the building is relatively new) regarding your concerns. The next step is education and exploring solutions. If mold is found, identifying the type will help establish whether any dangers are present. If health issues are present, evacuation, abatement, and remediation are necessary.
The identification of mold requires specialized testing and laboratory analysis to determine the type of mold and any of the health hazards that may be associated with it.
If your HVAC contractor does not perform mold analysis, abatement, and remediation, they may be able to identify a partnering company that is trained and certified in this type of work.
