Medical Conditions

How healthy is my house, and what are the health impacts?

Many sources are present or come into our home and contribute to what is now epidemic proportions in asthma, allergies, and other respiratory sicknesses.

Many of these danger agents are subtle in signs... until symptoms start to show. What you are about to read is very serious and prevelant - concerns from the American Lung Association, the American Heart Association, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Indoor Health Care Network recognize the following information and follow-up Indoor Health Care Home Check List to be of vital concern for you and your family.

Biological contaminants include bacteria, mold and mildew, viruses, mites, pollen, and animal dander. Biological agents can be inhaled directly or may be attached to dust particles that are inhaled. Respiratory illnesses, such as colds, flu and pneumonia, can be caused by inhaled viruses or bacteria. Allergic reactions to pollen, molds, mildew, mites, and animal allergens are also possible.

Exposure to biological agents may cause or worsen asthma. Particles are broken down by the EPA into two categories: Large particulate and Small particulate. Large particles are those which are trapped by our mucous membranes and either sneezed out or otherwise expelled by our bodies. Small or fine particles refers to tiny particles or droplets in the air that are two and one half microns or less in width.

Understanding the Science of Clean Air:

What's In My Air?
We can't see them or taste them, but they're there, subtly thick but invisible to the human eye. The particles of pollution are measured in microns. We can't see them, but when we wake up in the morning, we clear our throats from the over two tablespoons full of particle phlegm, each day, every year, until issues arise with symptoms of one sort or another.

If they're almost invisible, what harm can they do?
Like inches, meters and miles, a micron is a unit of measurement for distance.There are about 25,000 microns in an inch. The widths of the larger particles in the PM 2.5 size range would be about thirty times smaller than that of a human hair.

The smaller particles are so small that several thousand of them could fit on the period at the end of this sentence, or millions can and do process through our lung machinery each day. And our lungs, in 2005, are getting overworked. Hence, the doubling of allergies in this country since only the 1970's, according to USA Today, considered to be a most remarkable increase.

Consider the Short Term Health Affects:
Fine particles (PM 2.5) are able to travel deeply into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs. Exposure to fine particles can cause short-term health effects such as eye, nose, throat and lung irritation, coughing, snezzing, runny nose and shortness of breath.

Beware the Long Term Health Affects:
Exposure to fine particles can also affect lung function and worsen medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease. Scientific studies have linked increases in daily fine particles with increased respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions, emergency department visits and deaths.

Recent studies suggest that long term exposure to particulate matter may be associated with increased rates of bronchitis and reduced lung function. People with breathing and heart problems, children and the elderly may be particularly sensitive to fine particles.

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