Another major danger in the home – one that causes serious injury in lung cells, is radon, which silently hides in your living space, killing about 21,000 Americans each year. Although radon is a cancer-causing environmental hazard and not traditionally considered an injury, radon-related deaths can be avoided, and should be considered when assessing your home for safety.

Observe Home Safety Month by installing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and safety devices to protect your children, and take other recommended measures to make yourself and your family safer in your home. And don’t forget to test for radon, the number one cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers, the second leading cause of lung cancer overall, and the cause of as many, if not more, home-related deaths than any other single, avoidable cause, including unintentional injuries.

Green remodeling can be done at varying levels of cost and intensity designed to meet a wide spectrum of budgets.  At the higher end, a crew renovating a home in Minnesota spent $250,000 for an all out renovation including installing a radon mitigation system.

Some upgrades they performed are as follows:

1.    Energy Star-rated windows
2.    Low VOC paint
3.    Spray foam insulation
4.    Low flow faucets

Green remodeling and renovation can start with smaller steps like installing low-flow shower heads, fluorescent light bulbs in all fixtures, and using eco friendly paint in household projects.  You can learn more about how to make your home healthier by reading the EPA’s Guide to Healthy Homes.
 

The new program will do the same thing as the original cash for clunkers but is designed to get people to trade in their energy-hogging appliances for something bearing the Energy Star label.  With $300 million set aside for this stimulus plan the government intends to give out $50 to $200 rebates for new appliances.  The new appliances must be Energy Star certified, meaning they will save not only money but the environment.   

As an added bonus there is no trade-in required.  Each state will decide how to distribute the rebates and will begin doing so in late October.  Twenty-five states already have rebate programs.  The rest will be creating a whole new program.  To find out more information about stimulus projects in your state, click here.
 

People have long used financial consultants to help get a better sense of how to save and invest their money to improve their lives.  It only makes sense that green consultants are now working to help people improve their families’ lives and minimize their environmental impact.  

Green consulting involves a consultant analyzing your lifestyle and your home and then suggesting changes that would reap benefits both for you and for your environment (and many times, even your wallet).  Here are some tips that many green consultants have offered to help families green their lives and the planet:

1.    Unplug appliances when not in use
2.    Reduce air and auto travel if possible
3.    Use eco-friendly appliances and light bulbs

Without too much effort, we can all make a difference.

The Call to Action to Promote Healthy Homes is for everyone who has an impact on or stake in housing, including individuals, community groups, home lenders, developers, builders, and policy makers.  It is a response to the continuing prevalence of preventable health hazards in many homes like radon, lead paint, house fires, falls, and drowning.  Some steps to protect your family are:  installing home radon test kits , testing for lead paint, installation of smoke detectors, putting up bath railings, and many more.  Click here for a checklist of what you need to make your home healthy.

The goals of the call to action are to:  

• Ensure Healthy, Safe, Affordable and Accessible Homes 
• Increase Public Awareness and Promote Health Literacy 
• Conduct Healthy Homes Research 
• Translate Research into Practice and Policy

To read the whole Call to Action to Promote Healthy Homes, click here.

For the last few months newspapers and TV stations from Texas to Iowa, from New York to Seattle and points in between have been telling us that granite countertops can emit hazardous radon gas. But it wasn’t until the New York Times published "What’s lurking in your countertop?"  on July 24, 2008 that we began to receive calls asking us to comment on this increasingly emotional and controversial issue.

We have spoken with our own experts here at HomeAire and its parent company Spruce Environmental Technologies as well as with radon researchers and scientists across the country. All agree that radon is a dangerous gas that is known to cause lung cancer. (Radon-induced lung cancer kills more than 21,000 Americans each year.) They also agree that the most significant potential source of radon in your home is the rocks and soil beneath it, but that building materials such as granite also can emit radon.

Because of the escalation of public concern, the Technical and Science Committee of the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST), whose members include many of the world’s leading radon researchers, educators and mitigation experts, released a statement on August 5, 2008 that presents the current opinion regarding the danger of granite countertops and recommends steps for determining whether you and your family are at risk from radon in your countertops.

Here is an excerpt from the AARST statement:

Radon Risk

The primary concern about indoor radon gas is the increased risk of lung cancer that exists from breathing radon and its byproducts. The magnitude of the risk depends on the radon concentration in the air you breathe and how long you are breathing it. Radon gas is a serious national concern. The risk of radon-related lung cancer increases the longer you are exposed although any exposure to radon poses some risk.
 
Testing for radon in the air you breathe should be a high priority and the first step for anyone concerned about radon gas. The US Surgeon General, US EPA, AARST and the American Lung Association recommend that all homes be tested for radon gas.
 
At this time, the EPA does not believe sufficient data exists to conclude that the types of granite commonly used in countertops are significantly increasing indoor radon levels.

Radon Sources Including Granite

Soil, sand, and rock underneath the home are the primary sources of indoor radon gas. The soil under a house always contains traces of uranium that eventually decays into radium that then decays directly into radon. This soil constitutes an enormous surface area for release of radon gas into the air and into buildings. Materials inside a building such as concrete, granite, slate, marble, sand, shale and other stones can also contain traces of radium that release radon with varying intensities. While natural rocks such as granite may emit some radon gas, the subsequent levels of radon in the building that are attributable to such sources are not typically high. The contribution from building materials to the indoor radon concentration is very dependent upon the building ventilation rate.

Practical Diagnostic Radon Test

Diagnostic measurements of the radon in the air you breathe can provide better risk estimates.
 
Perform a radon measurement according to testing protocols (specified by EPA or AARST as noted below) in the lowest level (or lived-in level) of your home.
 
At the same time, perform another test in the room where the granite countertop or other suspect building material exists. You may also want to test in a highly occupied room, like your bedroom. (Use different rooms if these locations are on the same floor.)
 
Place the test devices at least 20 inches off the floor according to testing protocols and at least 20 inches away from the countertop or suspect material. Carefully follow all manufacturers’ test kit instructions.
 
You may also contact a State licensed or nationally certified radon measurement professional to conduct the measurements for you.
 
If any of the test results are at or above the EPA recommended action levels retest these areas to confirm the initial results.
 
Interpreting Radon Test Results
For guidance on test results and protocols for measurements of radon in the air, see documents such as EPA’s Citizens Guide to Radon or other EPA publications at http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs.   The full AARST Position Statement on Granite Countertops is on the AARST website.

If confirmed measurements are at, or above, the EPA recommended action levels, contact a State licensed or nationally certified mitigation professional to fix the home to reduce the radon levels.

If you decide to test your home – and the room(s) in which you have granite countertops – yourself, HomeAire can help. Our radon test kits include analysis by a nationally recognized, certified radon testing laboratory. Click here to order.

We can also help if you need a qualified measurement or mitigation professional. Click here to find a professional.

The first step to mold prevention is isolating and eliminating the moisture in the area where the mold might form. If you already have a mold problem in your home, there are ways to clean mold safely and eradicate it for good, but since cleaning mold can be tricky and time consuming, the best method for tackling a mold problem is to stop it before it even starts.

One of the most common places in the home for mold to form is the bathroom, and it makes sense as to why. Bathrooms are a prime location for moisture to build. Even if your bathroom is well-ventilated with a window, you may notice condensation forming on your walls and ceiling or fogging up your mirror when you take a hot shower. There are some surefire ways to counteract excess moisture and dampness in your bathroom with a properly installed bathroom ventilation system or bathroom exhaust fan.

Bathroom exhaust fans draw the moisture-filled air from inside your bathroom and expel it outside of your home into the outdoor air, keeping the air recirculated and moving so the moisture can be wicked away in an efficient manner. The Home Ventilating Institute recommends at least 8 Air Changes per Hour (ACH) in order to have the best effect for your bathroom ventilation. The size and strength of your bathroom exhaust fan may vary depending on the size of your bathroom and how far the air must be re-routed to reach the outdoors. There are a variety of bathroom exhaust solutions to choose from, some with a light, others with just the fan, quiet, loud, you name it! What matters the most, though, is finding a bathroom exhaust fan that will provide you with the adequate recommended air changes per hour, and that will keep your bathroom nice and dry as to prevent any mold or mildew from collecting on damp surfaces.

To learn more about how important proper bathroom ventilation is to your home and your health, read more in HomeAire’s Bathroom Ventilation Solutions section or have a look at some of the bathroom exhaust products that we offer in the HomeAire Store. Our brands are Energy Star Certified and include products such as Panasonic Bathroom Fans, NuTone Bathroom Fans, and our own Spruce inline fans.

Active Dampness Control is a system that is exclusive to HomeAire – developed by HomeAire professionals and only available for installation by HomeAire professionals. This system was created to safely and effectively eliminate moisture from the home. The moisture and gas that the Active Dampness Control System removes could be excess humidity from living in a temperate climate, dangerous radon gas from beneath your home’s foundation, or the heat building up from beneath your home that can cause condensation and moisture to form.

The system works from the ground up, eliminating hazardous soil gases and moisture before they have a chance to enter your home.

The active dampness control system reroutes the air and expels it above your roof, safely eliminating any risk of radon or mold-causing moisture from infiltrating your indoor air, and keeping you safe and healthy in the process. An Active Dampness Control system is so effective, it can exhaust up to a half gallon of moisture per hour. 

You may recall in one of our previous posts that we mentioned that moisture above a 55% level is a perfect recipe for mold in your home. Particularly in areas like damp basements, bathrooms, or laundry rooms, moisture can be very concentrated and requires adequate ventilation and elimination methods to prevent mold and mildew from forming. The Active Dampness Control System helps to reduce the chances of developing mold, mildew, water damage, or other moisture-induced problems that can be quite common in the home.

Have a look at an online demo to see how the Active Dampness Control System really works. 

The Building Green blog continuously provides some great tips for having a healthier, more Earth-friendly home. You may remember our post about safe, low-VOC paints for your home and nursery where we touched on a product called milk paint. Upon coming across the post "Building Green From A Painter’s Perspective" we were delighted to find an in-depth interview with a modern-day painting company, Shiloh Painting, discussing the measures they’re taking to go green with their business.

Shiloh Painting founder Isaac Klepac says that he feels that all components of the green movement we’re experiencing encompass not only a philosophy but a lifestyle. With the constant reminder to assess his current situation and see where he can improve and expand, Klepac has translated this philosophy into the green side of his business and has made some great strides in protecting the environment as well as the longevity of the homes he works on. Using water-based finishes and Sherman Williams’ Harmony line of VOC-free paints, Klepac’s work makes entering a freshly painted room literally a breath of fresh air. "the customer and my employees have a right to breath clean air." says Klepac. "There is a direct, immediate affect on someone’s health".

When asked about his predictions for the future of green building, he said "There is a trend beyond open floor plans. Instead of so many rooms, why not have multiple use rooms? Kitchens have already been transformed into a meeting places, so why not have multipurpose rooms?" With a trend toward smaller living spaces with more versatility, this means managing the air quality in the home can be even easier. With less cubic footage to keep in mind, homeowners can install central vacuum systems or air purifiers with ease and know they’re getting an efficient air quality solution for their home’s size.

High Humidity levels (greater than 55%) provide a breeding ground for black mold. If you live in a humid climate or have damp areas of your home, it will be important to install dehumidifiers, ventilation fans, active dampness control systems, or to fix leaky pipes and find a way to dry out affected areas.

Musty odors are a very strong indicator of a black mold problem, particularly in areas like basements. These odors don’t mean there is definitely a black mold problem, but if you suspect black mold and also have musty odors in your home (particularly if it comes through your heating or cooling vents), you should have your home checked right away.

Yellow stains or tints to your wallpaper and paint. Black mold often lurks in areas that you can’t see – under wallpaper, between walls, in cracks and crevices, around pipes, etc. If a yellowy tint is coming through your wall coverings, there may be black mold underneath. Peter Crump of the Mold Removal Guide offers a great tip to shine a black light on your wall, and if it glows yellow, that’s a sign of mold. 

Health symptoms. If you or your family has been getting sick and exhibiting any of the health symptoms outlined in our Black Mold Symptoms Affecting Your Health blog post, you may have black mold and should take action yourself or find a mold professional to locate the problem. 

Find out more information about mold in the home and how to keep yourself safe.