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.

Plantscaping is done for aesthetic pleasure but it provides numerous other benefits as well.  Indoor air quality is improved and stress is reduced in the homes and offices that have taken advantage of this trend.  Here are some ways using plantscaping (or having plants in the home) can help:

1.    Improved VOC levels
2.    Reduced mold and bacteria levels
3.    Reduced Stress
4.    Increased Productivity (if at an office)

This article talks more about the commercial side of plantscaping, but adding plants to any indoor environment does improve the indoor air quality.  Plants, along with proper ventilation systems, can help ensure that the indoor air your family breathes is healthy.

Secondhand smoke is estimated to cause 3,400 lung cancer deaths annually in the U.S. So far, swine flu has killed 4 Americans, and drunk driving kills about 13,000 people each year.  Radon is estimated to cause 25,000 U.S. lung cancer deaths annually.  Laws protect citizens from secondhand smoke and drunk drivers, and millions of dollars are being spent on swine flu prevention, yet except for a very few states that have radon awareness laws, no one is protecting us from deadly radon gas right in our own homes. 

The U.S. EPA, the U.S. Surgeon General, the World Health Organization and many organizations such as the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society acknowledge that the research on radon is sound and compelling. And yet, although most states, municipalities and the federal government do not allow smoking indoors in public buildings, restaurants, ballparks and – in some localities – public parks and beaches, no law exists in the U.S. that requires citizens to protect themselves against radon.

Where is the fear? Where is the outrage? Cigarette packs are required to carry a warning about the dangers of smoking. Where are the labels on homes? Where are the requirements to perform a simple radon test on every home to ensure that it does not have high levels of radon? Would you allow your child to play all day in a smoke-filled room? Any rational person would answer No to that question. But do you know whether your child is playing in a room filled with invisible, odorless radon gas? Most people would also have to answer No to that question.

As of today, four people in the U.S. have tragically died from swine flu, a virus that has caused worldwide fear and provided the impetus for prompt government response. Stores could barely keep up with the sudden increased sales of hand sanitizers. Every day, 68 Americans die as a result of radon exposure in their homes. Where is the fear? Where is the public response? Why are radon test kits not flying off the shelves?

According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in 2007, an estimated 12,998 people died in drunk driving related car crashes. Almost twice that number die from exposure to radon in their homes. Why is there no Mothers Against Radon organization demanding action? Possibly because radon does not kill suddenly and dramatically? A radon related death does not make the headlines. It’s a slow, insidious killer.

Why haven’t our government agencies funded by our tax dollars protected homeowners by responding to the magnitude of this threat to America’s health? Agencies tasked with helping low income Americans to live in decent surroundings have ignored or covered up the radon problem while they spend millions and millions on less deadly risks. Radon is the number one environmental killer in the U.S., so don’t you think that the government should do something?

There is an organization, Cancer Survivors Against Radon (CanSAR), that was founded by radon-induced lung cancer victims. Their primary goal is to make the public aware of the effects of radon and to urge them to test their homes. This is a difficult task, made more difficult by apathy at all levels of government and even among some agencies charged with protecting the public from hazards in indoor air. What makes this difficult task even more difficult is that most of its founders have died from their radon-related disease.

CanSAR’s president, Elizabeth Hoffmann, who has never smoked, discovered that she had lung cancer before her 38th birthday – an innocent victim of radon in her home, a killer she was unaware existed. She has spent the last four years crusading for action against radon in statehouses, in Washington and in small towns – all while courageously fighting a disease that is taking her life. Where is the news media? Where are the camera crews? Why isn’t her cause and her courageous battle made public? Certainly not because she hasn’t tried. But no major network morning shows, no major news media outlets at all, have responded to repeated requests from her and her supporters for media coverage.

Are you outraged yet? You should be, because radon-related deaths are preventable. And radon can be found in any home, old or new – even in your home. Even more disturbing is that buyers of new homes might be told that their home has a "passive radon system" or "RRNC" (Radon Resistant New Construction). This does not make a home radon-proof. The only way you can tell whether you are living with radon in your home is to perform a radon test. A home test kit is inexpensive and easy to use, and you will know in little more than a week whether your home has an elevated radon level.

So if you’re outraged, take action.

1. Begin at home. 

• Test for radon.
• If the radon level is 4.0 pCi/L or higher, call a certified radon professional to fix it.
• Consider fixing your home if the radon level is above 2 pCi/L.

2. Get involved.

• Ask your school officials to include radon education in the curriculum
• Call or write to your local and state health departments and demand more programs and action against radon.
• Write to your local, state and federal representatives and to President Obama (sample letters) demanding action and legislation now. U.S. radon policy for the past 25 years has been to have the EPA administer a "voluntary" program. It hasn’t worked. More Americans are dying from lung cancer caused by radon than ever before.

It’s obvious we can’t wait for the government to protect us from the health effects of radon, nor can we wait for the media to spearhead a news campaign. We need to act now to protect our families and ourselves.

Pat Everett
HomeAire

Here are some tips to improve indoor air quality in your home which will provide allergy relief and asthma relief for those who suffer from these afflictions.   These tips were inspired by an article at WebMD.

Keep it natural.  Any cleaning chemical you use in your home is bound to end up in your home air.  Turn to natural cleaners like lemons and baking soda or use environmentally friendly detergents and cleansers.

Get Rid of Dust.  Whether you have carpets, tiles, or hardwood floors, it’s very important to keep dust to a minimum.  Dust is composed of so many potential irritants like pet dander, dead skin, chemical matter, lead (if the home has or had lead paint), that it is critical to mop, vacuum and/or sweep often.

Monitor your home’s level of humidity.  Prevent mold by keeping your house at between 30-50%.  This can be achieved by using a dehumidifier or an air conditioner combined with proper ventilation.

Test your home for radon gas.  Radon is a naturally occurring gas that is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.  The US EPA recommends that all homes be tested for radon with a home radon test kit.  If radon gas is found to be present in the home at unsafe levels, a radon remediation system including a radon fan should be installed immediately. 

We do many of these things all the time to keep our home’s appearance clean; but, with a little extra attention and effort, you can improve your indoor air quality and protect your family’s health. 

A recent issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology links this increase in length of the ragweed season to global warming.  The effects of global climate change include warmer weather, and therefore, a longer growing season.   Ragweed plants are growing faster, lasting longer, and producing more pollen.

What can we do?

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology recommends keeping your home and car windows closed, minimizing outdoor activity, and showering after spending time outside.  Allergy relief can also be achieved using air purifiers like HEPA filters and air cleaners, including central vacuums.

It’s important that we know what is in our air in order to mitigate our risk of exposure to potentially harmful pollutants.  Two types of indoor air pollution that are most prevalent are radon and tobacco smoke.

Radon is a dangerous gas that is found naturally underground but can seep into buildings and homes through cracks in the floors or foundation.  If you suspect you have a radon problem, it is strongly recommended that you test your home with a home radon test kit.  In order to lessen the chance of contracting lung cancer and other diseases associated with this gas, the EPA suggests installation of a radon mitigation system in the home or office if radon is found to be a problem.  

Tobacco smoke, which is the first leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. presents the biggest threat to our children, according to the EPA.  This is because they are still developing.  The only way we can safeguard our children from the dangers of tobacco smoke is by not smoking in our homes and not smoking around them.   The report contains additional information about air quality issues, water quality, land, human exposure and Health, and Ecological Condition.

A new article “Americans Believe Air Inside Their Homes Is Cleaner Than Outdoor Air; Data Suggests Otherwise” cites a study that found that 38% of U.S. homeowners think the air inside their homes is cleaner than the air outside their homes.  The EPA counters that evidence suggests that indoor air quality in homes and other buildings can be
 “more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities.”

If that doesn’t take your breath away, read about the following sources of indoor air pollution.  These include:

•    building materials containing formaldehyde
•    wet or damp carpet
•    certain household cleaning products
•    central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices
•    the combustion of oil, natural gas or wood
•    and, outdoor air pollutants such as radon or pesticides.

According to the survey, the most common strategies to improve indoor air quality include:  purchasing an air purifier (23.7%); cleaning heating/cooling duct systems (23.6%); upgrading furnace or heating system components (16.7%); making ventilation improvements (15.8%); and eliminating or reducing individual sources of indoor air pollution, such as building products containing added formaldehyde or those that give off VOCs/fumes (8.6%).

If you are one of the 37.7% who said they had not taken any steps to improve their homes’ indoor air quality, contact us today for help.

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.

Addressing the basics of good indoor air quality "from the ground up" is the most effective method for ensuring you and your family have good air to breathe in your home.  So, building a home that incorporates the principles of good IAQ is your best bet. 

You can still greatly improve the quality of your air in the home you live in right now by incorporating systems designed to control, exhaust and dilute the contaminants. 

The question is, Where do you want to spend your money?  On expensive testing that frequently has limited usefulness?  Or on the solutions that have a track record of addressing all the contaminants in your home? Visit our indoor air quality information center to learn more about the options offered in this entry and more.