| Indoor Air Quality |
Asthma and Indoor Environments
Learn more about
factors found in the indoor and outdoor
environment that can cause, trigger, or
exacerbate asthma symptoms and what you can do
to reduce their impact. |
Health
Effects of Exposure to Secondhand Smoke
Secondhand
smoke is a mixture of the smoke given off by the
burning end of a cigarette, pipe, or cigar, and
the smoke exhaled by smokers. Secondhand smoke
contains more that 4,000 substances, several of
which are known to cause cancer in humans or
animals. Children exposed to high doses of
secondhand smoke, such as those whose mothers
smoke, run the greatest relative risk of
experiencing damaging health effects. |
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"The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air
Quality"
In the last
several years, a growing body of scientific
evidence has indicated that the air within
homes and other buildings can be more
seriously polluted than the outdoor air in
even the largest and most industrialized
cities. Other research indicates that people
spend approximately 90 percent of their time
indoors. Thus, for many people, the risks to
health may be greater due to exposure to air
pollution indoors than outdoors.
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"Ozone Generators Sold as Air Cleaners:
An Assessment of Health
Consequences"
Ozone generators
that are sold as air cleaners intentionally
produce the gas ozone. Often the vendors of
ozone generators make statements and
distribute material that lead the public to
believe that these devices are always safe
and effective in controlling indoor air
pollution. To the contrary, NO agency
of the federal government has approved these
devices for use in occupied spaces.
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"Residential Air Cleaning Devices: A Summary of
Available Information"
This publication describes the types of air
cleaners available to the consumer, provides
available information on their general
effectiveness in removing indoor air pollutants,
discusses some factors to consider in deciding
whether to use an air-cleaning unit, and
describes existing guidelines that can be used
to compare units. |
"Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home
Cleaned?"
Knowledge about air duct cleaning is in its
early stages, so a blanket recommendation cannot
be offered as to whether you should have your
air ducts in your home cleaned. The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urges you
to read this document in it entirety as it
provides important information on the subject. |
Smoke-free Homes Program
Straightforward brochure explains the basics
about the dangers of secondhand smoke to
families, especially to children.
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Use and Care of Home Humidifiers
Humidifiers are commonly used in homes to
relieve the physical discomforts of dry nose,
throat, lips, and skin. The moisture they add to
dry air also helps alleviate common nuisances
brought on by winter heating, such as static
electricity, peeling wallpaper, and cracks in
paint and furniture. However, excess moisture
can encourage the growth of biological organisms
in the home. |
What You Should Know About Combustion Appliances and Indoor Air
Pollution
Combustion appliances are those which burn fuels
for warmth, cooking, or decorative purposes.
Typical fuels are gas, both natural and
liquefied petroleum (LP); kerosene; oil; coal;
and wood. Examples of the appliances are space
heaters, ranges, ovens, stoves, furnaces,
fireplaces, water heaters, and clothes dryers.
These appliances are usually safe. However,
under certain conditions, these appliances can
produce combustion pollutants that can damage
your health, or even kill you. |
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