Indoor air quality shouldn't leave you gasping

Removing moisture is easiest step to rid home of mold.

By David Bradley ~ The Associated Press

So, you think the air inside your home is clean and free of the contaminates you inhale once you step out the front door?

Well, guess again. According to indoor air experts and the Environmental Protection Agency, air inside most homes is three to seven times worse than outdoor air, and the result might be a host of illnesses caused by particulates, molds and other toxins.

"Indoor air may be bad, but homeowners can do something about it," says Mike Turner of The Home Service Store, a firm that manages indoor air quality for consumers. "They need to understand what they're up against and why the problem exists."

Dr. Herman Sabath of the New York Medical College in Valhalla says a general decline in indoor air quality has led to a nearly 30 percent rise in respiratory diseases -- most notably asthma -- since 1980, as well as elevated cases of sinus, throat, and eye irritations. Research also indicates indoor air pollution might be a factor in the early onset of Parkinson's disease. Dr. Sabath estimates bad air costs Americans more than $6 billion a year in added medical costs. And he points the finger directly at poor indoor air quality.

"A cocktail of pollutant causes can make your life miserable," says Dr. Sabath. "More people than ever are reporting problems. You don't see or smell it, but you inhale pollutants all the time." His hit list of toxins, pathogens and bacteria includes formaldehyde and hydrocarbons given off by glues, adhesives, carpet padding and particle board, and molds that grow rapidly in what amounts to ideal conditions-- warmth and humidity.

Molds have many sources of food, too, thriving on anything organic in the home that can become damp -- wood, cotton fibers, paper. Humid air saturated with water vapor is merely icing on the cake for fungi.

"We can't do much about the food," says Turner, "but we can lessen the growing conditions." His first suggestion: control the moisture. Repair pipe and roof leaks, install vapor barriers in crawl spaces and, if accessible, seal leaks in air ducts. Ideal anti-mold indoor humidity levels range from 40 percent in winter to no more than 60 percent in summer.

Dehumidifying the air is another key step. Turner says the best dehumidification process involves humidistats to remove moisture by air circulation. These devices, coupled with the home ventilation system, should be professionally installed and range in cost from $1,000 to $1,500.

Humidistats benefit indoor air quality in other ways, too. As homes have become more tightly insulated, air tends to stay trapped inside -- along with the toxins, bacteria and pollutants. "Without sufficient air exchanges, the bad things in stagnant air continue to build and build," says Turner. "The short answer is to make air changes in your home to cycle all the contaminants outside."