ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, non-irritating gas produced as a byproduct of the incomplete combustion of fossil or wood fuels. The gas, sometimes known as "the silent killer", does not stratify, which means it can be found either low or high in a room.

Carbon monoxide generally results from improperly vented or malfunctioning combustion appliances including stoves, furnaces, and hot water heaters. The gas is often entirely unnoticeable until it is too late for those who have already inhaled too much. The CO is absorbed into the bloodstream, taking the place of oxygen in the blood cells and forming Carboxyhemoglobin. This reduces the amount of oxygen available in the bloodstream, affecting all the major organs, particularly those with the highest oxygen needs, such as the brain, heart, and other large muscles.

The early signs of CO poisoning include headaches, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, and confusion, and can quickly escalate to unconsciousness or death for the victim.

Anyone living in a house primarily heated by oil, gas, propane, wood, or coal, is a likely candidate for CO poisoning. Over time and use, units may cease to function properly and allow CO to enter the home. Consequently, a detector is recommended near the furnace and any other combustion system in the home.

Some possible sources of CO in the home include:

• Unvented cooking appliances
• Wood burning fireplaces
• Gas, oil, wood, or coal furnaces
• Blocked chimneys
• Water heaters
• Gas refrigerators
• Gas clothes dryers
• Attached garage (where car may be left running)
• Barbecue grill - operated within a garage or other confined area
• Pool/spa heaters
• Tobacco smoke
• Ceiling mounted unit heater
• Fuel burning space heaters

If you have concerns about CO in your home, you can purchase a CO detector to test the levels of CO in the house. According to Consumer Reports magazine, the most accurate CO models are those of the plug-in variety with the Underwriter Labs (UL) stamp of approval. There are also sophisticated handheld units which professional CO inspectors use to test various areas around the house.

Whatever you decide to buy, try to find a constant read detector which shows the CO levels with up-to-the-minute data. Any detector should have a Reset/Hush switch so that the buzzer indicating high CO concentrations can be turned off and the room retested. If the alarm does sound repeatedly and symptoms of CO poisoning are being felt by anyone in the house, either a qualified heating specialist or the fire department should be called to investigate further. Leave the house until they arrive to prevent further CO poisoning.

If the alarm goes off but no one feels the symptoms of CO, open windows in the house and shut off all possible sources of CO. Call a qualified repair person to investigate further.

As with all components of a house, routine inspection and maintenance should be conducted to keep systems in good working order. A chimney cleaner should be contracted for regular cleaning of flues and chimneys, and a visual inspection should also be regularly conducted. Look for rust or soot on burners, in the heat exchange, and in vents or in appliances. Also, check for loose vent or chimney connections, debris or soot falling from chimneys, and moisture on the insides of windows.

 Asbestos is one of the most familiar contaminates. Commercial and residential property owners should be aware of both health and legal concerns regarding this notorious substance. Asbestos is actually a group of six different minerals (actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, chrysotile, tremolite, and crocidolite) which occur naturally in the environment. Asbestos appears as long fibers, something like fiberglass, and due to its resistance to heat and chemicals enjoyed an extended period of popularity as a building material. 

Although asbestos' negative coverage would lead most people to believe that standing anywhere near an asbestos shingle is potentially harmful, asbestos is not actually a serious detriment to human health unless it has begun to crumble and is subsequently inhaled. 

Low levels of asbestos can be detected in almost any air sample, but it is in enclosed areas where exposure to deteriorating insulation, for example, causes the most damage. Once asbestos shingles, insulation, or other materials begin to break down, tiny fibers are released into the air. People begin breathing in concentrated amounts of these fibers, which then lodge in the lungs. Although not all fibers inhaled will stay permanently in the lungs, some may accumulate. 

 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has determined that asbestos is a known carcinogen. Exposure to increased levels of asbestos can cause cancer of the lung tissue or mesothelioma, a cancer of the thin membrane which surrounds the lungs and other internal organs. Unfortunately, these diseases are not only fatal, but they also develop slowly. Lack of immediate symptoms can keep people from realizing adverse affects until it is too late. Other detrimental affects possibly caused by asbestos include the accumulation of scar-like tissue in the lungs, which hampers breathing, and possibly cancer in other parts of the body.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has banned most of the manufacture, processing, importation, and distribution of materials or products that contain asbestos. Legislation against the use of asbestos initiated in 1990 is currently in full force. The ban eliminates asbestos in insulation, brakes, floor and ceiling tiles, cement, paper, and nearly all other materials. The EPA has also passed many laws which monitor and control asbestos in public work places, buildings, and in particular, schools.

How much a person is affected by exposure to asbestos depends on the length of exposure, age, health, and other factors, but it is best to avoid all exposure if possible. Any known asbestos items in or on a home should be inspected for deteriorations, and the air can be tested by a professional asbestos testing company. If levels in the building are dangerous, steps should be taken to remove or cover up the areas so that loose fibers cannot escape into the air.

Lead originally entered paint manufacturing in an attempt to make paint last longer. It proved to be excellent at improving the staying power of paint, but it soon became apparent that the hazards of lead far outweighed the benefits. As the adverse affects of lead on humans were discovered, the lead in paint was reduced; first in 1950 and then again in 1978. Consequently, the most likely homes to contain dangerous levels of lead in their paint are those built before 1950, and even if those homes have been repainted with safer paints since that time, their danger still lurks just beneath the surface.

Although lead poisoning can come from lead in water or from items like glazed pottery, the most common cause of lead poisoning is from household paint, which has begun to deteriorate and turn to dust. The dust released from the deterioration is inhaled and ingested by the occupants of the house, or sometimes children will actually chew lead covered items and absorb dangerous levels even more rapidly.

 Lead is a neurotoxin, and overexposure may cause serious health problems, including injury to the nervous system, reproductive system, kidneys, blood-forming system, and digestive system. Children are the most adversely affected, because children have a higher metabolism and lead can be absorbed into their systems much more quickly. Brain damage, retardation, slow mental development, irreversible learning disabilities, reduced IQ, attention deficit disorders, hyperactivity, damage to kidneys, damage to the liver, and permanent neurological damage are all possible from exposure to lead dust or paint chips.

General symptoms for all sufferers include tiredness, sleeplessness, stomachache, and vomiting. It affects all of the body's systems except for the pulmonary system, where it passes straight through the lungs. The greatest effects are to the central nervous system via the circulatory system, and through absorption into the bones. Lead directly affects the central nervous system, and can cause a variety of ills including: high blood pressure, mood changes, headaches, digestive problems, nerve disorders, muscle and joint pains, kidney damage, suppressed libido, and even the lowering of sperm count.

If you note any white chalking around any painted area of your home, test the area for lead. One of the most common areas for lead paint to remain is around window panes where it was once used to fight the elements, or even on old radiators and pipes. Any one possessing an older home should make an effort to check for lead paint in these and all other painted areas. The removal of lead paint is a law for HUD homes and rental properties.

Over-the-counter lead paint tests can be purchased from hardware stores and paint stores; these contain sodium sulfide solutions which darken if lead is present; the darker the color the more lead. These tests are fairly inexpensive, but their accuracy can vary due to other metals causing false positive readings as well as resins in the paint masking the lead and preventing the sodium sulfide from reacting with it. At this time, these tests have not been evaluated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, so they have not taken a position in regards to accuracy. There are two other tests that are more accurate, an X-ray Fluorescence machine and lab testing, but both require professional analysis of the sample.

 According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), if the results show a lead in paint percentage greater than 0.5% by lab testing or of greater than 1.0 milligrams per square centimeter by X-Ray Fluorescence, actions to reduce exposure should be taken. It is especially important when the paint is deteriorating or when pregnant women, infants, or children are present. Depending upon the condition of the paint and economic considerations, there are different steps which can be implemented to reduce lead paint exposure in the house.

If the paint in your home contains lead, you can remove the lead covered item, cover the lead paint with gypsum wallboard or spray it with a sealant, or you can have a professional remove the dangerous paint. Although removal is the best and most permanent solution, you will probably want to vacate your home while the work is being done, for the dust caused by the removal is very toxic.

For more information, you can call your Idaho state lead contact at 800-334-4963

Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas that cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted, but which causes thousands of deaths each year. Tiny radioactive particles which make up radon gas get trapped in lungs, releasing small bursts of energy as they continue to decay. These bursts can damage lung tissue and lead to cancer over time, and children are more heavily affected than adults. The Surgeon General states that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after cigarette smoking, and everyone is a potential victim.

Radon gas occurs from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. It can creep into any type of building, where it may collect until dangerous levels are reached, seriously affecting those who regularly breathe this deadly substance. It is estimated that one out of every fifteen homes in America has elevated radon levels. The only way to know whether your home or place of business is gathering radon gas is to have it tested. If radon gas is detected, there are relatively simple steps you can take to reduce the build-up.

The amount of radon in the air is measured in "picocuries per liter of air" (pCi/L) or "working levels" (WL). There are many low cost "do it yourself" radon test kits available through mail-order or local hardware stores, ranging from short-term to long-term tests. Any test you buy should display the phrase "Meets EPA Requirements," or, if you choose to hire a professional to complete radon testing, be sure they are an EPA-qualified or a state certified technician.

 Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) are fields of energy generated by the use of electricity. These fields are found around all electrical power lines, electric appliances, and even the electrical wiring in structures; they can also occur naturally. There is no conclusive evidence that EMF are detrimental to health, but some researchers have noted a higher incidence of certain kinds of cancers in people who live near heavy EMF fields, like those who live near electric towers. Although every day a new conclusion is reached on the damage EMF fields may or may not cause the human body, it does not hurt to take a few simple precautions.

EMF is actually two separate energy fields: electric and magnetic. It is the voltage of the electricity that generates electrical fields, and the higher the voltage, the greater the electrical fields. These fields are found wherever electricity is used: home wiring, electrical appliances, power tools, and even though an appliance may be off, if it is plugged in it is still generating electrical fields. These fields can be shielded by materials such as wood or metal.

Magnetic fields, on the other hand, are generated only when electricity is moving or flowing through a wire. Only when an appliance is turned on will it generate a magnetic field, and unlike electric fields, they cannot be shielded.

If possible, it is best not to spend extended periods of time near high EMF fields. For instance, if you have a choice between putting your bed directly below an electrical panel or across the room, opt for across the room. Some day we will know all the answers, but in the meantime, it is best to play it safe.