It is particularly important to take as many of these steps as possible while you are involved in short-term activities that can generate high levels of pollutants--for example, painting, paint stripping, heating with kerosene heaters, cooking, or engaging in maintenance and hobby activities such as welding, soldering, or sanding. Any home may have a radon problem.

ET, Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Minority Enterprise, Regulations, Mandatory Standards and Bans, The Inside Story A Guide To Indoor Air Quality, Ozone Generators That Are Sold As Air Cleaners, "Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned? Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954, or call (202) 512-1800, fax (202) 512-2250. Lower levels of lead can cause adverse health effects on the central nervous system, kidney, and blood cells. Contaminated central air handling systems can become breeding grounds for mold, mildew, and other sources of biological contaminants and can then distribute these contaminants through the home. Reducing Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke. These include combustion sources such as oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, and tobacco products; building materials and furnishings as diverse as deteriorated, asbestos-containing insulation, wet or damp carpet, and cabinetry or furniture made of certain pressed wood products; products for household cleaning and maintenance, personal care, or hobbies; central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices; and outdoor sources such as radon, pesticides, and outdoor air pollution.

4770 Buford Highway, NE (F-42) High concentrations may trigger attacks in people with asthma. Fetuses, infants, elderly people, and people with anemia or with a history of heart or respiratory disease can be especially sensitive to carbon monoxide exposures.
Organic chemicals are widely used as ingredients in household products. Pesticides used in and around the home include products to control insects (insecticides), termites (termiticides), rodents (rodenticides), fungi (fungicides), and microbes (disinfectants). Have central air handling systems, including furnaces, flues, and chimneys, inspected annually andpromptly repair cracks or damaged parts. Many organic compounds are known to cause cancer in animals; some are suspected of causing, or are known to cause, cancer in humans. You should use a contractor who is trained to fix radon problems. Most well and city water does not usually contain lead. Taking steps to minimize your exposure to this chemical is prudent.

Pressed wood products made for indoor use include: particleboard (used as subflooring and shelving and in cabinetry and furniture); hardwood plywood paneling (used for decorative wall covering and used in cabinets and furniture); and medium density fiberboard (used for drawer fronts, cabinets, and furniture tops). The following organizations have information specifically discussed in this booklet.

Some biological contaminants trigger allergic reactions, including hypersensitivity pneumonitis, allergic rhinitis, and some types of asthma. Office of Energy and the Environment, Washington, DC 20410 They are sold as sprays, liquids, sticks, powders, crystals, balls, and foggers. PO Box 3048, Merrifield, VA 22116; (800) 523-2929. As uranium naturally breaks down, it releases radon gas which is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas. Do not simply toss these unwanted products in the garbage can. Molds and mildews release disease-causing toxins. Scientists have not been able to determine whether the chemicals emitted by new carpets are responsible. Another important factor in determining the effectiveness of an air cleaner is the strength of the pollutant source.

In recent years, a number of consumers have associated a variety of symptoms with the installation of new carpet. The only way to know if there is lead in drinking water is to have it tested. Division of Federal Occupational Health In a process known as infiltration, outdoor air flows into the house through openings, joints, and cracks in walls, floors, and ceilings, and around windows and doors.

Occupants, especially children and pregnant women, should leave the building until all work is finished and clean-up is done. Using central vacuum systems that are vented to the outdoors or vacuums with high efficiency filters may also be of help. Without measurements there is no way to tell whether radon is present because it is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas. Actions that will reduce benzene exposure include eliminating smoking within the home, providing for maximum ventilation during painting, and discarding paint supplies and special fuels that will not be used immediately. The rate at which products like pressed wood or textiles release formaldehyde can change. Smokers are at higher risk of developing radon-induced lung cancer. You can learn more about radon through EPA's publications, A Citizen's Guide to Radon: The Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Family From Radon and Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon, which are also available from your state radon office. Local bathroom or kitchen fans that exhaust outdoors remove contaminants directly from the room where the fan is located and also increase the outdoor air ventilation rate. Additional weatherization measures should not be undertaken until these problems have been corrected. Improperly located outdoor air intake vents can also bring in air contaminated with automobile and truck exhaust, boiler emissions, fumes from dumpsters, or air vented from restrooms. Also, products used on lawns and gardens that drift or are tracked inside the house.

These products can be dangerous if not used properly. Following the advice given will not necessarily provide complete protection in all situations or against all health hazards that may be caused by indoor air pollution. Secondly, if you plan to install wall-to-wall carpet on concrete in contact with the ground, especially concrete in basements, make sure that an effective moisture barrier is installed prior to installing the carpet.

Choose properly sized woodstoves that are certified to meet EPA emission standards.

Products used most often are insecticides and disinfectants. Stop smoking and discourage smoking in your home. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954, or call (202) 512-1800, fax (202) 512-2250. P.O.

For example, if a label says to use the product in a well-ventilated area, go outdoors or in areas equipped with an exhaust fan to use it. There are exhaust fans on the market that produce little noise, an important consideration for some people.
Keep indoor spaces clean, dry, and well ventilated to avoid pest and odor problems. Sources: Fireplaces, woodstoves, and kerosene heaters. Driving in cars, flying in planes, engaging in recreational activities, and being exposed to environmental pollutants all pose varying degrees of risk. Unless you have had special training and are certified, never use a pesticide that is restricted to use by state-certified pest control operators.

Thousands of homeowners have already fixed radon problems. (Dishwasher detergents are recommended because of their high content of phosphate.)

The federal government recommends that homes be weatherized in order to reduce the amount of energy needed for heating and cooling. Mop floors and wipe window ledges and chewable surfaces such as cribs with a solution of powdered automatic dishwasher detergent in warm water. To speak to an information specialist, call (800) 424-5323. You may also be tracking in lead from soil around your home. In 1990, the American Association of Poison Control Centers reported that some 79,000 children were involved in common household pesticide poisonings or exposures. Some of these buildings may be inadequately ventilated. By appropriately fertilizing, watering, and aerating lawns, the need for chemical pesticide treatments of lawns can be dramatically reduced. The process of solving indoor air quality problems that result in health and comfort complaints can be a slow one, involving several trial solutions before successful remedial actions are identified.

In Washington, DC area: (301) 251-5154, Office of Conservation and Renewable Energy

For further information on formaldehyde and consumer products, call the EPA Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) assistance line (202-554-1404). Maintain moderate temperature and humidity levels and provide adequate ventilation. For contact information, see the section, "Where to Go For Additional Information.". Publications Center Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. If no such collection days are available, think about organizing one. Do not finish a basement below ground level unless all water leaks are patched and outdoor ventilation and adequate heat to prevent condensation are provided. Responsibilities for indoor air quality issues are usually divided among many different agencies. Call EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791) for more information. Advanced designs of new homes are starting to feature mechanical systems that bring outdoor air into the home. 3535 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104 After they are inhaled, they can remain and accumulate in the lungs. EPA provides guidance as to risks associated with different levels of exposure and when the public should consider corrective action. Apartments can have the same indoor air problems as single-family homes because many of the pollution sources, such as the interior building materials, furnishings, and household products, are similar. In the opinion of some World Health Organization experts, up to 30 percent of new or remodeled commercial buildings may have unusually high rates of health and comfort complaints from occupants that may potentially be related to indoor air quality. Washington, DC 20210 For most indoor air quality problems in the home, source control is the most effective solution. 1791 Tullie Circle NE Talk with your own physician and report your problems to the company physician, nurse, or health and safety officer. There is no single manner in which these health problems appear. If you reuse old plastic bags to store or carry food, keep the printing on the outside of the bag. In homes with gas stoves, kerosene heaters, or unvented gas space heaters, indoor levels often exceed outdoor levels.