I just got done listening to a commercial on the radio about how important it is to replace drafty inefficient windows with ones that can completely seal out the weather. The announcer was warning people that they were throwing money out the window, literally, if there was any hint of air leakage around their current windows and doors.
I was reminded of an experience that I had when I bought my first home. It was in the 1980s during the time of increased heating costs. My wife and I had interviewed several builders before making our final decision. One of the major deciding factors in selecting the house that we did was the fact that our new home was to be super insulated. This included highly inflated 6 inch walls instead of the usual 4 inch, an immense amount of insulation in the attic along with double hung double insulated windows. That's the house that we went with and boy were we sorry. The house was so well insulated that the air inside of the house had no way to escape. The siding on the sunny side of the house began to buckle and crack. Moisture also began to build up within the walls to the point where they began to rot. We were told that the reason this happened was that the house was so insulated that it couldn't breathe. Before that time I was completely unaware that a house needed to "breathe".
However, now that I've done my research I can tell you that this is absolutely true. The high amount of heat that is generated during the winter months along with moisture from bathing, breathing, humidifying and other activities of daily living, all need a place to go. It may be cost effective to seal up a house as if you were trying to preserve a valuable piece of art, but in reality it's an invitation to extremely high levels of toxic and harmful chemicals. In other words, air pollution.
Indoor air pollution is a major problem in the United States and around the world. Statistically indoor air pollution can be up to 100 times higher than outdoor air pollution. This is true even in cities that are highly polluted to begin with. People who live in super insulated spaces that have been newly constructed, redecorated or remodeled are at the most risk of exposure to high levels of indoor pollutants.
Heating bills can be outrageously high, especially in these times of increased fuel costs. However, it is vital to have clean fresh air on a constant basis in order to maintain a high level of health.
Here are a number of things that will put you at high risk for indoor air pollution excess.
1. Have you replaced carpets or flooring?
2. Have you freshly painted, varnished or urethaned anywhere in the home?
3. Have you installed new laminate or synthetic countertops?
4. Have you purchase new furniture?
5. Have you installed new insulation, windows or doors?
6. Have you put anything into the house containing fiberboard, particleboard or composition board?
7. Have you removed or added walls or plastered anywhere in the home?
Any of these seven areas will increase the amount of pollution in your indoor air by a process known as outgassing. Outgassing is when poisons are released as a part of the natural aging process of the substances used to paint, seal or construct. When a house is super insulated the air inside is trapped and becomes stagnant and saturated with the chemicals being released by the objects in the home. Even if you haven't done anything to your house in years, poisons and other pollutants are still being released and trapped within your home. This means that you are breathing these toxic substances every time you inhale and adding more poisons to your homes environment every time you exhale.
Here are some important ways to reduce indoor air pollution.
1. Do not overheat your house. The higher the temperature the more outgassing you'll have. The more outgassing you have the more poisons will be in the air that you are breathing.
2. Properly humidify your home. 40 to 50% humidity is necessary for a healthy living environment. Air that's too dry will actually cause your body to become dehydrated. When dry air is inhaled into the lungs it pulls out valuable moisture from your body. Even a person who is well hydrated to begin with (8 to 10, 8 ounce glasses of pure water each day) is at risk of dehydration if they are breathing under humidified air.
3. Air out your house on a daily basis. Growing up in the 1950s I suspect it was more common for people to have common sense than it is now and it was common practice to "air out" your house. Even a minimally insulated house will pick up considerable amounts of poisons, toxins and other unwanted chemical substances as a matter of course. Exchanging the outside air with the inside air simply makes good sense. My father always insisted on airing out the house several times a day, every day. Even though I thought this was unnecessary and rather "stupid" as a child, I now can see the wisdom in this ritual. Air out, and air out often, it makes sense!
4. If you do have super insulated doors and windows then you might consider keeping them open a crack during the day or perhaps while you are sleeping. Fresh air exchange is vital for your ultimate health and wellness.
In the final analysis if your house isn't breathing well you won't breathe well!
New Year's Blessings To All,
Dr. Ron Cherubino
http://www.askdrron.com/
