Is your home environmentally safe?

Is your home sIck?

HOME TRENDS

Pandemic raises awareness of potential indoor contaminants

Written by JENNIFER A. FITCH

Precautions for limiting the spread of COVID-19 have many people spending more time in their homes than ever before, whether they are devoting hours to a hobby, working from home, tackling renovations or binge-watching “Schitt’s Creek.”

The question is whether your home is as safe as you want it to be.

Hidden dangers like radon, mold and lead can lead to sickness and even death. But there are precautionary steps every homeowner can take, and experienced professionals in the Tri-State can provide expert support if needed.

“These contaminants, we should not be afraid of, but we should respect them,” said Jocelyne Melton, CEO of Baxter Group Inc.

Baxter Group, based in Chambersburg, Pa., tests for and remediates asbestos, mold, lead, radon and water toxins. Its crews control water in basements, clean HVAC systems and test water.

The goal is to avoid what is known as “sick building syndrome,” a situation in which occupants of a residential or commercial building experience health effects that can be linked to their time in that structure. Melton said the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have made people think more about what is in their air and water.

“I’ve seen a huge rise in awareness of how important the health of our indoor environment is,” she said.

With coronavirus concerns, customers of Baxter Group are asking for use of an electrostatic sprayer to disinfect. The spray kills bacteria and viruses, eliminates odors, disinfects, and temporarily inhibits the growth of mold and mildew.

Peter Rosecrans, of Radon Resolvers LLC, said customers have told him they are spending more time than ever in their homes, often in the basement, where they are working from home or sending their children to do schoolwork.

“I think because of COVID, people are more conscious of their health and are thinking about radon,” he said.

Tim Stoner, a water consultant for Negley’s Clean Water Center, performs a water analysis at the company’s Greencastle, Pa., location. Submitted photo

Water issues

Rusty Stoner, sales manager for Negley’s Clean Water Center, said some of the common issues in this region’s water, particularly well water, are hardness (caused by calcium), iron, varying pH levels, manganese, sulfur, nitrates, total-dissolved solids, lead, bacteria and viruses, and radon. Minerals and chemicals commonly found in public water are calcium and chlorine.

Some of these contaminants can be harmful, particularly to fetuses and infants, or cause flu-like symptoms.

“It is recommended that you get your water tested one time per year or if you notice a change in your water quality,” Stoner said. “It is also typically needed if you are refinancing or buying a home.”

With the COVID-19 pandemic, Negley’s received a higher-than-average number of requests from homeowners wanting to feel more confident about their water quality.

“The pandemic has made people more aware of their water because they are home more and are using it more. Ultimately, it is our goal to make sure your water is safe,” he said.

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Carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can be found when someone burns fuel, including the fuel in gas ranges and furnaces. Carbon monoxide can make a person faint and can lead to death.

Early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are sometimes confused with the flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those symptoms can include headache, dizziness, upset stomach, weakness, vomiting, confusion and chest pain.

The CDC reports that more than 400 people die in the United States each year from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning not associated with fires.

A battery-operated carbon monoxide detector, or one with a battery backup, can alert residents to the presence of the poisonous gas. They sell for approximately $20 at bigbox stores.

Carbon monoxide detectors should be installed in sleeping areas to alert someone who might already be in a deep sleep related to carbon monoxide, according to Deanna Pelton, deputy fire marshal with the Hagerstown Fire Department. Radon

Radon is another gas you cannot see or smell. It forms when soil or rock are breaking down, but becomes dangerous when it builds up indoors.

Exposure to radon causes no immediate symptoms. However, radon-related lung cancers are responsible for roughly 27,000 deaths in the United States each year, according to the American Lung Association, which offers two types of radon-testing kits though its website at lung.org.

Melton said some maps show where radon is particularly prevalent, but many factors, such as excavation work several properties away, can disrupt uranium in rock.

“You can have five houses in a row, and three have radon and two don’t. I recommend everyone test,” she said.

Rosecrans learned the trade from Tim Musser of Allentown, Pa., and warns that radioactive decay from uranium and radium can be prevalent in Washington County due to limestone. He cautioned to not necessarily assume a new home has a remediation system installed by a developer.

“The most common reaction is, ‘The builder put a pipe in, and I thought we were fine,’” he said. “But all the builder did was rough in a pipe and not put a radon system in.”

According to Rosecrans and Musser, the remediation system involves drilling a 5- to 6-inch hole and removing material from it so air can move. The system that is installed

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then exhausts air above the roofline to divert it from inside the house.

Musser said there have been times when a nonsmoker has contacted him to do radon testing after being diagnosed with lung cancer. He recommends doing biennial testing.

“One thing to consider is the house you’re living in may not have been the exposure” in your lifetime, he said. Lead

Houses built before 1978 might contain lead-based paint. People can ingest lead dust by breathing or swallowing it, or by eating soil or paint chips. Lead-contaminated water sickened residents of Flint, Mich., starting in 2014, when a water source was changed.

According to the Mayo Clinic, children younger than 6 are especially susceptible to the effects of lead poisoning. Their physical and mental development can be affected through effects like weight loss and seizures.

Lead exposure can harm fetuses in the womb. Mold

Molds that are growing can cause health problems such as allergic reactions and asthma attacks. To effectively clean mold growth, the underlying water/moisture problem must be fixed at the same time.

The Environmental Protection Agency advises using a professional to remediate mold if the affected area is greater than 10 square feet. For smaller areas, wear an N95 mask, gloves and goggles when cleaning.

Melton said Baxter Group worked with one woman who was referred by her doctor after a blood test found mold was the culprit behind a year’s worth of fatigue and flu-like symptoms. The woman was forced into early retirement because of poor health.

“She had done some self-mold testing and it didn’t show much of anything,” Melton said. “My guys went in, and within 20 minutes found the issue and the source.”

Asbestos

Asbestos-containing materials don’t necessarily pose a health risk unless they are disturbed or damaged, according to the EPA. It advises leaving the materials alone and contracting accredited professionals for inspecting, repairing or removing the materials.

Exposure to asbestos can lead to mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer that affects the tissue surrounding the lungs.

Customers of Baxter Group are asking for the use of an electrostatic sprayer to disinfect. The spray kills bacteria and viruses, eliminates odors, disinfects, and temporarily inhibits the growth of mold and mildew. Submitted photo

Fire prevention

For fire prevention and avoidance, Pelton suggested installing a working smoke alarm on every floor, with special attention paid to every sleeping area and point of egress.

“The way to keep your family and property safe is to have a working smoke alarm,” she said, noting that smoke alarms detect fires when they are small and alert residents to flee.

Batteries in smoke alarms with changeable batteries should be changed twice a year. The newer-model smoke alarms with 10-year lithium batteries need to be tested twice a year and the batteries should be replaced on the correct schedule.

“We had a fire just last week where people didn’t have working smoke detectors,” Pelton said in January.

Precautions to take include ensuring extension cords are only used in temporary situations and to never power appliances for extended periods. The cords can break down, leading to electrical fires.

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The purification and filtration process occurs when air passes through a pre-filter, carbon filter and HEPA filter. Getty Images

Space heaters should not be used with extension cords and should be kept 3 feet from any other object. Not only should lint be cleaned from dryer traps, but hoses and tubing connected to the dryer should be cleaned, particularly where there are kinks or elbows.

“Additionally, cooking fires are always going to be the No. 1 cause of bad fires or property-loss fires,” Pelton said. Additional concerns

Melton advised people to listen to their bodies and not ignore symptoms like headaches, fatigue and nausea.

The contaminants in a home or business might not be common ones. Baxter Group worked with one person sickened by Freon leaking from a refrigerator and another hospitalized after inhaling the contents of a squirrel nest in the ceiling.

That said, taking precautions, cleaning well and seeking testing when needed can ensure the most dangerous thing in your home is that second box of powdered doughnuts from the pantry. — Places

Nine tips for reducing indoor air pollution

• Install energy-efficient windows and doors. • Place air purifiers/sanitizers in each room. • Change filters in the HVAC unit as soon as they appear dirty. • Vacuum regularly with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air)-filtered vacuum. • Confirm that all exhaust fans are sending air outdoors. • Use the kitchen exhaust fan while cooking. • Use the bathroom exhaust fan while showering and then for an additional 20 minutes. • Do not smoke indoors. • When using chemicals, ventilate well until vapors and gases are diluted or exhausted. – Baxter Group Inc.