Inside air quality is vital to homeowners’ health
Home energy Q&ABe alert as buyer

BY KEN SHEINKOPF Comments 0
Published: November 29, 2008

Air sealed ducts are installed in the attic of a house. OKLAHOMAN ARCHIVE PHOTO

Q: Over the years, I’ve read many articles on indoor air quality issues in homes, but never paid much attention until now since I’m getting ready to retire and we want to build a new home in a climate we’re not at all familiar with. What do we need to talk to our builder about to be sure he is sensitive to this issue and will build us a safe, comfortable home?

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A: Not too long ago, when someone asked about a home’s indoor air quality, they were usually talking about the dangers of radon, and an industry has grown with radon-detecting instruments and many builder guidelines on keeping a home protected from this naturally occurring gas that can be found in large concentrations in some parts of the country. Today, however, the whole notion of indoor air quality has grown to encompass a wide variety of potential hazards ranging from indoor household products and outdoor pesticides to asbestos, lead and even tobacco smoke.

There are some great publications available from the Environmental Protection Agency and many state environmental agencies, and I urge you to check into these and become more familiar with potential problems and ways to minimize or even totally avoid them. People spend a tremendous amount of time inside their homes, and factors ranging from limited fresh air entering the home to a growing use of synthetic building materials have made us more aware of problems with the quality of indoor air.

Furnishings can be a problem, too

I usually tell people that there are two general areas of concern that they need to talk about with their home builder — the building materials and the furnishings that are used, and the amount of ventilation in the home.

Solid wood products or exterior-grade pressed wood products used in floors, cabinets and wall surfaces can help keep indoor air problems to a minimum. Strategies like not using permanent adhesives on carpeting over cement floors can also keep moisture from condensing on the carpets, a problem that can give mold and dust mites a place to grow.

Adequate insulation throughout a home is essential, ranging from getting (and using) exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms to putting air-conditioning ducts in closets and using both louvered doors and ventilated shelves to keep air moving and thus reducing mold and mildew problems that could occur.

If radon is a concern of yours, there are a number of radon-resistant construction techniques that have been shown to minimize the possibility of radon problems, so be sure to talk to your builder about this also.

Ken Sheinkopf is a communications specialist with the American Solar Energy Society ( www.ases.org). Send your energy questions to askken@ases.org.