Sick of your home?
It might be more serious than just a common case of ho-hum houseboredom. Home sweet home actually might be making you physically ill.
Everyone, of course, has heard of sick-building syndrome-hazardsusually associated with the workplace, such as lead in the water,chemicals in the paint, windows that don't open and closed air-circulation systems that leave grimy residue on those ceiling tilesright above your pressed-wood desk. But how many times have youthought about what your house might be doing to your health?
Not many, if you're like millions of other Americans who regardhome as a haven. But as homeowners become more aware of theirpersonal environmental safety, a new industry-replete withenvironmentally aware consultants, teachers, builders andorganizations-is emerging to offer alternative approaches andbuilding materials in tandem with long-term lifestyle solutions.
'It's getting better, but there are so few people involved in thisfield that it's been tough for homeowners to put the piecestogether,' said Mary Cordaro, a California native and anenvironmental teacher and consultant. 'We try to teach people toscreen their homes for potential hazards as well as the ones that aredoing damage right now. Home is supposed to be a healing place, not ascary place.'
Especially in winter, airtight homes are most susceptible to the'sealed syndrome,' where outdoor air doesn't enter for months. Notgood, since the Environmental Protection Agency has reported thatindoor pollution can exceed (from 2 to 100 times) the level ofoutdoor air pollution.
'People wonder why they get the flu all the time, why their kidshave recurring ear infections,' says Mary Ellen Fise of the ConsumerFederation of America, a Washington, D.C.-based group that identifiesindoor air pollution as a national problem. 'Your house should beyour castle. But in truth, it can be a mixing bowl for toxic soup.
'We haven't grown up as a culture thinking negatively about theproducts we use,' Fise said.
About 20 years ago, formaldehyde in particleboard was identifiedas a dangerous home substance, Fise says. Since then, the list hasgrown daily and includes such common substances as air fresheners,gas stoves, new carpeting, paint, pets, dry cleaning chemicals andgarage car exhaust. And that's only a fraction of the offenders.
'It's not necessarily just one product that's the culprit,' Fisesays. 'It's when you put it all together that problems start.'
A lot depends on how clean you keep your house. Chat with Cordaroand she'll tell you all sorts of things you don't want to hear aboutyour housekeeping.
'Most of the people I see are in crisis mode,' says Cordaro, whohas railed against the evils of synthetics, mold, chemicals, dustmitesfor more than 20 years. 'These people have terrible allergies orupper respiratory problems or headaches or all the above. That's whenI have to untangle the house from top to bottom. And when it's anafterthought, it's extremely time-consuming.'
A total home make-over. Cordaro says trying to cure herself ofallergies, asthma and lung pain got her started in this field. Hercompany, H3 Environmental Corp., comprises specialists who work tosolve such problems as dangerous electromagnetic fields, inadequateair filtration and ventilation, and water seepage. Professional homeinspections are a must, and Cordaro says most start with a thoroughhistory of the house.
'I find out what events have happened to this structure-plumbingleaks, remodeling events, painting projects, new purchases, winddamage, that sort of thing. Then we try some quick, stopgap measures(unplug appliances not in use, throw out the feather pillows, thenopen the windows and turn on the exhaust fans to prevent negativepressurization) while we're working on the bigger issues.' That way,the homeowners can get some relief almost immediately.
Cordaro and her husband, Scott Davis-Jones, have invested inquality air circulation-the high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA)system works with carbon air filters to produce almost totally pureair. Wood furniture is oiled with linseed and polished with beeswax.The kitchen floor is covered in linoleum made from cork, bark andplants. Cleaning products are nontoxic, and are never stored underthe sink.
Wicker bedroom furniture is unfinished; the bed is slatted so itcan 'breathe.' Seat cushions throughout the house are made fromorganic wool (no pesticides). In addition to dust-mite-resistant woolfor the pillows and mildew-free walls and crawl spaces, Cordaro'sbedding is untreated and unbleached green cotton. She has eveninvested in organic furniture. 'People do tell me they breathe betterin here,' she says.
The best approach, Cordaro says, is to think about pollutantsbefore you build.
'What it comes down to is value,' says Matt Freeman-Gleason, ownerof Environmental Home Center in Seattle, a supplier of naturalbuilding materials. 'It doesn't necessarily cost more if you put thetotal cost of ownership into context over time. People are startingto see the value in a low-toxicity, sustainable system that all workstogether.'
`Green' building catches on. A former carpenter and boat builder,Freeman-Gleason is a proponent of 'green' building-using sustainablematerials that 'meet the needs of today without compromising theneeds of tomorrow.' He applauds the trend toward environmentalconsultants. 'When you integrate low toxicity with sustainability,it's a major success. People are excited about it, and it's finallybeginning to enter the mainstream.'
Gail Michaelson has known the joys of nontoxic living space. Aclient of Cordaro's for eight years, she raves about the changes herfamily has made. 'We took all of Mary's advice-changed our lifestyleand the bedding and the furniture and got better air filters-and nowit just seems easier to live in this house. All of us feel better,and that makes our life better,' she says.
Cordaro acknowledges that starting the process is the hardestpart. An overwhelmed homeowner might ask: Where to begin?
In the bedroom, Cordaro says. 'That's where you spend the mostamount of time detoxing at night.' Therefore, Cordaro says, youshould unplug as many electrical cords as you can-it is not advisableto sleep in an electromagnetic field. A quality air-filtration systemshould be installed to remove mildew or musty smells.
But it's the bedding that is crucial. Feathers are banned; so aresynthetic, chemically treated fabrics. Choose organic fibers, Cordarosays, or at least cover the offensive material with natural-fiberbarriers.
And don't forget carpeting. Cordaro doesn't have any in her house-only maple hardwood flooring sealed with a natural, nontoxic product.Throw rugs are made from cotton or natural silk.
'Carpeting is something no one really thinks about,' Cordaro says.'But you'd be shocked to know what's in it.' New carpeting issaturated with chemicals and old carpeting is filled with VOCs, knownin the business as volatile organic compounds.
Testing your air is a simple way to start screening your home,Fise says. 'Tests for radon and carbon monoxide are relativelyinexpensive, and the problems are easy to identify and fix.' She alsosuggests rethinking storage, especially for products that have strongfumes or odors. 'Any place away from the main house is the best,'Fise says.
She acknowledges that working for such a consumer organization hasmade her think more about her own home. 'I do consider possiblecontaminants more than I ever have, although, at some point, you candrive yourself crazy.
'People should just be aware that when they make purchases andhouse choices, it is something that will affect them daily.'
