Cuyahoga County Board of Health - Indoor Air Quality

Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air can be unhealthier and more polluted then outdoor air. Some of these pollutants include cleaning chemicals, cigarette smoke, and mold. Other non-visible dangers include carbon monoxide and radon.

Asthma & Allergies

The rates of children diagnosed with asthma have increase significantly in the last 10 years. Asthma is the leading chronic illness in children, resulting in more school days missed then all other illnesses combined. Asthma rates in the Northeast are among the highest in the country.

Asthma attacks are an allergic reaction to a trigger. Some triggers are: mold, dust, pollen, pets (dander), cold air, tobacco smoke, dry heat, air pollution, cleaning chemicals, pesticides, cockroaches, and dust mites. Most of these triggers can be found in the home. To help manage your or your child's asthma, the United States EPA has created a fact sheet that lists 10 easy steps to making your home more "asthma friendly".

**The Cuyahoga County Board of Health currently has a grant to remediate asthma triggers in your home.

To qualify you must:

have a child under 16 years of age with doctor diagnosed asthma or an infant 12 months of age or younger (no diagnoses required for this age)

be 65 years of age or older with a diagnosed chronic upper respiratory condition

AND

meet the income guidelines

To see if you might qualify for the grant, please contact our office by calling 216-201-2000 extension 1524.

Mold & Moisture

Mold needs moisture in order to grow. Moisture can enter the home (leaks) or be generated by the people in the home (hot showers, cooking). Mold can grow anywhere there is water and a suitable surface. Porous surfaces retain the water and often stay damp (carpet, drywall, fabric, wood, and paper-based items).

Black Mold Photo There are hundreds of thousands of molds in various colors - black, brown, orange, green, etc. There is no good mold. Infants, children, elderly, and those persons who are immuno-compromised due to an illness, are more at risk for upper respiratory problems. Symptoms can include runny nose, itchy watery eyes, and sore throat. Anyone who has asthma or mold allergies will typically have a reaction. Not all people are affected in the same way.

There are six basic recommended steps for clean-up of visible mold growth. Although cleanup of mold may be conducted by the resident, extensive problems may necessitate the use of a professional. In the event of a flooding event, many different types of items or surfaces may have been impacted by flood waters. CCBH has created a fact sheet to assist with water removal and mold prevention.

There are currently no established standards for mold, how much visible mold is good or bad, or required certifications needed for those conducting the clean-up procedures.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless gas. Every year, hundreds of people in the United States die of CO poisoning. CO is generated from combustion appliances (those that use fuel-gas, oil, kerosene, charcoal, or wood to produce heat). Some of these appliances in the home include: gas furnaces, hot water tanks, ovens, dryers, wood burning fireplaces, grills (both gas & charcoal), vehicles, and gas powered yard equipment. Tobacco smoke also produces deadly carbon monoxide.

Carbon Monoxide Photo The number of CO poisoning cases often rise during the winter months when people who are experiencing power outages caused by adverse weather turn to alternative sources of heat, such as portable generators or fuel-burning stoves or heaters. One generator can produce as much CO as hundreds of cars and can incapacitate and kill a person in only a few minutes. Generators should only be used outdoors and away from any window, doors or vents.

Signs of low level CO poisoning can resemble those associated with the flu (headache, nausea, tiredness, weakness, & dizziness). Extended exposure to even low levels of CO can cause brain damage and heart problems. High levels can cause loss of consciousness, coma, and death. If you feel that you are having any of these symptoms, get fresh air immeidately! Open doors and windows, turn off combustion applicances and leave the house.

DON'T: Leave your car idling in the garage (even with the door open)
DON'T: Use gas-powered equipment or grills indoors or in any other enclosed spaces
DON'T: Use your gas oven to heat your home

Installing a CO detector in the home is very important. You should also remember to have your furnace and other heating applicances checked at the beginning of every winter season to ensure proper functioning and venting of all combustion gas.

Links:

US EPA - Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

CDC - Frequently Asked Questions on Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

US Consumer Product Safety Commission On Safety Blog - Find out more about generator safety and CO poisoning prevention

US Consumer Product Safety Commission - Carbon Monoxide Information Center

US Consumer Product Safety Commission - Generator Information

US Consumer Product Safety Commission - Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an indoor air pollutant cased by poor exchange of indoor air and fresh outdoor air. High levels may cause occupants to become drowsy, get headaches, or function a lower activity levels. Humans are the main indoor source of carbon dioxide.

Radon

Radon is a naturally occurring, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas. It originates from the earth and may enter your home from below the foundations through cracks in the floors, walls, floor drains, and sump pumps. Radon levels are generally higher in the basement or ground floor rooms that are in direct contact with the soil.

Radon gas can by inhaled and the radioactive particles may cause damage to the lung tissue and initiate lung cancer. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Radon may be tested through a short term test kit, which can be mailed to a laboratory for analysis. Radon test kits are available for a nominal fee from the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Links:

CCBH Radon Test Kit Application

CDC - Radon In The Home

Ohio Department of Health List of Professional Radon Remediators

Second Hand Smoke

Second hand smoke is the combined smoke from the cigarette/cigar/pipe and the exhaled smoke from the person smoking. This smoke has a high concentration of cancer-causing agents (carcinogens). The more secondhand smoke you are exposed to, the higher the level of these harmful chemicals in your body.

In the United States alone, each year second hand smoke is responsible for:

An estimated 46,000 deaths from heart disease
About 3,400 lung cancer deaths
50,000 to 300,000 lung infections (such as pneumonia and bronchitis) in children younger than 18 months of age, which result in 7,500 to 15,000 hospitalizations annually
Increases in the number and severity of asthma attacks in about 200,000 to 1 million children who have asthma
More than 750,000 middle ear infections in children
Pregnant women exposed to secondhand smoke are also at increased risk of having low birth-weight babies

In December 2006, the Smoke Free Workplace became law in Ohio. This law requires any establishment that has an employee or invites the public to enter to be smoke-free. The law does not apply to homes, cars or outdoor areas.

Links:

American Cancer Society

American Heart Association

American Lung Association