When we think of air pollution, the things that come to mind are almost always automotive emissions caused by cars, layers of smog that blanket big cities, ash and smoke caused by forest fires, and the billowing gases we see coming out of industrial facilities all over the world.
However many people, including Stream Energy customers, spend more time inside than outside – and end up exposing themselves to many more pollutants in their own homes than just about anywhere else.
Many of the most common indoor pollutants are colorless and odorless, meaning that they can persist for years without you ever noticing, but you may experience all sorts of symptoms, including:
- Headaches
- Skin rashes
- Itchy eyes
- Drowsiness
- Blocked sinuses
- Trouble breathing
Several different factors can prove to be responsible. Today, you’ll learn about a handful of them, as well as what many Stream Energy customers do to protect their homes for years to come.
Common indoor air pollutants:
Mold
Mold is caused by spores that grow in damp areas in buildings and various surfaces. It occurs most often in wet places, like around showers and bathtubs, and is more prominent in the winter and in humid geographical regions.
Molds can come in a number of different colors, have many different textures, and can exacerbate all sorts of respiratory, immune, and skin issues – especially in infants, kids, and older adults.
If you find mold, you can hire a mold abatement specialist to remove it, as well as find out what’s enabling its ongoing growth.
Tobacco smoke
Indoor smoking was much more common in households all over the world decades ago, but the remnant of tobacco smoke still lingers in many properties. It is a combination of over 7,000 compounds that leave a brownish-yellow residue all over every surface in your home and can cause cancer in both smokers and non-smokers alike. To make matters worse, these compounds can be carried all throughout your building by your HVAC system.
You will most likely need to bring in a professional to undo the damage caused by years of indoor smoking, as well as replace HVAC filters, carpeting, bedding, and more. You may want to repaint your walls, use an air purifier, add more plants to your home to absorb pollutants, and place other objects, like orange peels, activated charcoal, and coffee grounds throughout your living space.
Products
Though people rely on cleaning supplies to keep their home sanitary and (ideally) odorless, chemical-based household products such as industrial cleaners, glues, personal care products like cosmetics, air fresheners, and scented candles can all cause irritation in the eyes, nose, and throat, as well as headaches and nausea. If you’re suddenly feeling ill or out of it after bringing a new item into your home, start eliminating products one by one to see if you can identify the cause.
Appliances
Your oven, furnace, fireplace, water heater, or space heater likely burns oil, coal, wood, gas, or kerosene to keep you warm – and faults, leaks, or defects in these appliances can be responsible for toxic gases seeping into your home. If needed, bring in a professional to find issues and replace lines (or fixtures) as needed.
Radon
Radon is an inert and odorless gas, which means that for many Stream Energy customers, it travels up from the ground and binds itself to the air particles in their homes. As radon decays, it emits radiation, which can then stick to dust and also cause lung damage.
To remove radon from your home, a specialist can create a ventilation system designed to move radon from underneath your home to the outside. The most common way to do this is active soil depressurization, though there are several other techniques that can be used to aerate radon.
Pet dander
Pet dander causes allergic reactions for many Stream Energy customers who own pets, as well as their family members, friends, and guests. Dander comes not just from the hair on animals but also their skin flakes, meaning that even hairless animals can cause irritation, coughing, watery eyes, sneezing, and other symptoms as well.
Cleaning surfaces where your pets like to sleep or spend time can make a huge difference when you’re opening up your home to someone with a significant allergy.
Asbestos, lead, and other building materials
Many common building materials used in the 20th century have been revealed to be particularly toxic and unsafe, with the best-known being asbestos.
Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring minerals that were commonly used to strengthen and fireproof materials. However, inhaled asbestos fibers can deliver inflammation, scars, and long-term damage to the body, causing a form of cancer known as mesothelioma.
Many homes built before 1980 contain some form of asbestos, such as old pipe insulation or talcum powder, and these can expose you and your loved ones to toxins if they break down or crumble. However, durable asbestos materials, such as cement slabs and vinyl tiles, are safe so long as they are not cracked or broken.
If needed, you can bring in asbestos specialists to find it in your home and safely remove and destroy these materials, as well as install safer alternatives to last for decades to come.
Lead is another potential issue, especially if your home was built before 1978.
Though lead isn’t an issue if it hasn’t started to deteriorate if lead paint begins to flake it can become a widespread contaminant. Lead has been known to cause premature birth, brain and nerve damage, and low birth weight in newborn babies, behavioral issues and organ damage in children, and a number of other issues, such as hearing and vision loss, memory loss, and fertility issues in adults.
A specialist can conduct a lead paint assessment, as well as develop a plan to remove lead and repaint surfaces as needed.
As you work to make your home comfortable and safe for years to come, check with Stream Energy to see if they offer utility services in your area. Their website is a great resource to check current plans and rates and makes it easy to pop in your zip code to see if Stream Energy is available in your area.
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