Three Pollutants to be Alert For
As you tighten up your home for winter in the San Antonio area, you may want to get a handle on indoor air pollutants that can build over the course of this season. The three most common and dangerous you’ll encounter include carbon monoxide, radon and mold.
Carbon Monoxide
Although this toxic gas can be present year-round, it tends to be worse in the winter when windows are closed and more gas appliances are being used indoors. The only way to know if carbon monoxide (CO) is present is to use detectors. It’s colorless, odorless and highly toxic. CO replaces oxygen in the bloodstream and over time, it causes suffocation. People who are more vulnerable include the very young, the elderly, and those with compromised cardiovascular systems.
The State of Texas requires CO detectors in all residential units that use combustion equipment. If you haven’t installed at least one, you are putting your family at risk for CO poisoning in the event your home has an attached garage or uses gas appliances.
Radon
Another odorless, colorless gas, radon is second only to tobacco smoking as the cause of lung cancer in the U.S. Testing kits are available in hardware and home improvement stores. After following the instructions carefully, you’ll have to send the test kit to a lab for testing.
Mold
Mold can be one of the most dangerous pollutants found in your home, but only if it contains black mold or a family member has allergies to mold. Mold is nature’s way of breaking down organic matter and it requires adequate humidity and comfortable temperatures to thrive. If you see evidence of mold inside your home, place a piece of tape over it that you can send to a lab for testing. Then remove the mold infestation with a diluted bleach solution. If the lab reports come back positive for black mold, contact an indoor air quality (IAQ) specialist for advice and assistance.
To learn more about indoor pollutants, contact Beyer Boys.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the greater San Antonio, Texas area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).