| Nobody wants to live in a toxic environment, but | | | | · If you live an area with many farms |
| the fact is, the air inside our homes is on average | | | | that use pesticides or a lot of chemical industry, |
| five times more polluted than the air outdoors. | | | | do not drink well water. |
| Here are some simple but essential steps to keep | | | | · Use natural wood instead of pressed |
| home VOC (volatile organic compound) free. | | | | cardboard fireboard logs in your fireplace. |
| · The best method is to use materials | | | | · Have the chimney to your fireplace |
| that do not give off VOC's. There are a number | | | | cleaned at least once a year. |
| of paints and building products now being made | | | | · Don't use kerosene space heaters, since |
| that do not emit high levels of VOC's. If you | | | | they dump all their toxic VOC's directly into the |
| cannot afford the new VOC-free paints, such as | | | | rooms they heat. |
| Freshaire's Choice, water-based paints are less of | | | | · Make sure your home has a carbon |
| a problem than acrylic paints. The VOC's in paints | | | | monoxide detector in addition to a fire detector. |
| are removed from the body by urination, so drink | | | | · Use face protection when removing old |
| more water when you paint around the house. | | | | pipes and wiring. |
| Always open windows or use ventilation fans | | | | · Don't idle the car in the garage. |
| when painting indoors. | | | | · Don't use gas or charcoal grills inside, |
| · Allow gases from new furnishings and | | | | ever, even during disaster situations. |
| building materials to be given off in storage for a | | | | · Radon gas is not a VOC, but it is the |
| few weeks before being brought into your home. | | | | second leading contributor to lung cancer after |
| · Avoid landfills, which emit many VOC's, | | | | cigarette smoke. Especially if your home has a |
| more as the trash inside the landfill ages. | | | | basement, get a radon gas detector. |
| · Fix leaks. Even when there is no mold, | | | | · Make an effort to regularly get fresh, |
| dampness increases the irritation caused by | | | | clean air into your home. |
| VOC's. | | | | · Make sure your woodstove is vented |
| · Do not allow smoking in or near the | | | | to the outside, or do not use it at all. |
| house. | | | | · Be careful when exposing foam |
| · If your place of worship uses incense, | | | | insulation or particleboard. These construction |
| minimize indoor exposure to incense at home. | | | | materials are made with formaldehyde. |
| Outdoor use of incense minimizes exposure to | | | | · Make sure your gas stove is well |
| you (although it increases exposure by your | | | | vented to the outside. Although the primary |
| neighbors). | | | | pollutant from gas cooking is nitrogen dioxide, |
| · Always add the cleaner to water, not | | | | which is not a VOC, this chemical can trigger |
| water to the cleaner. | | | | asthma attacks and make the lungs more |
| · Wear gloves, and if you are applying a | | | | sensitive to VOC's from other sources. |
| chemical at nose-level, consider wearing a | | | | · Whenever possible, don't install carpets. |
| protective mask so you do not inhale VOC's. | | | | Carpets and carpet pads trap and emit VOCs, |
| · Do not bring dry cleaned clothing into | | | | and make odor control very difficult if you have |
| the home if it has a strong smell. Allow it to air | | | | pets. |
| outside of its plastic bag, outside of the home | | | | And ways to remove VOCs from your home? |
| first. Hanging dry-cleaned clothes on outdoor | | | | Houseplants can help remove VOC's from air. |
| clothesline for about 2 hours is enough. | | | | Some plants can remove 30 times their weight in |
| · Ventilate the house by opening windows | | | | VOC's over the course of their lives. |
| and doors. | | | | |