A 'sick' house is not a home

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A 'sick' house is not a home

Your safe-from-the-weather haven may be harboring indoor pollutants

By Sell

USA TODAY

Sick of your home?

It might be more serious than just a common case of ho-hum house boredom.

Home sweet home actually might be making you physically ill.

Everyone, of course, has heard of sick-building syndrome -- hazards usually

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 tiles right above your pressed-wood

desk. But how many times have you thought about what your house might be

doing to your health?

Not many, if you're like millions of other Americans who regard home as a

haven. But as baby boomers age, health issues become the new reality. And as

these homeowners become more aware of their personal environmental safety, a

new industry -- replete with environmentally aware consultants, teachers,

builders and organizations -- is emerging to offer alternative approaches

and building materials in tandem with long-term lifestyle solutions.

''It's getting better, but there are so few people involved in this field

that it's been tough for homeowners to put the pieces together,'' says

Cordaro, a California native and an environmental teacher and consultant.

''We try to teach people to screen their homes for potential hazards as well

as the ones that are doing damage right now. Home is supposed to be a

healing place, not a scary place.''

Especially in the winter, airtight homes are most susceptible to the

''sealed syndrome,'' where outdoor air doesn't enter for months. Not good,

since the Environmental Protection Agency has reported that indoor pollution

can actually exceed (from 2 to 100 times) the level of outdoor air

pollution.

''People wonder why they get the flu all the time, why their kids have

recurring ear infections,'' says Ellen Fise of the Consumer Federation

of America, a Washington, D.C.-based group that identifies indoor air

pollution as a national problem. ''Your house should be your castle. But in

truth, it can be a mixing bowl for toxic soup.

''We haven't grown up as a culture thinking negatively about the products we

use,'' Fise says. ''And let's not forget that the number of products we

carry into our home has increased.''

About 20 years ago, formaldehyde in particleboard was identified as a

dangerous home substance, Fise says. Since then, the list grows daily,

including such common substances as air fresheners, gas stoves, new

carpeting, hobby supplies, paint, pets, dry cleaning chemicals and garage

car exhaust. And that's only a fraction of the offenders.

''It's not necessarily just one product that's the culprit,'' Fise says.

''It's when you put it all together that problems start.''

Oh, did we mention a lot depends on how clean you keep your house? Chat with

Cordaro and she'll tell you all sorts of things you don't want to hear about

your housekeeping.

''Most of the people I see are in crisis mode,'' says Cordaro, who has

railed against the evils of synthetics, mold, mildew, chemicals, dust

mites -- even moisture under wallpaper -- for more than 20 years. ''These

people have terrible allergies or upper respiratory problems or headaches or

all the above. That's when I have to untangle the house from top to bottom.

And when it's an afterthought, it's extremely time-consuming and more

expensive.''

A total home makeover

Cordaro, who describes herself as ''very sensitive to pollutants,'' says

that trying to cure herself of allergies, asthma and lung pain got her

started in this field. Her company, H3 Environmental Corp., comprises

specialists who work as a team to solve such problems as dangerous

electromagnetic fields, inadequate air filtration and ventilation, chemical

and bacterial pollution, and water seepage. Professional home inspections

are a must, and Cordaro says that most of the ones she has done start with a

thorough history of the house.

''I find out what events have happened to this structure -- plumbing leaks,

remodeling events, painting projects, new purchases, wind damage, that sort

of thing. Then we try some quick, stopgap measures (unplug appliances not in

use, throw out the feather pillows, then open the windows and turn on the

exhaust fans to prevent negative pressurization) while we're working on the

bigger issues.'' That way, Cordaro says, the homeowners can get some relief

and feel better almost immediately.

Cordaro continues to practice her own healthy advice, working for the past

10 years on purifying her ranch home in the San Valley.

''It is an ongoing project,'' she says, but she acknowledges that the house

is virtually free of allergens and pollutants. She and her husband,

-, have invested in quality air circulation -- the high-efficiency

particulate air (HEPA) system works in tandem with carbon air filters to

produce almost totally pure air. Wood furniture is oiled with linseed and

polished with beeswax. The kitchen floor is covered in linoleum made from

cork, bark and plants. Cleaning products are non-toxic, and never stored

under the sink.

Wicker bedroom furniture is unfinished; the bed is slatted so it can

''breathe.'' Seat cushions throughout the house are made from organic wool

(no pesticides). In addition to dust-mite-resistant wool for the pillows and

mildew-free walls and crawl spaces, Cordaro's bedding is untreated and

unbleached green cotton. She has even invested in organic furniture.

''People do tell me they breathe better in here,'' she says with a laugh.

Still, the best approach, Cordaro says, is to think about possible

pollutants before you build.

''What it comes down to is value,'' says Matt Freeman-Gleason, owner of

Environmental Home Center in Seattle, a major supplier of natural building

materials. ''It doesn't necessarily cost more if you put the total cost of

ownership into context over time. People are starting to see the value in a

low-toxicity, sustainable system that all works together.''

'Green' building catches on

A former carpenter and boat builder, Freeman-Gleason also is a proponent of

''green'' building -- using sustainable materials that ''meet the needs of

today without compromising the needs of tomorrow.'' He applauds the trend

toward environmental consultants and enjoys working with them. ''When you

integrate low toxicity with sustainability, it's a major success. People are

excited about it, and it's finally beginning to enter the mainstream.''

Gail son has known the joys of non-toxic living space. A client of

Cordaro's for eight years, she raves about the changes her family has made.

''We took all of 's advice -- changed our lifestyle and the bedding and

the furniture and got better air filters -- and now it 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 hardest part and,

initially, it all might seem a bit overwhelming for the average homeowner,

resulting in a frustrated query: Where to begin?

In the bedroom, Cordaro says without a moment's hesitation. ''That's where

you spend the most amount of time detoxing at night.'' Therefore, Cordaro's

reasoning proceeds, you should unplug as many electrical cords as you can --

it is not advisable to sleep in an electromagnetic field. Additionally, a

quality air-filtration system (not air fresheners!) should be installed to

remove mildew or musty smells.

But it's the bedding, without a doubt, that is crucial. Feathers are banned;

so are synthetic, chemically treated fabrics. Choose organic fibers instead,

Cordaro says, or if that's not possible, at least cover the offensive

material with natural-fiber barriers that cover the box spring and mattress.

Oh, and don't forget carpeting. Cordaro doesn't have any in her house --

only maple hardwood flooring sealed with a natural, non-toxic 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 is saturated with

chemicals and old carpeting is filled with VOCs, known in 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 relatively inexpensive, and the

problems are easy to identify and fix.'' She also suggests rethinking

storage, especially for products that have strong fumes or odors. ''Any

place that is away from the main house is the best, such as in a shed or the

garage,'' Fise says.

She acknowledges that working for such a consumer organization has made her

think more about her own home and the effects it has on her family. ''I do

consider possible contaminants more than I ever have, although, at some

point, you can drive yourself crazy.

''People should just be aware that when they make purchases and house

choices, it is something that will affect them daily. And for years.''