Clinton News-Record, 1984-04-25, Page 45Clean air in your home
As concern about pollution and its dangers
has increased, the question of air quality in
houses has also become a focus of research,
Recent studies tend to confirm that higher
levels of indoor pollution can, under certain
circuMitances, &triage the house and
cause an air quality problem.
Condensation on the inside of a second
storey double -glazed -witidOw has usually
been considered the most reliable sign of in-
adequate ventilation. But now there is some
evidence that with a strong source of con-
tamination present you may find you have
an air pollution problem, even if you don't
notice any signs of condensation.
Every day, you're exposed to a range of
chemicals and toxic substances, the in-
evitable byproducts of modern life. In fact,
the air you breathe may be p_olltited with
contaminants from either inside or outside
the house. Smoking is perhaps the most ob-
vious source of indoor air pollution, though
unvented combustion appliances, like
kerosene heaters and, more commonly, gas
stoves, also give off noxious fumes. The
presence of this kind of pollution is un-
mistakeable, but you may not be aware of
some of the other products emitting
dangerous gases. UFFI, of course, is
notorious.
New rugs and upholstered furniture, as
well as some plywoods and particle boards,
are often made with an adhesive containing
formaldehyde. Chemical cleaning
substances ( including furniture polish and
• fabric softeners) emit toxic vapours dining
use. So does paint ( a-nd model glue). An
unexpected source of contaminants may be
found in the soil around your house founda-
tions; radon, a naturally occurring radioac-
tive gas, sometimes originates here and
seeps into the basement floor and walls._
Where you live can also determine the air
quality inside your house, if it's located near
certain kinds of industrial facilities or at a
busy intersection.
The quality of air in your house depends
primarily on the strength of these con-
taminants. If the source is outside the house,
sealing against air leaks should help; if it's
inside, making your house air -tight will only
aggravate theproblem, unless you add con-
trolled ventilation. flow much extra ventila-
tion you need depends on the number of
pollutants present, and what kind. Several
heavy nmokets in the house, for example,
can mean a constant level of pollution. The
•problem nuy bo _limited to one room if air
circulation is poor and if there is a concen-
tration ef laollutants in that area (such aea
kitchen with a gas stove going and several
smokers sitting around the table or a
workshop where model airplanes are
assembled and furniture is refinished).
Air quality is a legitimate concern if
you're tightening your house; so is conden-
sation. Increased condensation can be a
direct consequence of a tighter house, which
becomes more humid in winter as the
moisture generated by household activities
accumulate& This may makelyour house
more comfortable if yoti'Ve -suffered from
dry air in previous winters. But, over a cer-
tain level, the higher humidity can. cause
condensation and you may end up with
mildewed or peeling walls, wet and ruined
insulation or wood rot. If you decide it's
necessary to lower humidity levels, you
should tirst -try the approach of reducing
household moisture. •Turn off humidifiers.
Don't hang laundry to dry and don't vent th
clothes dryer indoors in winter. Make sure
the basement has proper.drainage, by Rut-
ting up eavestroughs if there aren't any and
sloping soil or pavethent away from the
foundation wall. You may also need to do
some damp -proofing; for information about
this, see the Ministry of Municipal Affairs
and Housing fact- sheet Insulating
Basements.
Similarly, you should deal with the
sources of pollution if you're having air
•quality .problems. •Smoking in the house
should be limited if it can't be stopped. Air
purifiers may be a partial solution. You can
vent gas stoves to the outside (or at least
open a nearby window). Avoid using por-
table kerosene heaters, and if you must,
open a window to vent the -fumes. If you plan
to btiy new furnitUre or carpeting, do so in
• the spring, to take advantage of the natural
ventilation possible in stunmer. Do any
Turn to page 4 ,
• HURON
• LANDSCAPING
complete landscaping service
ornamental trees and shrubs
• professional designs
SPRING SPECIAL
PEAT MOSS
3 CUBIC FEET $3.50
ATTENTION GREEN THUMBERS!!
Every year more andmore people enjoy choosing their bedding plants from our selection of annuals.
• OVER 5,000 FLATS OF
BEDDING PLANTS ON DISPLAY
• including 50 different kinds of annuals.
PLUS!
7 Lts Get
GRONDIRIL
OVER 10,000
• GERANIUMS
already in bloom!!
LANNING SOME LANDSCAPING?
We have a wide assortment of:
*EVERGREEN SHRUBS
*SHADE TREES
*FRUIT TREES
*FLOWERING SHRUBS
*ROSE BUSHES
*PERENNIAL PLANTS
We are your complete
GARDEN STORE
Let us advise you on the proper
care & maintenance of your garden
over the growing season.
We stock
*FERTILIZER
•PEAT MOSS
•BARK CHIPS
*POTTING SOILS
*FLOWER AND
VEGETABLE SEEDS
•BULK SEEDS
*DUTCH SETS
•SEED POTATOES
*SPRING BULBS
*We also carry a complete
line of Insecticides,
herbicides & fungicides.
bedding
plants,
Flowers (7)
CanadaYer.
dluzon cRiage c7qczed
,
• Watch for our signs on Hwy. 11 South of
hayfield and Hwy. 114 West of Zurich.
DAVID STECKLE AND FAMILY
R.R. No. 2 PHONE:
ZURICH, ONTARIO (511) 5S-2122
Open evenings till dusk
Sat. till 5 *Sundays Closed