Lately, all the media seems to talk about is going “green” and being energy-efficient. The number one way your home leeches money and wastes energy is when you have older, drafty windows that are improperly sealed – the money you use for your heating and cooling bills is literally going out the window.
More recently, the news is riddled with stories about asbestos, lead paint, mould, radon, and other scary, invisible problems that are hiding in your home, waiting to “get” you and your family. Over-sealing your home can increase the concentration of these problems within the indoors. So what is the average, environmentally-conscious homeowner to do?
If you’ve already got these problems, over-sealing your home will only increase how much you notice them and how much they affect you. You may feel weaker, tired, become ill for unexplained reasons, or develop “sick building syndrome”, an ailment directly related to poor air quality that is usually prevalent in newer office buildings and remodeled homes. While these are not slight problems by any means, solving the problem at its core is much more effective than putting off re-caulking your windows.
While they are a good start, HEPA filters alone will not remediate these issues. It is interesting to note that many over-sealed sky scrapers in Canada are finding success in the installation of UV lights throughout their floors to eliminate sick building syndrome. UV lights are known to kill microorganisms such as mould and bacteria, and can be installed in ventilation systems to take care of some of these issues.
However, this does little to rectify the other toxic problems, like asbestos fibers, lead dust and radon gas. There are many DIY testing kits available at the larger home renovation stores and these can assist you in determining the extent of your problem, or whether you have one at all.
Indoor air quality testing, either DIY or by a professional company, paired with a well-sealed home can significantly boost the resale value of a house.
Many indoor air quality specialists also offer free consultations in which they will actually come to your home. A good property remediation company should do free testing and help you determine what kind of problems you have before you sign anything or agree to have them remediate your home. This way, you can get a decent idea of how you can remedy the situation at a cost that fits your budget – DIY, or have it done professionally.
