Clearing the Air: Identifying and Mitigating Toxic Chemicals in Your Home

Posted by Andre & Erika Lacroix on
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Your home is meant to be a sanctuary—a place of safety and comfort. However, lurking within the walls of your home may be invisible threats to your health and well-being in the form of toxic chemicals. From household cleaners to building materials, many common items emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other harmful substances that can degrade indoor air quality and pose health risks. In this article, we’ll explore the sources and effects of toxic chemicals in the home, as well as practical strategies for reducing exposure and improving indoor air quality.

Understanding Toxic Chemicals in the Home:

Toxic chemicals in the home can originate from a variety of sources, including:

  • Household Cleaners: Many conventional household cleaners contain chemicals such as ammonia, chlorine, and phthalates, which can release VOCs and other hazardous substances into the air when used.
  • Paints and Finishes: Paints, varnishes, and wood finishes often contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can off-gas into the air, especially during application and drying.mitigating-toxic-chemicals-ez-breathe-1
  • Building Materials: Some building materials, such as pressed wood products, carpets, and insulation, may contain formaldehyde, flame retardants, and other chemicals that can emit harmful fumes over time.
  • Furniture and Upholstery: Furniture, mattresses, and upholstery may be treated with flame retardants, stain-resistant coatings, and other chemicals that can release VOCs and other toxins into the air.
  • Air Fresheners and Fragrances: Synthetic fragrances found in air fresheners, candles, and personal care products can contain phthalates, which are known endocrine disruptors and respiratory irritants.
  • Pesticides and Herbicides: Indoor use of pesticides and herbicides can introduce harmful chemicals into the home environment, leading to indoor air pollution and potential health risks.

The Impact on Indoor Air Quality and Health:

Exposure to toxic chemicals in the home can have a range of adverse effects on indoor air quality and health:

  • Respiratory Irritation: VOCs and other airborne chemicals can irritate the respiratory system, leading to symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and throat irritation.
  • Allergies and Asthma: Indoor allergens and irritants, including VOCs, can trigger allergic reactions and exacerbate symptoms in individuals with asthma and other respiratory conditions.
  • Neurological Effects: Certain chemicals found in household products, such as formaldehyde and phthalates, have been linked to neurological effects, including headaches, dizziness, and cognitive impairment.
  • Cancer Risk: Long-term exposure to certain chemicals found in the home, such as formaldehyde and benzene, has been associated with an increased risk of cancer, including leukemia and lymphoma.
  • Endocrine Disruption: Phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in household products can interfere with hormone function and contribute to reproductive and developmental disorders.
  • Indoor Air Pollution: Toxic chemicals emitted from household products can contribute to indoor air pollution, leading to poor indoor air quality and potential health hazards for occupants.

Practical Strategies for Reducing Exposure:

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to minimize exposure to toxic chemicals in your home and improve indoor air quality:

Choose Safer Products:

    • Opt for environmentally friendly and non-toxic household cleaners, paints, and building materials labeled as low-VOC or VOC-free.
    • Look for products certified by third-party organizations, such as Green Seal or the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice program.

Ventilate Properly:

    • Use exhaust fans or open windows when using household cleaners, paints, and other products that emit VOCs or other fumes.
    • Increase ventilation in your home by using ceiling fans, opening windows, and using air purifiers with HEPA filters to remove airborne pollutants.

Reduce Indoor Air Pollution:

    • Minimize indoor air pollution by avoiding the use of air fresheners, candles, and other scented products containing synthetic fragrances.
    • Choose natural alternatives, such as essential oils or homemade air fresheners, to scent your home without introducing harmful chemicals.

Dust and Vacuum Regularly:

    • Dust and vacuum your home regularly to remove dust, pet dander, and other allergens that may harbor toxic chemicals and pollutants.
    • Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to trap fine particles and prevent them from being recirculated into the air.

Limit Pesticide Use:

    • Practice integrated pest management (IPM) techniques to minimize the use of pesticides and herbicides indoors.
    • Use non-toxic alternatives, such as diatomaceous earth or botanical insecticides, to control pests without introducing harmful chemicals into your home.

Choose Low-Toxicity Furnishings:

    • Select furniture, mattresses, and upholstery made from natural materials or certified as low-VOC to minimize off-gassing of harmful chemicals.
    • Allow new furniture and upholstery to off-gas in a well-ventilated area before bringing them into your home.

Test Your Home for Radon:

    • Test your home for radon, a radioactive gas that can seep into homes through cracks in the foundation and pose a risk of lung cancer.
    • Consider installing a radon mitigation system if elevated levels of radon are detected in your home.

Toxic chemicals in the home pose significant risks to indoor air quality and human health, yet they often go unnoticed or underestimated by homeowners. By identifying common sources of indoor air pollution and implementing practical strategies to reduce exposure, homeowners can create a healthier and safer living environment for themselves and their families. Don’t let invisible threats compromise the air you breathe—take proactive steps to clear the air and improve indoor air quality in your home today.

Contact the Professionals at EZ Breathe Today! 866-822-7328

Written by Andre & Erika Lacroix

We are a 2nd generation family owned and operated business that has been working in homes with basements and crawl spaces for over 40 years.  We have been waterproofing and sealing about 500 foundations a month during that time as the largest Waterproofing contractor in the Midwest with 15 locations servicing 8 states.

20 years ago we would seal a foundation and recommend a standard dehumidifier to address the additional water vapor (humidity in the air) inherently found in below grade environments, such as basements and crawlspaces.  Back then, dehumidifiers were the industry standard to help with this problem. However, many of our customers were looking to us as the “foundation expert”, asking…

“What else do you have? I really am not getting results with this messy, expensive dehumidifier. My foundation is dry, walls are dry, floor is dry, so why does it still smell and feel like a basement?” 

We needed to find something better. Our company’s core values include offering world class customer service to every customer, every time.   So, we challenged our Research and Development department to find a real solution for our customers to combat not only the moisture, but also the odors, pollutants and unhealthy environment our customers were concerned about. We found, tested and installed a ventilation product for a period of three years. We private labeled that product as the EZ Breathe Ventilation System. The feedback in those first three years from our customers, as well as our installation crews, did not live up to the standard of quality to be included in our waterproofing process that offered a life time warranty. Once again, we needed something better.

We valued not only the results, but what we were learning from our customers. So, we went back to the drawing board, took matters into our own hands and made quality improvements to that first generation ventilation unit.

Our own EZ Breathe Ventilation System was born…reengineered, redesigned and much improved! We quickly learned that our crews were thrilled with the quality improvements, ease of operation and installation, but more importantly, our waterproofing customers loved the new, improved EZ Breathe unit as well.

Their feedback told us the air in their basements and crawlspaces felt better, but their entire home was benefiting from their EZ Breathe as well. We received countless letters thanking us because their whole house felt different, less odors, fresher air upstairs too, family members were feeling better, needing less allergy medicine, husbands were no longer snoring, children were no longer coughing as much, the home and it’s family were living healthier lives!

It was time for us to move beyond simply offering this innovative technology to just our waterproofing customers. Our passion and commitment to helping people improve their indoor air environments is what drove us to incorporate EZ Breathe Ventilation Systems as an independent company in 2003. We strongly believe that homeowners everywhere deserve a healthy indoor air quality.

We have spent the last 20 years dedicated to learning about the relationship between our home and our health; indoor air quality, the home as a system, building science and how it relates to indoor air quality as well as the challenges our modern day practices pose to the quality of air we breathe in our homes.