Give Cleaner Air to Your Child or Grandchild Who Lives With a Smoker

"In my view, smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke are the most serious public health threats that we face today. I say this not only as Commissioner of New Jersey's Department of Health and Senior Services, but also as a doctor who specialized in pulmonary disease for 40 years." Almost 50% of Americans are exposed to second hand smoke. It "kills an estimated 50,000 people each year" in the U.S.

In spite of the horrific health results, some still continue to smoke and endanger those around them, including the ones they love. Second hand smoke can cause breast cancer in younger women. Those exposed to smokers at work or home increase their risk of developing heart disease by 25 to 30 percent and lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent.

Second hand smoke is a “lethal mix” for fetuses, infants and children. Those under five are most vulnerable, “especially at home.” They breathe more air, drink more water, and eat more food per unit of body weight than adults do, so they tend to experience higher rates of exposure to pathogens and pollutants. Result? They are at a much higher risk of impaired lung and brain development, sinusitis, cystic fibrosis, and chronic respiratory diseases. Plus they may become nicotine dependent.

But what if your grandchild or someone else you love lives in a home with a smoker who refuses to quit? Your first choice may not be possible – helping that loved one leave a home polluted by second hand smoke. The fall-back? Giving cleaner air to breathe in their home. For this upcoming holiday, providing a high-performing whole home air cleaner is a powerful sign of love. By the way, October is National Home Indoor Air Quality Action and Awareness Month.

Eco-socialite Says Green Goes With Everything

When her son was diagnosed with asthma, eco-socialite, Sloan Barnett sought relief, not from the steroid her doctor recommended, but by taking preventive measures. She went green in what she bought for her home and to clean it – not surprising as her husband runs Shaklee.

Yet, to complete the preventive measures, one needs to remove the tiny airborne particles that can go deep into the lungs, causing asthma, allergies and other respiratory and even heart problems. This isn’t just a one-time or periodic task. You need constant air cleaning protection that only a highly-efficient, whole home air cleaner can provide. Even HEPA-grade, room-only, portable air cleaners can’t do a thorough job unless you stay in one room without opening the door and windows – and keep the unit on all the time. That’s not the way we live. And asthma is on the rise. The good news is that a continuously high-performing system is affordable now. AspenAir Inside, for example, is easy to install, requires less than 10 minutes of maintenance a year (one to two filter changes), is quiet, and doesn't emit harmful ozone as some air cleaners do. Winter is coming. Will you be spending more time indoors? Now might be a good time to consider cleaning up the air you breathe in the one place you can control – in your home.

The Air Study That “Stunned” Researchers

Researchers comparing air quality in six U.S. cities were “stunned” to learn “that people living in cities with the dirtiest air died on average two years earlier than residents of cities with the cleanest air. The difference in death rates was linked to elevated levels of fine-particle pollution.”

The tiniest air-born pollution particles are the most dangerous

Lung diseases like cancer, emphysema, fibrosis, and asthma are almost all initiated or aggravated by the inhalation of particles and gases, reports Joseph Brain, Drinker professor of environmental physiology at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH).

Children are the most vulnerable

The smallest air-borne particles are the ones that our lungs are least able to defend against. Infants and children are especially vulnerable. To describe the difference in an unforgettable way, imagine this scene, according to Rick Rogers, senior research scientist at HSPH:

“If a mom and her seven-year-old at a bus stop, stand in the wake of a departing bus’ burst of diesel exhaust, the child’s lungs will take in two and a half times the dose of particles as the mother’s. That startling effect is because of differences in surface to lung volume, metabolic rate, and activity.

Of course, any air pollution in the home will also have a much greater effect on children.

Fine particles in the air cause lung problems and heart attacks.

15 years into the six-city study researchers were surprised again. People were losing lung function, but what was killing them were cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and dysrhythmias. And it was fine particles from power plants and other combustion sources such as automobiles and home heating that showed the strongest associations with these deaths. This study is the most cited air-pollution paper in existence.


Prevent your children from losing lung capacity as they age.

The fine-particle lung damage to children worsens their lungs as they age. At first these fine particles cause “only” a small, yet permanent reduction in lung function. That's not so bad when they are young and have plenty of reserve lung capacity. But as they age, they will lose about 1 percent of their lung function per year (1.5 percent for smokers). After 50 years, in their early seventies, that’s a 50 percent reduction in lung capacity (75 percent in smokers).

Hint: It is never too soon to make the air cleaner where you have control over it – in your home. Look for air cleaning systems that also capture the most dangerous airborne particles – the tiniest ones.

40 percent of Children in the U.S. Will Develop Respiratory Disease

In part, that’s because of chemicals in their homes, according to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine.

1. One big source of indoor air pollution is the off-gassing of chemicals in many building materials. A big culprit is the particleboard or medium density fiberboard in many countertops, kitchen cabinets, shelving and furniture.

For years after installation the adhesives in the pressed-wood products used in making them releases urea formaldehyde a known human carcinogen.

2. Also, many paints, floor finishes, adhesives and sealants emit unhealthy volatile organic compounds (VOCs). That "new house smell" is a telltale sign that there are harmful chemicals in the indoor environment.

3. Fortunately, some green firms in building products industry are responding to these indoor pollution problems by developing safer products. They include low-VOC paints, cleaners and adhesives. These products are now commonly available from most major suppliers at costs comparable to conventional products.

4. Other in-door air pollutants are biological. Mold, for example, grows in places that become moist. That happens with inadequate ventilation, poor design and maintenance, and other reasons.

Another major cause for indoor air pollution is dust. Reduce it by putting walk-off door mats outside all doors to the outside, removing wall-to-wall carpeting and install hard surface flooring materials such as natural linoleum, bamboo, wood or wood alternatives, or concrete.

5. Finally, to make your home air cleaner than fresh, install in your internal HVAC system a high efficiency in-duct electronic air cleaner (EAC) – one that does not emit harmful ozone gas.

Best Plants for Better Air at Home

Blankets, toys, gas stoves, computers, and carpets can lead to allergies, asthma, even cancer, and might contribute to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Common indoor potted plants may improve indoor air by reducing levels of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.

VOCs, which include benzene and hexane, exist at low levels in many indoor environments – including homes. Some, like benzene, find their way inside buildings through pollution from traffic outside. Others emerge as a result of their use in paints, carpeting, and furniture fabric, especially in new or recently refurbished buildings. VOCs can contribute to “sick building syndrome,” a phenomenon that causes dry eyes, nose and throat, headache, lethargy, and nausea.

In his popular book How to Grow Fresh Air, Dr. B. C. Wolverton shares his NASA research on cleaning indoor air using house plants. His work led to improving air quality in space stations and long manned missions. Now he applies what he learned to what you can do at home.

Some 400 plants can absorb toxic heavy metals and contaminants, like lead and arsenic, from soil and water through a process called phytoremediation. The plant’s root system literally absorbs pollutants and transports them to the leaves, where they remain until the plant is harvested. In some instances plants such as the poplar tree can even break down pollutants, like the pesticide atrazine, and make them harmless.

Some of the best overall plants are the Areca Palm and Lady Palm, as well as Dracaenas and Chrysanthemums.

To ensure that the air in every room of your home is cleaner – even than fresh air – also consider getting an electronic air cleaner (EAC) attached to your HVAC system – one that does not emit harmful ozone.

Why You May Want Healthier Air at Home - and How to Get It

While we worry about smog, worse pollution is closer to home. In fact it is in our homes.

As reporter Chandra Shikhar discovered, “more than three decades after the Clean Air Act, the air outdoors is much cleaner … but indoor air is another matter.” “Pollutants inside buildings vastly outnumber those outside”, said Jed Waldman at the California Department of Health Services.

Yet there’s good news. You can take a few, powerfully simple steps to make the air inside your home – the one place you can control – better than the air outside. Here’s to living healthier and longer with clean air at home.

Five Alarming Facts to Motivate You to Act

1. 50 percent of all illnesses are either caused or aggravated by poor indoor air quality.

2. Asthma is now the most common chronic disorder in childhood, affecting an estimated 6.2 million children in the U.S., according to the American Lung Association.

3. The EPA ranks poor indoor air quality as one of top five public health risks. (Asthma, allergies, and other breathing difficulties, lung and heart disease, headaches and dizziness.)

4. Americans spend nearly 90% of their time indoors.

5. Indoor air pollution can be two to fives times to sometimes 100 times higher than outdoor air pollution.


Who is Most Vulnerable to Dirty Air?

Those most at risk to polluted air in their home:

• Infants and young children.
• People with asthma, allergies or other respiratory illnesses or who have heart or lung problems – especially those who also lead stressful lives.
• Elderly, most of whom have reduced lung capacity.
• Smokers and those who live with them.
• People who work at home.
• Those in colder climates who tend to stay inside even longer.
• People in urban areas.
• Those living in energy-efficient or other well-built homes that seal air inside.

Even Tidy, Conscientious People Get Sick From Their Home

Even if you use non-toxic products, clean regularly, have a HEPA vacuum cleaner and do not smoke, nor have asbestos or damp surfaces or use a fireplace or a wood stove, you are still vulnerable to the tiniest particles in your home – the respiratory suspended particulates (RSPs).

They become airborne from even slight actions such as walking on the carpet, sitting on a sofa or lifting a blanket. The particles are microbial air contaminants, ranging from bacteria and viruses to fungi and spores. They include pollens, spores, asbestos fibers, insect debris, food remnants, and pet dander.

What Makes RSPs So Dangerous?

Size does matter. RSPs are so small that you can breathe them deep into your lungs. Multiple studies show they cause acute or chronic health effects. They enter the blood or lymph tissue and cause a host of respiratory problems. Those who are allergic to respirable particles succumb to a range of health problems, from allergic rhinitis to bronchial asthma. Radon and benzo-a-pyrene (suspected carcinogenic agents) are transported by RSPs into the lungs.

Gases or other substances may also be carried by RSPs into the lungs. Respiratory illness, especially chronic illnesses like bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma may be linked to, or aggravated by, exposure to RSPs.

Lung damage may be small yet it is cumulative. That is especially devastating for young children as the effect of the damage increasingly reduces lung capacity as they age. Recent research shows that respiratory problems from RSPs and other air pollutants can also lead to heart problems.

It Gets Worse

These pollutants affect you more if you are sensitive to them or the longer you are exposed to them – for example, the amount of time you spend at home. Health dangers range from itchy eyes to allergic reactions to more dangerous effects such as a damaged immune systems, reduced lung capacity, heart difficulties and cancer. Slightly larger particles, such as pollen, dander and house-dust allergens, don't penetrate your lungs as deeply, but they can cause debilitating allergic responses.

Choose the Most Efficient Air Cleaner for Your Home

You can get a whole home air cleaner if you have a forced air system, meaning you have a furnace or furnace and air conditioner. Then you already have a basic mechanical filter. That’s your first, crude level of defense against air pollution.

These mechanical filters are typically made of a coarsely woven metal. They can only remove large particles of dirt and hair. Even that capacity is greatly reduced when the filters are not replaced regularly. Worse yet, these mechanical filters can’t capture the tiny RSPs. If you do not have a forced-air system or want to consider a portable, room-only device, here’s the basics you need to know.

Get a Portable Room-only Device or a Whole Home System?

The next step is to choose between a portable room-only cleaner and a whole home cleaner. Unfortunately, some don’t have that choice. You can’t get a whole home system if you do not have a forced-air home furnace or air conditioning system.
In considering portable devices you have two kinds: ones with mechanical filters or ionizers.

Mechanical Filter-Based Portable Air Devices

The best kind of portable systems meet the HEPA (high efficiency particulate air filters) standard. That means they can capture 99.97 percent of the airborne particles 0.3 microns and larger that pass through the filter. These include tobacco smoke, household dust and pollen. Mechanical filters draw air through a flat, pleated or high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) surface to trap particles.

That design means HEPA filters can be efficient in the beginning yet tend to clog easily. Clogging reduces airflow and thus their ability, over time, to remove pollutants. Filters must be changed with some frequency to maintain HEPA-level efficiency. Not all if us remain that diligent, even if we intend to be. “Gary McEldowney, the marketing director for AllergyBuyersClub.com, said the cost of a purifier could range from $150 to $700, depending on size and features. Replacement HEPA filters cost $40 to $150.” Other models are much more expensive.

Another obvious disadvantage is that a single room cleaner can’t keep the rest of the air in your home clean. It can’t even maintain the high HEPA standard in the room in which it is used, unless it runs continuously and the door and windows to the room are kept closed – an unlikely possibility.

Put simply, this room-only approach is akin putting a bandaid on a wound.

Portable Room Ionizers

Ionizers emit a small charge to the air stream that causes particles to adhere to the filter or other surfaces by a magnetic-like attraction. But this is not efficient as particles can become re-suspended.

Worse yet, ionizing emits ozone, a lung irritant that is also linked to other health problems. It can have damaging health effects, especially for those with asthma and other lung diseases, children and the elderly.

According to Consumer Reports and the EPA, “While some indoor air pollutant concentrations decline in the presence of ozone, other pollutants increase. In fact, upon reaction with ozone, some previously undetected, toxic chemicals emerge in indoor air, including formaldehyde and other aldehydes.” See the EPA’s article, "Ozone Generators Sold as Air Cleaners."

To add insult to injury, the units make a zapping and other noise as they emit ozone. Also it requires time-consuming cleaning and frequent filter changes to maintain even a lower level of performance.

Your best option, if you cannot get a whole home air cleaner, is to get a portable, room-only device with a mechanical, HEPA-grade filter. If your home has a forced-air system you can get a whole home system. Now you’ll see your options. The good news is that there are clear choices. You do not have to spend a lot of time nor money to get healthy air throughout your home.

How to Choose the Most Efficient Whole Home Air Cleaner

Whole home air cleaners can be placed in the ductwork of forced-air systems heating or air-conditioning (also known as in-duct air cleaners).

“If you are using forced air for, the best way to clean the air in your house is to add a filtration module to your system,” said Alex Wilson, president of BuildingGreen in Brattleboro, Vermont. As you’ll read further down, however, you may not have to mess with the ducts, with a hybrid system. It can be retrofitted, that is bolted right onto your existing unit.

Following are the categories of air cleaner systems, described in the order of increasing levels of air cleaning performance, maintenance needs and convenience.

Here are the kinds of whole home air cleaners from which you can choose:

1. Electrostatic Precipitators (ESPS)

All electrostatic precipitators use electricity to charge particles passing through them and then attract them electrically (make them “stick”) to either plates or a filter.

2. Electrostatic Filters
This is the least expensive kind of filtering system, removing 90% of particles that are 0.3 microns or less. It requires frequent filter change and, more importantly, performance goes down over time. One example is the Filtrete. Electrostatic units filter the air using static electricity. They have a static charge on the filter to allow airborne particles to "stick" to the filter, just like static-charged clothing sticks together. The drawbacks to these units are that they capture fewer RSP’s and the filter needs to be replaced frequently

3. Conventional Electronic Air Cleaners

EACs charge particles and cause them to stick to plates inside the unit or to a filter. In this way they trap and filter up to 98% of pollutants from the air passing through your heating and cooling system. This kind of air cleaner can capture microscopic impurities like dust, smoke and smog particles in addition to larger particles like mold spores and cat dander.

Collected pollutants are removed by cleaning the plates in the sink or dishwasher. Some EAC’s use grounded filters instead of plates but these require expensive replacements.

4. Hybrid Electronic Air Cleaner

A hybrid electronic air cleaner provides the upside of traditional EACs (high efficiency) without the downsides (reduction of efficiency over time, messier and more time-consuming maintenance, more complex installation, no ozone emitted and fewer, more frequent and time-consuming filter changes.)

Here’s how the newer hybrid, AspenAir Inside accomplishes this. It eliminates the need for wires (or pins) and plates. Instead it uses a non-metallic material to conduct the electricity and charge the RSP’s. This non-metallic design avoids the wear and tear and faster filter clogging that degrades performance over time.

All other EACs’ use of wires or pins cause a loss of up to 80% RSP collection efficiency within 60 days.

One final thought. Winter is coming. Days are getting colder and shorter. You may be spending more time inside. Consider installing an air cleaner soon. Healthier air is the priceless gift for yourself and those who share the holidays with you at home.