Whole-House Central Humidifiers

Click Image to Enlarge Balanced humidity inside a house is important not only for comfort, but to the house itself. When the humidity level-the amount of water vapor in the air- drops too low or raises too high, a variety of problems can develop. Dry air draws moisture out of everything-from your eyes, lips and skin to the carpets and furniture. The respiratory system, which relies on moisture to fight off viruses and bacteria, dries out, making you more susceptible to colds, coughs and asthma. And bothersome static electricity increases. Too-high humidity in the summer is just plain uncomfortable. During the winter, the first signs of overly-humid air usually appear when vapor hits the cold inner surfaces of windows and condenses there. Though this normally isn't a serious problem, the same condensation may collect on the inner surfaces of exterior walls (unless walls are fitted with a proper vapor retarder). This can rot the structure and ruin insulation. Peeling, blistering or cracking paint-especially if bare siding is visible in spots-usually indicates this condition. And in addition to condensation problems, humid air encourages mold, mildew and bacterial growth. The most obvious way to reduce humidity is to use an air conditioner or, in a house that doesn't have central air conditioning, a dehumidifier. Sometimes humidity can be reduced to an acceptable level simply by using kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans. Other methods include venting the clothes dryer outdoors, keeping showers short and running only full loads in clothes washers and dishwashers. You should also eliminate sources of leaks or standing water in the basement or crawl space. Tabletop and console humidifiers are relatively inexpensive and portable. Both are filled manually-usually on a daily basis. Tabletop units output from 2 to 4 gallons of water per 24 hours; consoles output 8 to 14 gallons. Some disperse steam or a cool mist, others blow air through a damp evaporative filter. Central evaporative humidifiers are installed on forced-air furnace plenums, are are the most effective type of humidifier

This same article has brought attention to a serious issue. Because granite is a natural material originating in the earth's crust it can, and often does, contain uranium, which produces radon gas.

"Granite is a naturally occurring igneous rock, meaning that it was formed by the cooling of molten rock. It is quarried and processed to produce commercial products such as countertops. It is possible for any granite sample to contain varying concentrations of uranium that can produce radon gas, a source of alpha and beta particles and gamma rays," according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

"Some granite used for countertops may contribute variably to indoor radon levels," the EPA says.

What is Radon and Why is it Risky?

Radon is a natural, radioactive gas that comes from the earth's soil and rocks. Specifically, when uranium in the earth's crust decays, it produces radium, which in turn produces radon.

Radon levels tend to be highest in basements, since they're closest to the soil and rock.

This odorless and colorless gas naturally percolates through porous soils where it enters the air. Outdoors, radon generally is not much of a problem because it rapidly dissipates. Indoors, however, is another story.

Radon gas can enter your home through:

• Gaps and cracks in your foundation or insulation

• Pipes

• Sumps and drains

• Walls

• Other openings

Radon can also be emitted from some home building materials such as the stone used to build fireplaces, solar heating storage systems or the granite in your countertops.

When radon is inhaled, radioactive particles get trapped in your lungs and break down further, releasing bursts of energy that can lead to cancer. However, the gas causes no immediate symptoms, so damage to lung tissue can occur over a long period of time, sometimes years, without the person knowing.

Radon is, in fact, the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States (after smoking).

Is Your Granite Countertop "Hot"?

The EPA's recommended safety level for radon is four picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L)) (nearly one out of every 15 U.S. homes has levels at or above this mark!). The New York Times article found at least one home with granite countertops that had levels of 100 pCi/L in the kitchen.

Experts vary on whether or not these "hot" countertops are actually dangerous. Some point out that there's no safe level of radon exposure, while others say the levels are too minute to cause alarm.

"We want to reassure the public that their granite countertops are safe," said Jim Hogan, president of The Marble Institute of America.

Yet, even though David J. Brenner, director of the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University in New York, told the New York Times that the risk of getting cancer from a granite countertop is one in a million, he sees the validity in choosing something else.

"It makes sense. If you can choose another counter that doesn't elevate your risk, however slightly, why wouldn't you?" he said in the New York Times.

Making Sure Your Home is Safe

The only way to find out if your home has unsafe levels of radon is with a radon test. That's why the EPA and the Surgeon General recommend that all homes be tested for radon below the third floor.

The EPA-recommends testing every house for radon. Radon can also be in your drinking water, particularly if your water comes from a groundwater-supplied well. Groundwater, which is used in wells, has not been exposed to much air, and therefore may contain much higher levels of radon than surface waters, such as those from lakes and rivers.

Call us to schedule you radon test and visit our site @www.accuspect.com for more information on radon.

Sources

U.S. EPA Indoor Air Quality

WebMD.com July 30, 2008

NYTimes.com July 24, 2008

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