Welcome to...

1. Welcome to... Companion PowerPoint Presentation for the Introduction to Housing textbook

2. Home Environments and Health

3. Home Environment-Health Interaction Home Environment Health Risk Factors: • Climate • Building site • Building materials & practices • Furnishings, finishes & household products • Resident lifestyle Of greatest concern for children, elderly & others with weakened immune systems

4. Basic principle of a healthy home is that all things are connected • Systems approach requiring a holistic understanding of how home design, construction & operational elements interact to create a dynamic system

5. Climate Variables Climates in the U.S. are designated in terms of four zones: • Cold—heating predominant climate • Temperate—heating and cooling climate • Hot-arid—cooling predominant climate • Hot-humid—cooling and dehumidification predominant climate Protect from outdoor elements & have adequate & managed air exchange

6. In all climates home design, material selection & home maintenance are a balancing act of site-specific climate factors: • Solar quantity and quality • Air temperature • Air movements around the home • Precipitation amounts

7. Building Site Constructing a healthy home begins with proper siting of a building: • The micro-climate—site specific prevailing climate conditions • Natural site—topographic factors that affect the micro-climate • Human-caused factors Research the site’s history

8. Storm Water Run-Off Water that washes across land into nearby storm drains or directly into bodies of water Common concerns: • Automotive waste • Fertilizers & pesticides • Yard & garden waste • Improper landscaping • Roof drainage

9. Building Materials & Practices Whether the house is old or newly constructed, the impact of a home on the health of its occupants has much to do with the materials and building practices used during the construction as well as the materials and furnishings added since the original construction Construction age is a major factor

10. Possible hazards of older homes: • Asbestos-containing materials • Lead-based paint • Pressure-treated lumber • Combustion gases such as carbon monoxide • Lead in water • Radon • Molds--------------- • Formaldehyde • Underground fuel-oil storage tank • Drinking water contaminants

11. Ventilation Good ventilation is necessary for moisture control as well as to remove airborne chemicals, particles, combustion by-products & odors • Windows • Kitchen ventilation fans • Bathroom ventilation fans • Whole-house fans • Fan size • Replacement air • Back drafting • Whole-house ventilation systems

12. Moisture Control • Excess moisture is a potential problem for both a building and the people who live in it • Excess moisture in building materials leads to structural problems such as peeling paint & rusting metal • Damp building materials tend to attract dirt & therefore require more cleaning & maintenance • Damp spaces make good environments for the growth of many biological pollutants

13. Preventing problems: • Good ventilation, especially using exhausts • Limit interior moisture sources • Keep materials clean • Hard surface or nonabsorbent material • Sealers • Vapor retarder material • Antimicrobial finishes or additives

14. Indoor Air Quality • Source control • Ventilation • Air cleaning • Visit Healthy Indoor Air for America’s Homes: www.healthyindoorair.org

15. Water Systems Public/municipal water system or private water source Differences are in testing & treating the water • Water testing • Wells • Water treatment

16. Furnishings, Finishes & Household Products Potentially harmful materials: • Formaldehyde & other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as particle board • Petroleum-based products such as wood finishes • Aerosol containers • Pesticides

17. Help to control home indoor air quality by the choices you make in using household chemicals and products: • Use the least amount of a product possible • Read labels & follow safety precautions • Do not use a potentially hazardous chemical unless necessary • Use household chemicals & products only for their intended purpose • Choose product packaging that reduces the chance of spills and leaks (child-proof if needed) • Keep household products in original containers • Always use household products in well-ventilated areas

18. It is also a good idea to reduce the need for potentially hazardous household chemicals in the first place by practicing preventative maintenance: • Clean spills & stains quickly • Remove food wastes promptly • Control excess moisture to reduce the likelihood of problems with mold or household pests

19. Resident Lifestyle The choices that people make affect the quality of the air & environment in their homes Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), or secondhand smoke from cigarettes, pipes, or cigars, can have devastating effects on a home and its residents Do not allow smoking in your home

20. Household Pests Any bug that is living in the house rather than accidentally getting in from the outside, represents a potential health & safety problem that should be addressed • Roaches can get into food and spoil it; roach feces cause pollution of the indoor air & can be a major trigger for asthma attacks, especially in children

21. Dust mites live all over people’s homes—in carpets, upholstered furniture, bedding & stuffed animals • Dust mites thrive in moist places & wherever they can feed on dead human skin cells • Many people are allergic to the feces of dust mites & for some people they serve as a trigger for asthma attacks

22. Pets that live indoors can result in potential health risks to household members • Dander is the major problem Keep pets out of carpeted areas & bedrooms