My Home is Making Me Sick-Free your home of toxins

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Oct. 19, 2015 - PRLog -- LARGO,FL October 19, 2015 -We carefully watch what goes into our mouths and on our bodies—organic this, petroleum-free that, but when it comes to keeping a healthy home, knowing what to do isn't so easy. According to a study in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, the average house may contain as many as 400 chemicals, some of them toxic, many untested.  While short term contact with one toxin in small amounts isn't going to kill you, many questionable chemicals are swirling around us, "You definitely want to take simple measures whenever possible to lower your exposure," says Phil Brown, PhD, director of the Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute at Northeastern University in Boston.

How to Start

Reducing your contact with chemicals, even a little, will yield clear benefits. Depending on your sensitivities, you might experience fewer allergy and asthma symptoms, headaches and skin irritations. Long-term, Brown says, “You may even lower your risk of infertility and cancer.”

I know what you're thinking; where the do I start; and how much work is this going to take? While some people would have you ripping up carpeting and discarding furniture, environmental health experts suggest low effort, high-impact ways to minimize your toxic burden and enhance your health. They ranked them from the super easy to the more ambitious. Try a couple of these, or more, to really clear the air.

Kick off your shoes

According to ISSA/ InterClean leaving your shoes at the door keeps out about 80 percent of the grime they track in. That can include horrible stuff like road sealant, pesticides and lead dust.

Let the air in; Crack your Windows

Indoor air can be five times as impure as outdoor air, so open the windows whenever the weather, and your AC or heating budget permits.

Dryer sheets are Suspect

Many dryer sheets coat clothes with chemicals like quaternary ammonium compounds which have been linked to the development of asthma and acetone, also found in nail polish remover. Plus, your towels will be more absorbent without the chemical covering.

Detox your Dry Cleaning

You don’t want your clothing off gassing in a confined closet, so remove the bags and air out clothes in the hall to shed some of the solvent, called perchloroethylene that sticks to the fibers. Inhaling the residue of this chemical can trigger respiratory and eye irritation, headaches, dizziness and vision problems, according to the Environmental Working Group and the US Library of Medicine. You also could go to a "green" cleaner. “Just make sure they use liquid carbon dioxide or the wet-cleaning method, since other eco-alternatives can be just as toxic”, warns Sonya Lunder, EWG's senior analyst.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCS)

Trade your vinyl shower curtain for one made of cotton, nylon, polyester or EVA or PEVA plastic. Vinyl curtains were found to release 108 volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These chemicals can become gaseous at room temperature, potentially triggering headaches, nausea, dizziness and irritated eyes and throat. They're also found in most paint, so look for cans labeled as low or zero VOC.

Detox your dry cleaning; remove the bags and air out clothes in the hall to shed some of the solvent, called perchloroethylene that sticks to the fibers. You don’t want your clothing off gassing in a confined closet space.  Inhaling the residue of this chemical can trigger respiratory and eye irritation, headaches, dizziness and vision problems, according to the Environmental Working Group and US Library of Medicine. You also could go to a "green" cleaner. “Just make sure they use liquid carbon dioxide or the wet-cleaning method, since other eco-alternatives can be just as toxic”, warns Sonya Lunder, EWG's senior analyst.

All Plastics are not Equal

Some plastic containers can leak a chemical called bisphenol-A(BPA), which is known to tamper with our hormones. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned BPA from infant bottles and sippy cups. In 2013, the journal Endocrine Disruptors found that BPA may be associated with obesity, cardiovascular disease and other conditions in adults. So avoid plastics marked with a 7, which may contain BPA, and never put BPA-containing plastics in the microwave or dishwasher; BPAs are more likely to leach out when heated. Buy fresh or frozen foods, and look for glass or cardboard packaging when possible. Doing so is especially important when it comes to acidic and oily foods, which can allow more BPA to leach out. The good news: BPA passes out of the body quickly, so it doesn't take long to reduce your exposure.


Thanks to the Indoor Air Quality Professionals at Performance Air Conditioning Services of Largo, Florida for their time and knowledge.

About Performance Air Conditioning Services

Recognized as the leading HVAC Company for over 50 years, Performance Air conditioning Services has been serving Tampa Bay and the surrounding counties providing quality installations and repairs with exceptional customer service. Performance Air is licensed, insured and bonded. They service and repair all makes and models and install residential and commercial air conditioning systems 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with NO charges for overtime. Their reputation is built on providing the highest level of service available at an affordable price. Visit them at http://www.performanceac.com