Environmental Doctor Dayton

3 Easy Tips to a Healthier Home

Posted on by Dan Dreifort

Indoor air quality is an extremely important aspect of owning a home. Unfortunately, it is one of the items that is often put on the back burner, especially for a homeowner with a limited budget. Below are 3 ways to make your home healthier without emptying your wallet.

1.      Leave Shoes at the Door

Pesticides make their way into your home in multiple ways. By doing something as simple as leaving your shoes at the door when you enter our home, you can decrease the amount of pesticides entering by as much as 90%.

2.      Open the Windows

In this case, a drafty house is actually beneficial. Houses often accumulate contaminants since there is no way to cycle them out. Especially with newer homes that aren’t drafty, be sure to air out your home about once a week by opening the windows and doors. Of course, don’t forget to turn off all heating or air conditioning before doing so.

3.      Indoor Plants

Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, many indoor plants can also help reduce contaminants in the air. Another side benefit – plants help reduce static during the winter months when humidity levels in homes can drop due to the increase in warm air flow.

These small steps can get you on the path towards healthier, cleaner indoor air quality. For more information on indoor air quality and the best ways to ensure your home is safe, contact Environmental Doctor today.

A Silent Killer: The Second Leading Cause of Lung Cancer in the US

Posted on by Dan Dreifort

Radon is generally not the foremost item on most people’s minds. With kids, work, friends and life in general taking up most of our time and attention, radon concerns slip to wayside. You may not realize it, but your home could have dangerous levels of radon gas in it right at this moment. “Any radon exposure has some risk of causing lung cancer,” the EPA said in a statement. “The lower the radon level in your home, the lower your family’s risk of lung cancer.”

Periodic Table Element Radon

Radon gas occurs naturally with the decomposition of radium, which is part of the uranium decay process. Radon has a half-life of 3.82 days and during this decay process, it produces particles called radon daughters.  The radon daughters in turn emit alpha particles into the lungs of people in afflicted homes.  The particles can penetrate cells and cause DNA damage.

President of Environmental Doctor, Brenden Gitzinger warns that “it’s not a danger that manifests itself overnight. Radon’s deceit is in its invisibility. You can’t see, taste or smell it, but over years it continues to permeate our bodies and cause damage.”

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, preceded only by smoking.

Radon gas leads to the lung cancer deaths of more than 20,000 Americans each year. Though primarily linked to lung cancer, radon can also contribute to childhood leukemia and pancreatic cancer. The Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Surgeon General recommend that owners take the time to test radon levels of their homes and businesses. The testing process is relatively simple and inexpensive, with effective and affordable solutions if high radon levels are found.

The EPA currently recommends action be taken when Radon levels within homes reach 4 pCi/L, or higher. Recently though, the World Health Organization suggested a reference level of 2.7 pCi/L for radon levels, meaning that even if levels are below the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L, there is still the possibility of danger.

Visit the Environmental Protection Agency or Environmental Doctor for more information on radon and the dangers they pose to home and business owners. With over 20 years of experience at making homes and businesses safe from environmental problems, Environmental Doctor in Dayton, Ohio can provide effective and affordable solutions for radon testing and mitigation.