Health report cards help analyze air quality
8/19/2005
Beacon News - Friday, Aug. 19, 2005
Forget pollen counts and freshly cut grass. The culprit for your watery eyes, chronic cough or congestion might be in your home.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside homes can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air even in the largest and most industrial cities.
Hence the strides of a St. Charles heating and air conditioning company to make sure area residents can breathe a fresh sigh of relief. The company has begun issuing a home a health report card.
"As heating and air conditioning professionals, we're better qualified than any other industry to analyze air quality," said Clint Harris, manager of business development for Service Experts Inc., the parent company of St. Charles-based Golden Seal Service Experts.
Service Experts Inc. of Texas kicked off its eight-step home health report card in the spring of 2004.
The free home check-up consists of eight evaluations, which when completed indicates the air quality in the home.
Among the things evaluated are the home's relative humidity level, the efficiency of the air flow system and the furnace filter, the duct work and the presence of a carbon monoxide alarm.
Inadequate furnace filters spread dust, pollen and dirt through the home, which can affect the lungs and throat and can aggravate allergies, according to Harris.
Humidity levels that are too high promote the growth of dust mites and mold, both of which exacerbate allergies and asthma.
And humidity levels that are too low often dry out mucus membranes in the nose and throat and make people more susceptible to viruses and respiratory illnesses.
According to the EPA, indoor air pollution is one of the top five environmental risks to public health, and it is a concern that harkens back to the time of Benjamin Franklin, according to Ken Runkle with the Illinois Department of Public Health.
While the sources of indoor air pollution have changed since Franklin's era, the issue still exists.
By Christine S. Moyer, staff writer
Originally appeared in the Beacon News on Friday, Aug. 19, 2005