HOME AUDIT ENG

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THE HEALTHYHOME AUDIT❑❑❑THE HEALTHY HOME AUDITongratulations on taking another step toward The Healthy Home Audit provides you with the tools youbreathing cleaner air. By ordering your copy of the need to solve common indoor air quality problems andCHealthy Home Audit, you’re joining thousands of change energy wasting habits. It will identify the majorCanadians who are taking action to improve the quality sources of poor air quality and energy wasters in yourof the air they breathe, indoors and out. basement, laundry area, living room(common areas),kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom.The Healthy Home Audit is a room-by-room guide thatwill help you identify and evaluate common indoor envi- The Audit will also identify other important air quality andronmental problems that may be affecting your home energy issues around your home - issues that are notand your health. It also takes a look at our energy con- room specific, but that affect the air you breathesumption, which, through the generation of power from nonetheless. For each room, the Audit provides thefossil fuels effects our outdoor air. And, in keeping with following information:the C.A.N. DO spirit, this audit provides you with simpleand doable positive actions to help solve these problems. Question - points to the indoor air quality or energy wasting problem.Since most of us now spend a large per cent of our timeindoors, auditing your home for sources of common Comment - helps you get a better ...

Informations

• Publié par: Siom
• Nombre de lectures: 80
• Langue: English

Extrait

THE HEALTHY HOME AUDIT

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THE HEALTHY HOME AUDIT

Question Comment  Positive Actions Do you store or use Detergents, air fresheners, There are a number of air friendly household hazardou h s o   usehold polishes, waxes, pesticides, andproducts that are effective and won’t harm product i s n the kitchen? many other common householydour health or the environment. Look for products contain chemicals thatthese non-toxic alternatives when you shop, can harm your health.Exposuroer  tomake your own with common household these chemicals can occur supplies. For example: through skin contact, by ingest
iomn,ake your own furniture and floor polish or by inhalation. The problem witbhy mixing one part lemon juice with two storing many household productsp,arts vegetable oil. such as cleaners, is that the
A solution of baking soda dissolved in contents don’t always stay in thewater is a healthy way to clean your oven. container. They can leak pollutanAtpsply this mixture to your oven, wait a into your air which may end up inwhile,and then wipe off with a damp your lungs. cloth.
If you must use hazardous household products, make sure they are stored in tightly sealed containers. For more information see the C.A.N. DO fact sheet on Air Friendly Household Products.

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What about Climate Change? Our energy use also contributes to climate change. This is because gasses coming out of the smokestacks of power plants and exhaust pipes of cars burning fossil fuels trap more of the sun’s heat in the atmosphere, causing global warming. Saving on energy consumption helps combat global warming, and global warming is a BIG problem.

Why is global warming a problem? The warming of the earth’s atmosphere is disrupting the earth’s weather systems, causing more frequent extrem events such as floods, droughts, and storms which endanger people’s lives. Incidences of illness from heat stress and worsened air pollution, and diseases related to water supply and sanitation will increase. In addition, the expanded habitat of pest species will mean an increase in diseases such as malaria and dengue fever, and an increased threat to food production and nutrition

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As you go through the Healthy Home Audit, thi 2 n . k B  i o o f l  o y g o i u c r a -l contaminants self as a detective:the questions lead to your sTuhseps e  cotsri;ginate from living things or are themselves liv- the comments provide you with clues and factisn; ga tnhdi ntghse.These contaminants can also be either gases solutions are how you solve the case. or particles (e.g., mold spores). Sources of common bio- l al ollutants found indoors include: Before you begin • og h i u c mid p ifiers and air conditioners • mattresses What is clean air? • pets A healthy indoor and outdoor environment me • ancsa rkpe e tps- ing two types of contaminants out of your air and out of your lungs. As you go through this Audit, look for these symbols: 1. Chemical contaminants chemical contaminants These can be either gases (e.g., carbon monoxide, nitro- les (e. ., aerosol, soot). So com-g m e o n n     d h io o x u i s d e e h )  ol o d r   s p o ar u t r i c c es of c g hemical contaminnts biological contaminants include: • • t o o il b  a a n cc d  o g s as m   o a k p e pliances and motors energy wasters   • paints How does our energy consumption affect air quality? • pesticides The  more energy we use to run our homes, the more air • many common household products  pollution we cause either directly, through, for example smoke from our wood stoves, or indirectly through the power plants that burn fossil fuels to produce electricity for our electrical appliances or our water pumps.

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OUTDOORS Question Comment Positive Actions Is your house The wise placement of trees aroun
d Plaant coniferous trees on the north side of surrounded by trees? house can lower your consumption oyfour house to block cold winter winds. fossil fuels directly or through usin
g Plleasnst deciduous trees on the south side of electricity from the power grid. The the house to allow for passive solar burning of fossil fuels causes acid rahine,ating in winter and shading for cooling air pollution, and global warming. in the summer. Trees have all sorts of beneficial effects, such as acting as air filters, providing oxygen for us to breathe, and shade against harmful UV rays and adding beauty and diversity to our environment. How is your house The way your house is oriented ca
n If you are choosing or building a home, oriented? make a difference in your consumptimoanke sure there are windows facing south of fossil fuels. and few facing north, to make the best use of passive solar heat.
Make sure there is enough roof overhang to block the high summer sun. Are your windows and These too can make a difference i
n yD o uo r s and windows should be hung doors energy efficient? consumption of fossil fuels properly, with weather stripping around the . m

Do you have landscap I i f n p g lanted too close to your house,
trPeleant landscaping shrubs at least three shrubs planted close t a o nd shrub roots can provide easy acfce e stsaway from the foundation of your your hous for water to enter into your basemehnto.use.

Can you see cracks in Cracks allow moisture to get into
yoPu r operly seal any cracks to avoid the the outer walls of your home and provide a perfect environimnfeilntrtation of contaminants and cold or hot home or around doors for the growth of biological contaminhaunmtisd air. and windows? such as mold. Cracks are also entry points for insects and rodents. Naturally, cracks can allow cold winter air and hot humid summer air into your home as well. Can you see any Blockages of vents, air intakes, an
d If you see any blockages (e.g., leaves, blockages of vents, air chimneys prevent the proper operatinoensts),remove them.But be careful: intakes, or chimneys? of your home systems (e.g. furnace,dh e paetnding on the job, you may want to recovery ventilator). These systems haareve a professional do the work (e.g., an essential part of keeping your indcloeoarning your chimney).Also make sure air clean and using energy efficientlty.hat nothing is obstructing the proper flow of air into and out of your home (e.g., composer or garbage cans blocking vents). Are your vents and Unwelcome visitors such as birds,
miUcs e , screens or grates to block access to chimney screened? and squirrels can take advantage ofy aonury house through the dryer,kitchen and openings into your home. bathroom vents, and chimney or stove pipe. Are your eaves trough H s oles in eaves troughs and down
spLoouotks out for and fix holes in your eaves and down spouts intac a t nd poor drainage can cause moistut r eo utgohs and your down spouts,and check and draining away fro s m eep inside your home, which can to make sure that your down spouts are your hous contribute to biological contaminatiodnr.aining away from your home. 5