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More Environmental Issues

July 8, 2015 by Grassroots Leave a Comment

The internet is awash in warnings about toxins in our environment. Here are some tips for reducing toxins indoors.

Microwave Leakage — anyone with a heart pacemaker should take special note to microwave radiation exposure. Microwave energy emissions can cause numerous adverse health effects. It’s cheap insurance to have your own microwave leakage detector.

Water Quality — contaminants like lead, rust, chlorine as well as hardness can be checked to determine quality. A recent concern to many is excess chlorinating of water supplies. Organic material combined with excess chlorine can form Trihalomethanes, a suspected carcinogen. The Region of Waterloo placed notices in newspapers telling of the danger to aquarium fish. It’s curious why this warning was restricted to fish only? Children drink more water than goldfish.

Low pH levels increase the occurrence of lead dissolved in drinking water from brass and copper fittings held by lead solder joints. A simple test will tell you the pH level of your water. Thus you can determine if a water softener or water filter is needed, rather than be at the mercy of an eager salesperson that needs the sale.

Toxic Pesticides — It is now known that lawn sprays applied outdoors can actually enter you home. Several cases have revealed that levels of toxicity can be as high as reading taken outdoors. The effects to animals are conclusive. One study that comes to mind is that of canine cancer. Dogs exposed to lawns recently sprayed four times a year, developed cancer 50% of the time within two years.

Indoor Allergens — Dust mites have been implicated in the production of allergens that represent a risk for sensitization or acute attacks of asthma. Corrective measures can be taken to reduce concentration of these airborne threats.

Mentioned here are only a few of the possible checks that can be done to ensure a safer indoor environment at home or at work. Tests prove that 80% of all homes have hazardous conditions unknown to the inhabitants. The only way to know is test. This will help you “find out”. Many times the “fix” is simple and easy for most anyone to perform.

It’s a comfort to know that there’s finally an easy and simple way to know the state of our indoor environment.

When inspecting buildings we are often asked questions concerning various topics. Some of these queries can relate to issues not within the scope of a typical inspection. That’s not to say that information about these topics would not be useful however. For that reason, we wanted to include information on some of these topics your further review.

NOTICE: The information contained on the grassroots.ca website is not intended to be exhaustive nor does it necessarily apply to all buildings, systems, components and the likes. While some information may be able to be “transferred” to a building you’re interested in, it should not automatically be applied to it necessarily. It may however simply act as a prompter for areas you may wish to explore further. As such, the information herein is for information purposes only. It’s not intended to be an exhaustive listing of any / all related issues. Always consult a professional before purchasing, leasing or selling a building, or if proceeding with or considering any work to a building. Seek further professional advice, and, analysis including at least three (3) quotations from various professional reputable & qualified contractors before proceeding with any contemplated work, repairs, improvements, and / or, modifications to a building, to better establish the scope of any / all concerns.

Filed Under: All, Information Bulletins, Safety & Environmental Tagged With: allergens, IAQ, indoor air quality, microwave leakage, pesticides, radiation, water quality

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