Profile of IAQ in Rural Alaskan Homes Leif

Profile of IAQ in Rural Alaskan Homes Leif Albertson University of Alaska Fairbanks Bethel, Alaska 1

IAQ and Environmental Health Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) n Damp Building-Related Illness (DBRI) n Stachybotrys n Legionellosis n 2

Purpose Go over basic IAQ concepts n Discuss how building characteristics affect IAQ n Explain why individuals might face unique IAQ situations in rural Alaska n Summarize available information specific to rural Alaska to prioritize IAQ concerns n 3

IAQ Basics People spend a lot of time indoors (maybe 90% in Alaska) n People breathe a lot n 4

Aspects of Air Quality n n n n VOCs Tobacco smoke (ETS) Combustion products Lead Radon Dust mites Odors n n n Dust Pollen Pathogens (bacteria, virus) Temperature Humidity Pet dander 5

What affects the air in our homes? Human metabolism n Human activities (cooking, smoking) n Off-gassing (carpets, treated woods, chemicals under sink, etc) n Heating appliances n Co-habitants (roaches, dogs, dust mites) n Bad stuff from outside (smoke, dust, radon) n 6

Ventilation n Passive Ventilation Stack Effect n Wind Effect n n Free and easy n Often unintentional and unregulated 7

Passive Ventilation: Stack Effect 8

Active Ventilation n Local exhaust (unbalanced) 9

Heat Recovery Ventilation n Example of “balanced ventilation” Energy-efficient Require maintenance 10

Humidity n Cold air holds less moisture than warm air • Relative Humidity is what matters • If moisture is held constant, temperature controls RH • Heating air makes it “drier” 11

Stack Effect, Condensation 12

Review n Stack Effect Warm air rises, exits home near ceiling n Cool air enters home near floor n n Humidity When air is heated, it can hold more moisture and tends to feel “dry” n When air is cooled, moisture drops out of air, leaves water or frost n Water causes mold, dry air causes illness n 13

Unique Challenges in the Last Frontier Houses in the village are often n n Small: Homes in Hooper Bay generally range from 300 -700 ft² Crowded: Hooper Bay Avg 4. 97 person/home Hot (65°-81°F) Old n n Dry (often below 30%) Built and maintained in difficult environments Used for a workshop Have reduced access to qualified installation, maintenance and repair personnel 14

What IAQ issues can you spot? 15

Top 4 IAQ Priorities in Rural Alaska n What IAQ problems have the greatest effect on the health of rural Alaskans? 16

1. Carbon Monoxide Alaska has highest rate of CO deaths in country n Heating appliances / water heaters n Vehicles left running n House fires n 17

Heating Appliances 18

Water Heaters 19

Pollutants from Heating Appliances CO n CO 2 n NOX n SO 2 n Particulates n Odors n Benzene, Toluene, etc n H 2 0 n 20

2. Environmental Tobacco Smoke High rates of smoking Cold climate High occupancy rates Poor ventilation = Indoor Air Pollution n Chemicals n Particulates n Asthma, cancer, SIDS…. 21

ETS Stop smoking n Smoke outside n Open the windows (? ) n Turn on the fan (? ) n 22

3. Humidity “The incidence of absenteeism or respiratory infections was found to be lower among people working or living in environments with midrange versus low or high relative humidities” - A V Arundel, E M Sterling, J H Biggin, and T D Sterling, 1986 23

Humidity 24

Mold is bad for you…maybe… n A surprisingly contentious topic “Exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all. ” www. CDC. gov/mold 25

More on Mold…. n n n Not great evidence that mold is bad for all people People who are sensitive to mold should avoid it People have been living with mold a long, long time 26

More on mold… n n n Mold problems are moisture problems Oxygen, cellulose, moisture, heat…. Mold is ubiquitous in rural Alaska n n Thermal stratification Toyo. Stoves 27

Mold is bad for buildings… Bethel firehouse rotting over employees' heads MOISTURE TRAPPED: Replacing structure may cost up to $7 million. By KYLE HOPKINS khopkins@adn. com Published: July 17 th, 2009 09: 13 PM The Bethel fire station is so rotted with water damage that firefighters are banned from staying the night under the fragile roof, city officials said Friday…. 28

4. Pathogens n Alaska has a very high rate of infectious respiratory diseases n n RSV, tuberculosis, pneumonia, LRTIs, etc. Many generations living in close quarters with limited air flow 29

Priorities n “I am concerned about the air in my home” n Do you have a functional CO detector? n Does anyone in your home smoke? n Is your house too damp or too dry? n Are sick people ever crowded together? 30

Summary IAQ measurement, standards and remediation strategies increasingly important as communities and individuals try to balance health and energy conservation n Houses are getting tighter, ventilation needs to get better n Residents need education n 31

Thanks Cathy Powers, KUC consortium library n Jennifer Dobson, ANTHC n Nick Horras, Formerly AVCP Housing n Rich Seifert, UAF/CES n Ros Singleton, CDC/AIP n 32

Quyana Leif Albertson Bethel, Alaska lflea@uaf. edu (907)543 -4553 Questions? 33