The other part of the furnace that is vital to clean is the blower and blower motor. As the blower and blower motor become contaminated with dust and debris, the blower motor begins to lose efficiency and have to work longer and harder. Eventually, the blower motor will burn out if there is too much contamination. In fact, many furnaces that have not been properly cleaned and maintained, will have to replace their blower motor long before the entire furnace needs replacement.

Most experts will agreee, you should have your forced air furnace and air ducts cleaned every year for safety and efficiency purposes, as well as extend the life of the appliance.

Source: Squidoo

Millions of homes harbor lead-based paint, asbestos, and toxic wood preservatives. All three have been banned from building products, but they continue to plague building owners and occupants.

Lead-based paint
Of the three, lead-based paint is by far the greatest hazard. Young children who ingest old paint chips or get lead-contaminated dust on their hands and in their mouths can develop lead poisoning, a serious condition that can damage the brain and the nervous system.

If you have a home that’s more than 30 years old, be aware that any disturbance of old paint–sanding, scraping, using heat guns or paint strippers–can release lead particles into your home. (And even if you’re not doing any remodeling work, peeling or chipping paint can wind up in children’s mouths or in your whole family’s lungs.)

Even though lead in paint has been banned for thirty years in the United States, imported products made with lead-based paint continue to be sold here in violation of the law. Read our Toys article to learn how to protect your children.

Asbestos
Asbestos is a mineral fiber used in building materials to increase strength and heat resistance until it was banned in the 1970s. High levels of exposure to airborne asbestos fibers can cause lung cancer and other fatal diseases. Asbestos-related diseases have primarily been associated with workers exposed to high levels on job. But if you have a home that’s more than 30 years old, when you do home improvement projects it’s smart to take precautions to prevent asbestos from becoming friable and airborne. This can happen if the asbestos-containing material is cut into, damaged, sanded, or removed during remodeling.

Asbestos materials in older homes include duct and pipe insulation, attic and wall insulation, ceiling tiles, wallboard and joint compound, electrical insulation, floor-tile adhesives, roofing, and siding. It’s often impossible to tell by looking at a material if it contains asbestos. You can have a material tested by sending a small sample to an asbestos testing laboratory.

If an asbestos-containing material is in good shape, leave it alone. It’s not harmful unless it deteriorates. If you need to repair or remove it, consult the U.S. EPA’s website; the asbestos section has detailed information on safe handling.

Wood preservatives
The once-common wood preservative chromated copper arsenate (CCA) was banned for most residential uses at the end of 2003. It contains arsenic and can cause cancer and other illnesses. If you have decks and playground equipment that were treated with CCA, protect yourself and your family with an oil or water-based stain that penetrates the wood surface. Painting the surfaces is not advisable because paint can chip and flake, requiring scraping and sanding that will only increase your exposure to CCA. When working with wood that was treated with this material, shower afterward and wash your work clothes separately. When you dispose of any-old or new-treated lumber, make sure it goes to a lined landfill, and don’t burn it. Burning it can release toxic substances into the air.

For new projects you should use EPA-approved preservatives, such as quat and azole, made from less toxic copper-based compounds. The only way you are likely to run into wood preserved with the banned compound is if you buy from a dealer with very old inventory.

Source: Sierra Club

Have the deli slice your turkey paper-thin for the most authentic “cheesesteak” experience. You can use leftover cooked turkey instead if you like: Freeze up to an hour until firm but not frozen solid, then slice as thinly as you can and cook with the pepper and onion for the last two minutes to warm through. For extra flavor, spread a little prepared horseradish on the bun halves before assembling the sandwiches.

Ingredients

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in black pepper. Divide onion mixture and turkey evenly among bottom halves of rolls; top each serving with 1 cheese slice. Cover with top halves of rolls. Place sandwiches on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

Jack Quesadillas with Cranberry Salsa

This recipe pairing turkey with jack cheese (use pepper jack for an extra flavor jolt) in a quesadilla, and creating a sweet-spicy Mexican salsa based on cranberry sauce.

Ingredients

Preparation

To prepare salsa, combine first 7 ingredients. Cover and chill.

To prepare quesadillas, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1/4 cup sliced onions to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Remove onions from pan; reduce heat to medium. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over each of 4 tortillas. Top each cheese-covered tortilla with one-fourth of onions, 1/2 cup turkey, 2 tablespoons cheese, and 1 tortilla.

Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 quesadilla to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and cheese melts. Repeat with remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 6 wedges. Serve with cranberry salsa and sour cream.

Roast Turkey and Prosciutto Pizza

Leftover turkey provides the meaty backbone for this pizza, while prosciutto adds its salty savoriness and arugula contributes a slight bitterness and crunch. Fontina, though it’s not a traditional pizza cheese, has a mild and nutty flavor that’s nice here (but you can substitute mozzarella if you want). Prebaked pizza crusts are an effortless way to a quick pizza, but you can make the dough from scratch; stretch into a circle and bake at 500° for 8 minutes before using in this recipe.

Ingredients

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°. Place crust on a baking sheet. Spread sauce over crust; sprinkle with fontina. Toss turkey with vinegar. Top pizza with turkey, onion, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and pepper. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes or until crust is browned. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with arugula and prosciutto.

Dried Cherry-Toasted Almond Turkey Salad Sandwiches

The key to a good salad is a nice mix of textures and flavors, and this one delivers. Crunchy fresh-toasted almonds; chewy, tart dried cherries; crisp, pungent raw onion; and soft tender turkey all contribute to the final product. Whole-wheat pitas are a nice change of pace for a sandwich (and they’re really good for you), but this salad is also good on dark rye or pumpernickel bread, in a tortilla wrap, or even rolled up in lettuce leaves.

Ingredients

Preparation

Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add almonds; cook 2 minutes or until toasted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; set aside. Combine yogurt, mayonnaise, ginger, and pepper in a medium bowl. Add almonds, celery, and next 4 ingredients (through turkey), stirring well to combine. Spoon 1/3 cup turkey mixture into each pita half.

Source: Cooking Light Magazine

Cardiovascular Health Study

The study, “Insights Into the Mechanisms and Mediators of the Effects of Air Pollution Exposure on Blood Pressure and Vascular Function in Healthy Humans,” was published in the journal Hypertension, a publication put out by the American Heart Association. Researchers conducted two randomized, double-blind crossover studies measuring the effects of ozone and fine particulate matter on cardiovascular health. Subjects in good health were exposed to air pollution in a series of three two-hour sessions. The air simulated the pollution present in urban environments near major roadways.

Air Pollution Tested

Researchers exposed subjects to two main forms of air pollution: ozone and fine particulate matter. Ozone is a well-known pollutant, recognized by both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organization as a hazard. Fine particulate matter is made up of microscopic particles measuring 2.5 microns, less than a tenth of the diameter of a strand of human hair. These particles come from the burning of fossil fuels, such as a car’s exhaust, for example. Fine particles can settle deep in the lungs and may even get into the body’s bloodstream. Previous studies haven’t been able to clearly determine whether fine particulate matter or ozone was worse for people’s health. Significantly, this study did.

Study Findings

Test results indicated that fine particulate matter both significantly raised diastolic blood pressure and impaired the normal functioning of blood vessels. The increase in blood pressure occurred soon after exposure to air pollution, within about 2 hours of breathing in the air. The changes in blood vessel function took longer, but also lasted for a longer period of time, in some cases up to 24 hours. The particles also disrupted the body’s central nervous system and triggered inflammation, which can weaken the walls of blood vessels.

The lead researcher, Dr. Robert Brook, stated, “Although this increase in diastolic blood pressure may pose little health risk to healthy people, in people with underlying coronary artery disease, this small increase may actually be able to a trigger heart attack or stroke.” The authors recommended that on days with significant air pollution present, people with lung disease, heart disease, or diabetes should stay indoors as much as possible. Given that these deleterious effects were experienced by people only subjected to pollution for a limited amount of time, people who live in polluted areas should take special care with their cardiovascular health.

Indoor Air Quality

Staying indoors is less helpful if indoor air quality is poor. The EPA has stated that indoor air pollution is two to five-times worse than air found outdoors. This is because pollution accumulates within the home, becoming more concentrated, both from sources inside the home and outside pollutants seeping in. The EPA’s three suggestions for improving indoor air quality include controlling the pollution’s source, improving ventilation, and buying an air purifier. Since 9 out of every 10 breaths is taken indoors, it’s important to make sure that the air one breathes is clean and healthy.

HEPA Air Purifiers for Improved Indoor Air

High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifiers can filter out many of the airborne pollutants that may harm cardiovascular health. To get a HEPA rating, filters must remove 99.97% of particles .3 microns and larger. Purifiers often include both a HEPA filter and an activated carbon filter, the latter of which removes toxic chemicals, gases, and odors. Together they can remove a wide array of airborne pollutants and provide clean, pure air.

Source: CleanAirPlus

So, what is Organic Gardening?

In a few words, organic gardening means that no chemicals, synthetic fertilizers or pesticides are used in farming or gardening. Instead, they are replaced with organic fertilizers made from vegetable or animal by-products and natural ways of pest control. Here are some tips to grow successful Organic Garden – the easy way:

1. Before you start — get advice from experienced organic gardeners, online, or at the garden centre. It will save you time, money, and disappointment. Invest some time in planning!

2. Pick a location — there are only three kinds: full sun, partial sun, full shade. For healthy organic gardening choose a site with lots of sun.

3. Start small — as you can always expand later.

4. Prepare your soil – healthy soil is the most important thing for a successful organic garden. For best results add a combination of topsoil, compost, and organic fertilizer.

5. Choose your seeds, seedlings, or mature plants. Select the ones that are easy to grow and delightful to look at or to eat fresh, like: sun flowers, lettuce, peas, tomatoes, etc. Seeds don’t have to be organic; you can use conventional as long as they are not genetically modified.

6. For a healthy, easy, and low maintenance garden choose native plants — they already ‘know’ how to live in your local climate and will require fewer resources to grow.

7. Choose perennials over annuals for two reasons: save $$$ and your back — once you have planted them you’re almost done!

8. For natural pest control – attract the ‘good’ bugs to your garden. How? – make Lady Bugs your friends! They’re a joy to see in the garden, unless you’re an aphid! There are two ways to do it — you can either plant sunflowers and lupine in your garden to naturally attract Lady Bugs or order them by mail. Once they settle in – they will ‘work’ hard to control the aphid population in your garden — so you don’t have to!

Another way to fight pests with non toxic remedies – is to arrange your planting by splitting up stands of like vegetables to make it more difficult for pests to migrate between their favorites, or by mixing veggies with aromatic herbs and flowers. OrganicGardenPests.com is a terrific resource when it comes to identifying and targeting specific garden annoyances.

9. For weed & water control, natural fertilizing and easy maintenance just add mulch! For a ‘truly green’ garden choose mulch from recycled lumber over freshly cut and processed trees.

10. Of course – best organic fertilizer is compost; however it is not for everyone. As an alternative, you can use store bought natural organic fertilizers that are made out of cottonseed meal, blood meal, fish emulsion, seaweed, earthworm casting, bone meal, kelp meal or rock phosphates. Don’t fall into a “greenwashing” trap for “All Natural” labels – they mean nothing! Look for “100% organic” or “Organic” certified products.

Immunocompromised Individuals

People who are immunocompromised have an immune system that is compromised or entirely absent.  Indoor air quality is of great concern to those who are immunuocomprimised, as their bodies are very vulnerable to opportunistic infections.

Hypersensitivity

Some people can become sensitized to biological & chemical pollutants after repeated or high level exposures. Effects may show up after a single exposure or repeated exposures.  Once sensitized to a pollutant, the individual can experience acute adverse reactions when they are exposed to that pollutant, even when the pollutant is at a lower level.

Age Makes a Difference

Children are sensitive to indoor air quality because they breathe faster than adults, inhaling up to 50% more air per pound of body weight than adults.  Elderly have a higher risk for cardiovascular, respiratory illness from fine particle pollutions.

Allergies & Asthma

Dust is a mixture of many substances. Its content may vary from home to home, but the most common allergy triggers such as mold spores, pollen, dust mites, can trigger allergy or asthma attacks.

Fortunately for most healthy people, the symptoms of air pollution exposure usually go away as soon as the air quality improves.  Good housekeeping and good maintenance of the heating and air conditioning equipment is the most important methods for controlling exposure to indoor air pollutants.

Source: Ductworks

Arlington Heights IL – infoZine – Newswise – Damp environments, poorly maintained heating and air-conditioning systems and carpeting may contribute to poor indoor air quality, according to experts at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) in Miami Beach, Fla.

Damp Buildings

“If there was just one thing I could do to fix buildings, it would be to change the relative humidity,” said Doug Garrett, CEM, CDSM, building scientist and president of Building Performance and Comfort, Leander, Texas. “Moisture leads to conditions that are conducive to dust mites and mold, as well as bacteria, yeast and other living organisms.”

Garrett pointed to dust mites and mold as particularly worrisome.

A damp building with high humidity may lead to increased levels of dust mites and mold, leading to increased allergic respiratory symptoms, as well as the worsening of asthma. And even if someone is not allergic, molds may produce mycotoxins and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) that smell bad and may cause respiratory irritation, he said.

Dust mites are microscopic arachnids that thrive in humidity. They cause allergic reactions and trigger asthma symptoms. Nearly half of all young people with asthma are allergic to dust mites; about 10 percent of the population is allergic to dust mites.

Mold requires moisture to grow. Indoor environments house many sources of moisture including condensation and leaky pipes.

Indoor Breathing Environment

Although there are many culprits that negatively affect indoor air quality, poorly maintained air-conditioning and carpeting are among the most problematic.

“A home’s heating and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, if poorly maintained, can become a major source of microbial allergens,” said Garrett.

According to Garrett, up to 30 percent of the air inside a home can come from the attic, parking garage or basement. One study supported by the EPA found that 75 percent of homes had carbon monoxide from the garage inside of the home.

Like air conditioning systems, carpeting often harbors allergens, including dust mites and molds said Jeffrey May, M.A., principal scientist of May Indoor Air Investigations LLC, Tyngsborough, Mass. Organisms and particles that become airborne eventually settle in carpeting. In damp environments, carpeting provides an ideal environment for mold growth.

“Many schools shampoo their carpeting right before school starts at the end of summer when it’s humid outside,” said May. “There couldn’t be a worse time.”

Making a Healthier Indoor Environment

To improve indoor air quality, Garrett lists several construction practices that, when done right, can make a significant difference. These include installing tight ductwork, achieving airtight construction, using a correctly sized HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system and making sure there is fresh air ventilation. Proper ventilation involves introducing air from a known source and then filtering, dehumidifying and pre-cooling or heating it.

“You can’t build houses too airtight,” said Garrett. “But you can under ventilate them.”

Once built, maintenance becomes key. May offers the following advice for home owners on making their indoor environments healthier:

• Keep the air conditioner clean. Use a filter with an American Society of Heating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (AHRAE) Standard MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) of at least 8.
• Do not have carpeting in any buildings or homes where humidity can’t be controlled. If you cannot replace carpet, vacuum thoroughly, carefully and methodically so you don’t stir dust into the air. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter or cyclonic vacuum.
• Prevent mold by dehumidifying the basement. In unfinished basements, humidity should be kept lower than 50 percent. Do research before buying a dehumidifier. “There are scams out there” said May. “And ‘exhaust only’ systems are not effective.”

Source: American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI Indoor Breathing EnvironmentAlthough there are many culprits that negatively affect indoor air quality, poorly maintained air-conditioning and carpeting are among the most problematic.

“A home’s heating and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, if poorly maintained, can become a major source of microbial allergens,” said Garrett.

According to Garrett, up to 30 percent of the air inside a home can come from the attic, parking garage or basement. One study supported by the EPA found that 75 percent of homes had carbon monoxide from the garage inside of the home.

Like air conditioning systems, carpeting often harbors allergens, including dust mites and molds said Jeffrey May, M.A., principal scientist of May Indoor Air Investigations LLC, Tyngsborough, Mass. Organisms and particles that become airborne eventually settle in carpeting. In damp environments, carpeting provides an ideal environment for mold growth.

“Many schools shampoo their carpeting right before school starts at the end of summer when it’s humid outside,” said May. “There couldn’t be a worse time.”

Making a Healthier Indoor Environment

To improve indoor air quality, Garrett lists several construction practices that, when done right, can make a significant difference. These include installing tight ductwork, achieving airtight construction, using a correctly sized HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system and making sure there is fresh air ventilation. Proper ventilation involves introducing air from a known source and then filtering, dehumidifying and pre-cooling or heating it.

“You can’t build houses too airtight,” said Garrett. “But you can under ventilate them.”

Once built, maintenance becomes key. May offers the following advice for home owners on making their indoor environments healthier:

• Keep the air conditioner clean. Use a filter with an American Society of Heating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (AHRAE) Standard MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) of at least 8.
• Do not have carpeting in any buildings or homes where humidity can’t be controlled. If you cannot replace carpet, vacuum thoroughly, carefully and methodically so you don’t stir dust into the air. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter or cyclonic vacuum.
• Prevent mold by dehumidifying the basement. In unfinished basements, humidity should be kept lower than 50 percent. Do research before buying a dehumidifier. “There are scams out there” said May. “And ‘exhaust only’ systems are not effective.”

Source: American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI)