Healthy places for children to live, learn and play
by Vicki Wolf, September 2005

One of the most important things adults can do to keep children healthy is to provide healthy places for them to live, learn and play. Human beings spend 90 percent of their time indoors, yet indoor air quality of homes and schools is typically worse than outdoor air quality even in large polluted cities like Houston. Environmental hazards for children exist outdoors, too.

The health effects of poor indoor air quality include increased spread of infectious disease, coughing, bronchitis, asthma episodes, headaches, chemical sensitivities and allergic reaction, carbon monoxide poisoning and Legionnaires’ disease, according to Lynette Mazur, MD, MPH, FAAP, professor of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical School. She says the most urgent thing to eliminate in any place where children live, learn or play is exposure to cigarette smoke.

In schools absenteeism, test scores and teaching effectiveness all can be influenced by air quality, lighting, acoustics, colors and the view.

Creating healthy spaces to live
A healthy home environment can provide a retreat from the daily bombardment of air pollution, noise and poor lighting that interfere with comfort, concentration and quality of life.

Let your nose be your guide
“If it smells bad, don’t buy it,” is the advice LaVerne Williams, AIA, LEED® AP, architect, building ecologist and founder of Environment Associates, Architects & Consultants, gives for parents shopping for a pre-owned home. Odor, or candles and incense to cover up odor, may be indications that the house has mold or animal residue. The strong smell of mold or mildew, plastic, vinyl or cleaning products also is a warning that air quality, and/or ventilation may be poor in the house.

Hard flooring for safer, cleaner air
Williams recommends solid wood flooring that is nailed down. Mortar-set ceramic tile is better than the adhesive set type, with both being healthier than most other flooring materials. Linoleum made from linseed is good for air quality and requires no waxing. The sheen comes from buffing to release the linseed oil. Cork flooring is a good choice, and some rubber flooring is safe. Look for the “green” seal on flooring and adhesive products used in the home, Williams says. Rugs made from natural fibers, such as wool, cotton or jute, can provide softness and sound control, and can be removed for cleaning.

Avoid carpeting, which often contains formaldehyde and harbors allergens, dirt and dust. Vinyl tile outgases volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and is not recommended.

Mold-free, fiber-free air
Heating and air-conditioning systems play a major role in the air quality of a home. “The worst is fiberglass ducts, especially on the supply side,” says Williams. As a consultant on indoor air quality, Williams finds that more than 90 percent of homes that have indoor air quality problems use fiberglass ducts. He often sees mold one inch thick inside these ducts and he says there is no way to remove the mold without replacing the ductwork. Many homes also use flexduct, a plasticized foil duct which can outgas when heated in the wintertime. The hotter the heat sources, the more the plastic in the ducts outgas. Metal ducts, which are insulated on the outside, are the best choice. They are permanent and can be cleaned if needed, unlike all other duct products that cannot be adequately cleaned.

Having indoor air around 50 percent (or less) relative humidity (RH) is highly desireable to reduce dust mites and mold contamination. If the A/C system cycles often in hot weather, this indicated that it is too large and can’t properly dehumidify the air. The system needs to be downsized or a dehumidification system needs to be added.

Clean out old insulation and use cotton instead of fiberglass
To improve air quality in a house more than twenty years old, Williams says take out all the ceiling insulation and vacuum the ceiling cavity clean. Then reinsulate the ceiling. Calk and seal all holes and gaps in walls and ceilings to keep outside air out, such as around pipes, around ducts (behind the registers), and around light fixture trim. Place precut foam gaskets behind electrical wall outlets and switches.

Fiberglass should be avoided in home insulation. The tiny fibers can get into the air and into the lungs. A cotton insulation made from scraps from blue jean factories is safer and reasonably priced. Other alternatives include cellulose and certain foam type insulation.

Airflow is another important consideration in creating a healthy home environment. Williams says many homes have just one return with several ducts going to several rooms. With this system, not enough air gets back to the air-conditioning unit for balance when someone closes the door to their room. When a door is closed, that room is put under positive pressure and the rest of house has negative pressure causing the air-conditioning to pull air from attics, ceilings, baseboards and outlets contaminating the air with dust, and insect and pesticide residue. To avoid this imbalance in pressure, install in a jump duct or a transfer duct to allow a pathway for the room’s air to find its way back to the return air register, or remove doors to individual rooms.

Avoid plastics in household furniture and decorating
Use of plastics, which outgas VOCs, should be avoided or at least minimized throughout the home, including furniture, containers for food and water, and in decorating.. Shower curtains often are a source of outgassing plasting in the home. If you are having a new home built or remodeling bathrooms, Williams suggest making the shower large enough that no shower curtain is required. Otherwise, a glass enclosure or cotton shower curtain is better than plastic. Also, avoid particle-board furniture, which usually contains formaldehyde. Use formaldehyde free particle board, or use wheatboard – a good and inexpensive substitute for particle-board products.

Avoid lead exposure inside and outside the home
Although the use of lead in paint for houses has been banned, older homes and buildings may have paint containing lead. Here are some tips for keeping children safe from lead poisoning:

• Have the paint tested if your home was built before 1978, especially before doing construction that might stir up paint dust
• Clean up chipping and peeling paint inside and outside your home
• Do not let your child chew or suck on anything that has paint on it – check for teeth marks on window sills and other wood work
• Damp mop floors and wipe counters and other surfaces often

Create an oasis in the child’s bedroom
Even if you can’t make all the changes you need to in your home right away, make sure you create a healthy oasis in your child’s bedroom. Remove dust collectors. Williams also recommends getting a room filter that features a HEPA filter and carbon filter to clean the air. Use environmentally friendly paint on the walls and avoid carpeting and vinyl flooring. Use products made entirely of natural materials rather than manmade materials that employ a lot of chemicals in their manufacturer.

Williams recommends that all bedding – from mattress to bedspread – be made from organic cotton. Wheat board or solid wood is best for children’s furniture.

Plastic toys and pacifiers emit toxins and need to be replaced with toys made of materials that do not contain VOCs or other toxins.

Natural indirect lighting during the day and a pleasant view from the window can enhance the comfort of a child’s room. Avoid direct sunlight onto plastics and carpeting as it accelerates their decomposition and contributes toxins to the indoor air. Planting a small garden outside the window can be a learning experience as well as a source of beauty to help create a pleasant atmosphere.

Children perform better in schools that are clean and green
Most experts agree that schools have a lot of problems when it comes to air quality and other environmental factors that influence the health, safety and learning of children as well as the effectiveness of teachers. Guidelines for spaces in schools are very much like those for a child’s room when it comes to air-conditioning, flooring, paint and insulation. Outgasing from plastics and formaldehyde also is a concern in schools.

Buildings need to be clean and dry
Older school buildings may have leaks and ineffective air-conditioning that causes damp conditions, which can lead to the development of mold.

• Repair leaks and replace damaged ceiling and other areas where mold can grow
• Make sure gutters, sidings, windows and doors are free of leaks
• Make sure underground moisture from the basement, crawlspaces and site drainage is minimized and kept out of the building
• Replace carpeting and vinyl flooring with rubber that carries the green seal or linoleum
• Regularly clean the building with environmentally safe products when children are out of the building
• If ceiling tile cannot be replaced, clean it regularly to keep dust from accumulating
• Provide adequate ventilation, especially in modular buildings to avoid buildup of VOCs and other toxins in the air
• Use high quality air filters and keep them clean
• Add a dehumidification system to keep indoor humidity below 50 percent relative humidity (RH). Dust mites, a major allergenic source, cannot live where the RH is below 50 percent.

Children learn better when they are comfortable
Consider the comfort of children when creating healthy spaces in schools. Studies show natural lighting actually improves productivity and test scores. The color of a room and the view can make a difference in how children feel in the classroom and how they perform. A classroom free of distracting noise improves comfort and ability to focus for children and teachers.

Protecting children outdoors
Outdoor air quality can be too toxic for children who like to run and play. Keeping them indoors on high ozone days can help prevent asthma attacks and other respiratory illnesses.

Safer playground equipment, picnic tables and decks
Arsenic-containing treatments are no longer used to preserve wood, but older decks, picnic tables and playground equipment made of wood may still contain the toxic chemical. There are new wood sealants available that carry a green seal and provide protection with less toxicity. When buying new playground equipment and picnic tables make sure the materials in the products do not outgas or contain harmful chemicals in the sealants.

Children rely on the adults in their lives to keep them safe. Creating healthy spaces for children is part of that responsibility. The result will have a life-long impact on each child.

For environmentally friendly product information such as bamboo flooring, wheatboard cabinets, soybased adhesives, and straw and sorghum paneling, visit the Green Guide.