1. Synethetic carpets, insulation, drapes and furniture made from plywood and particle board are some of the sources that release formaldehyde. Formaldehyde can cause cancer in animals but it has not been proven to produce cancer in humans. However, it can irritate the eyes, nose and throat and produce coughing and various allergic symptoms.
2. Pesticides used in the home and garden can poison individuals. Short-term illnesses and even cancer and other serious health problems have been associated with pesticides.
3. Asbestos that was used to insulate hot water pipes, ceiling and floor tiles and siding in older houses has been known to cause cancer although it is less dangerous when used to insulate tiles and siding because it is locked into the tile and siding but once it becomes chipped or abraded during normal wear and tear and remodelling, it becomes more hazardous. If asbestos is sprayed on as insulation, minute fibers are released into the air which get into the lungs and can cause lung cancer. Spray-on asbestos should be either removed or encapsulated.
4. Paint in older houses contains toxic heavy metal lead so does old plumbing and solder for copper pipes. When pipes or solder is corroded by water, lead is released into our drinking water. Hard water has less problems than soft water because mineral deposits are formed on the pipes or solder thus forming a barrier between the water and lead.
5. Sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons are pollutants created by combustion. These are released into the home when furnaces and/or wood stoves do not operate properly. Irritation of the eyes, nose and throat plus headaches, lethargy and dizziness are among the health problems created. Hundreds of people die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning caused when an automobile runs in a closed garage.
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