When I began studying indoor air quality I came across information that was both enlightening and very scary.  The EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) has found that indoor air is typically between two and five times more contaminated than outdoor air, making Sick Buildings one of the top five threats to human health. And, many buildings are worse!

What is causing our indoor pollution?  What can we do about it?

In some cases, improvements are easy once we know the cause.  The primary cause of poor indoor air quality is actually gasses or particles being released into the air.  Then inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant levels by: a) not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from these pollutants, and b) not carrying indoor air pollutants outdoors.  In other words, low air exchange rates typically increase pollutant levels.

Combustion sources are common air pollutants and include oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood and tobacco.  We can reduce the likelihood of combustion gasses entering indoor air space by installing sealed-combustion furnaces and power-vented water heaters.  If you need a new furnace, get the highest efficiency type…it’s worth the investment.

And this is the one the really amazed me, a huge source of pollutants are building materials and furnishings (off gassing).  We all know about the dangers of asbestos-containing insulation, but this list is just as harmful:

Wet or damp carpet
Pressed wood products
Household cleaning and maintenance products
Air Fresheners
Dirty central heating and cooling systems
Dirty humidification devices
And outdoor sources such as radon, pesticides, and outdoor air pollution
The list goes on…

I used to think that ‘tightening’ a house (through energy-efficient windows, weatherization, etc.) would inevitably lead to poor indoor air quality.  But, I’ve learned that this is a common misconception.  Well-designed ventilation inside a well-sealed house can actually help control moisture and pollutants, save energy, and provide a comfortable environment indoors.

The good thing is that we can do lots to improve the air we breathe at home.  The best cure is to remove the source of the air pollution.  If you can’t do that, improving the ventilation will lower pollutant concentrations.  Open the windows, operate that attic fan, run window air conditioners with the vent controls open, and be sure to use that bathroom exhaust fan!  Air cleaners are another good option, but while they work well for removing particles from the air, they are not designed to remove gaseous pollutants.

I’ve switched to Biokleen products which I buy at The Drycleaning Station.  They have laundry products, dish soap, cleaning products and more.  I accidentally used the toilet cleaner to scrub out my shower (I thought it was the general purpose cleaner) and it didn’t even irritate my hands.  Its soy based, mild, and smells really nice, too.  If that had been Vanish I’d probably have a rash up to my elbows.  And Scrubbing Bubbles has sent people to the hospital after inhaling too much.  Seventh Generation is good, too.  You just might find you have fewer headaches, less eye/nose/throat irritation, and less fatigue…these are all health effects from indoor pollution.  I feel better after switching to more earth friendly products and I wish that for you, too.  Let me know if you have found other great products you’d like to recommend!

Today I attended a great seminar at the EcoTrust Building in Portland, sponsored by Ticor Title and featuring a guest speaker, Jerry Johnson.  The seminar was “2008 Market Forecast”.  Mr. Johnson is a highly respected consultant specializing in local and regional real estate development and land use economics. 

We talked about the present market conditions first. There is a surplus of homes for sale right now (about 25 to 30 percent over last year), and the surplus is continuing to grow.  In 2005 and early 2006 many out of state speculators bought up a lot of our inventory with the intention of hopping on the incredible rising tide of appreciation in the Portland area.  However, many of them waited too long and by the time they had purchased property, our market had ‘crested’ and was beginning to cool.  Many of these investors panicked and started dumping their properties on the market in late August, early September 2006.

At the same time many first time buyers who bought homes within the last few years by utilizing a 100% Adjustable Rate Mortgage, were experiencing their first rate increase.  The first two or three years (depending on which type) of an ARM have the lowest interest rate, and therefore a lower monthly mortgage payment.  So lenders were granting loans to buyers whose income qualified them for a loan, based on those first year payments.  However, when the loans began to adjust up many people were not able to afford the increase and the banks began to see more and more loans going into default.  Lenders and buyers were both banking on the rising tide of real estate values to gain appreciation, which would have allowed a buyer to refinance his home for a lower, 30 year fixed rate loan. 

The combination of speculators trying to unload their properties, and homeowners trying to sell because they could no longer afford the payments on their Adjustable Rate Mortgages, caused a glut in the number of homes for sale.  This is where we are today.  Some of these sellers are financially stressed and eager to sell and so we call this a “Buyers Market” because in negotiating a deal, a buyer today certainly has an advantage.  In fact, many buyers are waiting to see if prices will drop as more sellers get ‘motivated’.

There is much speculation about how long this market condition will continue.  Mr. Johnson’s forecast indicates he thinks things may begin to improve by spring, but that it may take a year or two for appreciation to get back to normal.  I was happy to see his stats on market conditions around the country because we really are in much better shape than most other states.  Although Seattle sales are a little bit stronger than ours right now, we are definitely in better shape than California.  Also of interest, is that homes in the low to mid price ranges do have a shorter market time than homes in the higher (over $500,000) price range.  I just sold a home for a seller this week in the $300,000 price range.  Last year it would have sold in three weeks but this year it took four months.  We were fortunate because presently only about 2 out of 20 homes are selling in less than six months.  Proper pricing and condition were never more important than now.

Portland real estate continues to appreciate even in these tough times.  Not at the same rate as last year of course, but it is still appreciating.  We’re still one of the most desirable states to live in and so our property value will always be there! 

Feel free to email me if you have any questions or comments on this blog.