MORE THAN JUST STAYING WARM…

Home Heating

2

Types of Home Heating Fuel Sources

Propane (LP)Natural GasFuel OilWoodCoalKerosenePelletsOutdoor wood boilersElectric

3

Combustion Appliance Maintenance

Maintain each heating season Furnaces Gas water heaters Check gas stoves, gas fireplaces

• Use care when operating combustion appliances indoors

• Make sure burner is properly adjusted and has good ventilation

• Ensure condensate pump works, unblocked

4

Backdrafting—Spillage

Appliance not vented properly Spills or back drafts into living area

Most common test utilizes mirror, as byproducts of combustion contain water vapor, cause mirror to fog

Create worst-case conditions: Negative Pressure

Close all exterior doors and windows Activate all the exhaust fans Turn on clothes dryers Turn on ignite fireplaces

5

Silent Killer: Carbon Monoxide (CO)

You CAN’TSee itSmell it, or Taste it… but it can KILL in minutes!

Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced whenever any fuel such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal is burned

6

CO Levels (General Guidelines)

0-9 ppm No health risk 35-50 ppm Problems with long term

exposure – 8 hrs chronic symptoms of headaches, nausea, tired

MOST DETECTOR ALARMS GO OFF 50-70 ppm Exposure - 2-3 hrs Flu like

symptoms, headache, nausea 70-200 ppm Exposure - 1 hr Dizziness, fatigue,

vomiting 200-800 ppm Minutes of exposure can cause

unconsciousness, brain damage, DEATH

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8

9

How CO attacks…

Red blood cells prefer CO to oxygen

If there is enough CO in air, CO replaces oxygen in blood

This blocks oxygen from getting into body, damaging tissues and potentially causing death

10

Common Sources of CO

• Blocked flue, chimney, vent pipes• Rusted/cracked furnace heat exchanger• Idling engine in attached garage• Backdrafting, spillage• Maladjusted fuel-fired space heater• Unvented use of BBQ/charcoal indoors• Gas stoves and ranges, water heaters• Outdoor use combustion

exhaust near vent/window

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Not Just CO—Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)

Colorless, tasteless, with sharp odorDeep lung irritantEye, nose, respiratory and throat

irritationShortness of breath, narrow airways in

asthmaticsMore respiratory illness (cold/flu)Lung damage/disease with

long exposure

12

Particulate Matter (PM)

Eye, nose, throat, lung irritation Bronchitis, allergies, asthma, respiratory

and ear infections, cardiovascular conditions…

Sooting from appliancesGhosting on walls/ceilingCandles can create problemsEnvironmental tobacco smoke (ETS)What is adhered to particle?

14

Sulfur Dioxide

Can work in tandem with PMEye, nose, throat, respiratory tract

irritation Respiratory infections, bronchitis

High levels can cause airways to narrow

Asthmatics are especially susceptible

15

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Organic particles and gasesLung, stomach, bladder, skin cancersNose, throat, eye irritation

16

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Changes blood pH levels

Increases respiration rate

Decreases ability to perform strenuous exercise

Postulated increases for long-term exposure Respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders

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Water Vapor

Major product of combustionMust vent or pump to exteriorNot a pollutant but can cause moisture

issues

Wood Stoves

19

20

Navajo Coal Combustion and Respiratory Health

High rates of respiratory illnessWeather patterns include inversionsCoal burning power plants

Poorly maintained stovesCoal burned in stoves not designed for coal

High levels of PM2.5 measured in homesRepairs to existing stoves could improve IAQ

Perceptions can lead to incorrect conclusions

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Woodburning Stoves and Respiratory Illness

Children in homes with wood stoves used for cooking have five-fold increase in hospitalizations

High PM readings found in homes with children needing hospitalizations

Encourage improvements in stoves and home ventilation systems

23

Wood Stove Interventions

Wood stove changeouts (ambient and indoor)

Filtration units (indoor)Best-burn practices (ambient and indoor).Wood banks (ambient)

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Wood Stove Changeout Program: A Natural Experiment

Prospective multi-year study to assess changes in wood smoke PM2.5 and impact on health of school children following intervention

1. Monitor changes in ambient PM2.5

2. Monitor changes in school indoor PM2.5

3. Evaluate change in residential indoor PM2.5 following changeout

4. Track changes in reporting of symptoms and illness-related absences among students

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Exposure Assessment within Homes

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Wood stoves

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Libby 2006/2007 Residential PM2.5 ProgramPM2.5 Mass - Home 4A

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

1

Time

Con

cent

ratio

n (u

g/m

3 )

15:22

19:53

06:30

Start Sampling:10/25/06 @ 14:00

End Sampling:10/26/06 @ 14:00

Avg = 131.8 μg/m3

Before Changeout

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How does a wood stove changeout impact indoor air quality?

Old stove40-60 g smoke/hr

EPA-certified stove2-5 g smoke/hr

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2006/2007 Libby Residential PM2.5 Sampling Program

Sampling focused on 20 homes containing wood stoves

24-hour PM2.5 sampling Pre-changeout period (Oct/Nov 2006) Post-changeout (Dec 2006 – Feb 2007) Goal of program to evaluate impact of

“intervention” on indoor air quality within home

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Libby PM2.5 Mass Results – Pre and Post Stove Change-out

Pre-changeout avg PM2.5: 53.4 μg/m3 Post-changeout avg PM2.5: 15.0 μg/m3

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Home 1

Home 3

Home 5

Home 6

Home 7

Home 8

Home 9

Home 1

0

Home 1

1

Home 1

2

Home 1

3

Home 1

4

Home 1

5

Home 1

7

Home 1

8

Home 2

0

PM2.

5 Con

cent

ratio

n (u

g/m

3 )

Pre Avg PM2.5

Post Avg PM2.5

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Results of Multi-Winter Residential Study

Overall reductions following wood stove changeout observed in 16 of 21 homes

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Nez Perce Wood Stove Changeout

Conducted during winters of 2006/2007, 2007/2008, and 2008/2009

Kamiah and Lapwai, Idaho on Nez Perce Reservation

16 homes

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Nez Perce Wood Stove Changeout PM2.5 Mass Results

0.0

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

120.0

140.0

160.0

180.0

200.0

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Home

PM2.

5 Con

cent

ratio

n (u

g/m

3 )

Avg PM2.5 Pre (ug/m3)

Avg PM2.5 Post (ug/m3)

Pre-changeout avg PM2.5: 43.1 μg/m3 Post-changeout avg PM2.5: 126.0 μg/m3

~278% PM2.5

increase

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Nez Perce Wood Stove Changeout PM2.5 Mass Results

0.0

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

120.0

140.0

160.0

180.0

200.0

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Home

PM2.

5 Con

cent

ratio

n (u

g/m

3 )

Avg PM2.5 Pre (ug/m3)

Avg PM2.5 Post (ug/m3)

Pre-changeout avg PM2.5: 43.1 μg/m3 Post-changeout avg PM2.5: 126.0 μg/m3

~278% PM2.5

increase

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Importance of Training

0.0

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

120.0

140.0

Pre Post 1 Post 2

Sampling Event

PM2.

5 Con

cent

ratio

n (u

g/m

3 )

Home 2

Home 6

Home 11

Home 13

PM2.5 Mass (µg/m3) Measured in Homes Following Outreach/Education.

Ward, T.J., Boulafentis, J., Simpson, J., Hester, C., Moliga, T., Warden, K., and Noonan, C.W., 2011. Results of the Nez Perce woodstove changeout program, Science of the Total Environment, 409, 664-670.

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Wood Stove Changeouts

Effective in reducing ambient PM2.5

Expensive (~$1500 - $4500)Learning curveResults can be variable for indoor air

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Filtration Units

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A Randomized Trial for Indoor Smoke (ARTIS)

5-year, NIEHS-funded studyAssessing impacts on quality of life among

asthmatic children following interventions that reduce in-home wood smoke PM exposures

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Health Outcome Measures

PAQoLPeak flowSymptomseNOBiol. samples

EBC Urine

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Indoor Air Sampling

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Preliminary results of ARTIS interventions

59% Reduction

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Use of Best-Burn Practices

Education coupled with use of inexpensive toolsBurn at proper temperatures

(thermometer)

270-460 °F is optimal.

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Use of Best-Burn Practices (cont.)

Burn dry, seasoned wood (moisture meter)

<20% moisture is optimal

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Use of Best-Burn Practices (cont.)

Don’t burn trash, etc.Stove maintenance (ash cleaning, clean out

chimneys, etc)

EPA Burn Wise Program: http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/

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Summary—Change Outs

Wood stoves a significant source of PM2.5 in both

ambient and indoor environmentsWood stove changeouts can be effective in

reducing ambient wintertime PM2.5 –results are

more variable indoorsChangeouts are expensiveTraining and education on new stoves essential

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Summary—Filtration Units

Filtration units are consistently effective in improving indoor air in homes with wood stoves

Improves indoor air quality by ~60% but does nothing for outdoors

Electricity costs are a concern, and units can be noisy

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Summary—Burning Practices

Best-burn practices are inexpensive and sustainable strategies

Education, outreach, and training are critical

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Summary—Other Considerations

Each intervention should be culturally and regionally appropriate

Interventions need to be sustainableCan we replace wood stovesPassive solar heating