May is Asthma + Allergy Awareness Month

A Healthy Home is Critical to a Family’s Health

Charlottesville, Virginia – May is Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, an opportunity for families to take steps in their homes to improve indoor air quality and limit asthma and allergies. LEAP offers a Healthy and Efficient Home Evaluation that is a simple, low-cost way for homeowners to learn about their home’s energy efficiency and indoor air quality.

“Energy efficient buildings are healthier places to live, and we’ve got several steps families can take to breathe easier – starting with a Healthy and Efficient Home Evaluation,” said Cynthia Adams, LEAP’s Executive Director.

More information on the Healthy and Efficient Home Evaluation: http://leap-va.org/hpwes/evaluate/healthy-evaluation/

More information on indoor air quality: http://leap-va.org/energy-ed-center/asthma-respiratory-illness/

Did You Know:

— We spend 90% of our time indoors

— The pollution inside your home is typically 2-5x worse than the air outdoors.

— This “indoor air quality” can cause or contribute to asthma, headaches, dry eyes, nose and throat issues, nasal congestion, nausea and fatigue.

— 40% of asthma episodes are caused by triggers in the home, which can include dust mites, pollen, mold, carbon monoxide, excessive carbon dioxide, and other chemical fumes.

— The Environmental Protection Agency ranks indoor air quality as one of the top five environmental risks to public health.

— Asthma is a national epidemic, affecting nearly 26 million Americans including 7 million children

— An average of 1 out of every 10 school aged children has asthma and 10.5 million school days are missed each year due to this chronic illness.

— Many home energy improvements improve indoor air quality through air and duct sealing, proper ventilation, and the mitigation of moisture issues.

LEAP has teamed up with Dr. Arvind Madaan of Charlottesville Allergy and Respiratory Enterprises (CARE) to raise awareness of the connection between home energy efficiency and a family’s health.

 

“I believe LEAP offers an important opportunity for improving indoor air quality which can have a significant medical impact for people suffering from allergies and asthma.  Allergies and Asthma are emerging epidemics.  As patient-centric, result-driven Allergy, Asthma and Immunology specialists, we find such programs to potentially have a meaningful socio-economic and health impact for our community.” said Dr. Madaan, President, Charlottesville Allergy and Respiratory Enterprises (CARE; www.cvilleallergy.com) and LEAP partner.