Texas Building Science Professionals Identify Indoor Allergens & Pollutants that Impact People with COPD

According to a Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey conducted in 2011, approximately 5.4% of residents in Texas had been told they have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) by a healthcare professional.  That equates to over 1.3 million residents of the state that are afflicted by a group of diseases that cause airflow blockage and breathing-related problems.
 
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease includes emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and in some cases asthma.  The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute reports that COPD is the third leading cause of death in the United States, claiming more than 120,000 American lives each year. More than 12 million have been diagnosed with the condition, but another 12 million are likely to have COPD and don’t know it. 
 
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the United States, tobacco smoke is a key factor in the development and progression of COPD, although exposure to air pollutants in the home and workplace, genetic factors, and respiratory infections also play a role.
 
“There are a number of common indoor allergens and pollutants that can aggravate conditions for people suffering from COPD in addition to tobacco smoke,” said Hollis L. Horner, President, Indoor Environmental Consultants, Inc.  “These may include everything from elevated levels of mold, dust mites, and pet dander to fragrances, formaldehyde, and other volatile organic compounds.  At IEC, our indoor air quality professionals identify indoor allergens and pollutants that can cause or aggravate a host of health issues. Air testing and building inspections can pinpoint problems in order to develop solutions so that building occupants are not exposed to substances that can aggravate COPD or cause other respiratory and health issues.”
 
IEC has sponsored an educational video about Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, indoor allergens, and pollutants that can be seen at: http://youtu.be/tv-rKdXoW5A
 
To learn more about IEC’s air testing and consulting services, please visit www.iecinc.net, email ncancino@iecinc.net or call (877) 432-8378.
 
About Indoor Environmental Consultants, Inc.
IEC began operations in 2001 with some of the nation’s most seasoned professional indoor air quality consultants who already had over 70 years of combined experience.  The indoor environmental quality firm specializes in field investigations and assessments of commercial, institutional and residential buildings.  Their services, related to fungal (mold), chemical, bacterial, asbestos and particulate pollutants, are offered throughout Texas, the Gulf Coast and the Southwest. IEC is licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services as a mold assessment company (ACO0114) and an asbestos consultant agency (100329).
 

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

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