The Mayo clinic documents that Thirdhand smoke (THC) is residual nicotine and other chemicals left on indoor surfaces by tobacco smoke. People are exposed to these chemicals by touching contaminated surfaces or breathing in the off gassing from these surfaces. Third-hand smoke, whether from tobacco or marijuana, has a significant health impact on inhabitants of houses and apartments.
First, there is a considerable level of sorption of a tacky residue that clings to wall surfaces which off-gas into the air. Cigarettes reportedly contain over 4,000 chemicals! People with asthma and allergies are most affected by poor air quality, though those who did not have asthma before smoke exposure are more likely to develop bronchial issues; this is even more critical to consider in children.
An asthmatic attack can result in mortality if not promptly treated by emergency personnel. Even, third-hand smoke may lead to cancer, because tobacco contains many known carcinogens. Furthermore, THC from pot smoke may potentially cause lead poisoning, which is marked by fatigue, anemia, nausea, and stomach cramps, though this merits further investigation. So, what can restore a home to protect vulnerable inhabitants from these health hazards?
Indoor Smoke’s Impact on Indoor Air Quality
Many former tenants and homeowners are unaware of the long-lasting damage indoor marijuana and cigarette smoke cause, not only to the property but to the health of current and future tenants. When a person smokes indoors, the smoke particles on a molecular level seep into the walls, which emit a foul odor and combines with the chemicals in the paint, mixing together to form a completely new and dangerous compound. Luckily there are ways to restore the original, clean, healthy indoor air quality your buildings are known for.
The team at Reviews.com created a guide to help families make sure the air they are breathing at home is the healthiest possible. This can be a win-win, as many of the measures that reduce indoor air pollution can also result in significant discounts on your homeowners’ insurance.
The team at Reviews.com created a guide to help families make sure the air they are breathing at home is the healthiest possible. This can be a win-win, as many of the measures that reduce indoor air pollution can also result in significant discounts on your homeowners’ insurance.
You can read it here:
https://www.reviews.com/insurance/homeowners/indoor-air-pollution-and-home-insurance/
Their article includes:
• Air quality improvements methods that can also prevent COVID-19
• A detailed breakdown of common indoor air pollutants and their impact on your home
• Tips for bettering your air quality that save you money on home insurance
Impact of Indoor Air Quality on the Health of Building Occupants
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is one of those things that is rarely on our minds when it comes to things that need to get done. Regardless, it is a very important aspect if you are a business owner, especially one who has smoking areas or rooms.
If you have a home or business or own an apartment complex or hotel/motel, then you don’t want your rooms to smell like smoke. If you can still smell cigarette or pot smoke when you go in the room, then you can bet that it is still in the air. Having clean air will raise your body’s immune system, which is vital for fending off a cold or the flu. If you are breathing in dirty air, you could be inhaling dust particles, mold, fungus, the list goes on. The smell of smoke to a guest or tenant as soon as they walk in the room is repulsive. People can get sick if you do not stay on top of keeping your air clean, and that will mean more complaints and increased expenses to deal with the odor issues.
Although there are smoke free-laws and regulations, that doesn’t stop people from engaging in the potentially unhealthy activity. Indoor smoking can result in Secondhand and Thirdhand smoke, and it especially unfortunate for nonsmokers, children, elderly, and people who respiratory problems.
- Secondhand smoke – Secondhand smoke has a more direct impact on the wellbeing of nonsmokers in or within your apartment unit or complex. Secondhand smoke is the result of smoke radiating off of a lit cigarette in combination with a smoker exhaling, which is then inhaled by a nonsmoker.
- Thirdhand smoke – Thirdhand smoke is the result of residual chemicals left on indoor surfaces, such as walls, from tobacco smoke. This residue is considered to mix with preexisting toxins within the home to form new cancerous compounds.
Wall Damage Caused by Indoor Smoking:
Wall damage caused by indoor smoking is a real and serious concern. Smoking indoors can stain walls, giving them a yellowish-brown hue, and cause the smell tobacco and marijuana smoke to radiate off them long after a tenant has vacated a property.
For property managers looking to treat damage done by perpetual indoor smoking, addressing these issues will not only protect occupants, but also save you money in the long run:
Wash Walls with Hot Soap and Water
To prepare, don gloves, wear a particle mask and fill a bucket with hot water and trisodium phosphate. Use several rags and periodically dump and refill the water bucket so that the nicotine or pot residue is not smeared around on the surface.
Replace All Blinds
Throw away all window-coverings and replace them with new fixtures, which is a worthy investment to prevent more particulates from harming residents.
Professional Duct Cleaning and Replace Air Filters
Hire a professional to clean ducts and replace all air filters. Recirculated residue contributes to poor air quality and also look into hiring a professional to install a ventilation system to filter out contaminated air.
Paint!
Paint the walls top-quality latex paint like our patent pending formula utilizing mineral and biopolymer odor blocking technology: ECOBOND® OdorDefender® is the best smoke odor eliminator product in the market today!
(Note that it is essential to ventilate the workspace by opening windows to avoid breathing excess fumes anytime that you paint.)
Rip out Carpet and Underpadding
Wear a mask and work gloves, to avoid breathing in particles, to tear out and dispose of the carpet and pad in a dumpster. Before laying new carpeting, use ECOBOND® OdorDefender® on the floorboards to seal off the floor from deep-seated residue from the smoke odor as well as any pet urine odor and smell!
ECOBOND® OdorDefender® is a professional-grade eco-friendly, odor-blocking paint designed for sealing & blocking dangerous odors and fumes from the effects of cigarette smoke, pot smoke, and fire as well as pet odors and substantially improves indoor air quality. Because odors are sealed, blocked, and absorbed it gives the very best protection!
If you are a property manager, real estate professional or homeowner looking to rent or sell a property, hire a team of local professionals to cleanse your home or apartment of those smoke drenched walls today!
With over 15 years in patented and proven success, the ECOBOND® Paint, family of products is the premier provider of environmental products focused on protecting human health and the environment from the dangers of lead, smoke & odor and other pollutants.
Our innovative products have been sold online at major retailers such as Home Depot, Walmart, Amazon and others for the past 10 years and we are proud to have served over 100,000 customers in all 50 US states, Canada, and Internationally including home-owners, landlords, contractors, Housing Departments, US Departments of Transportation (DOT), Defense (DOD), EPA and many more.
Why Just Paint When You Can Paint With a PURPOSE?
Buy Now
Trackbacks & Pingbacks
[…] must be specific considerations in your Odor Management Plan to be able to protect occupants from the danger of smoke and odor from […]
[…] must be specific considerations in your Odor Management Plan to be able to protect occupants from the danger of smoke and odor from […]
[…] must be specific considerations in your Odor Management Plan to be able to protect occupants from the danger of smoke and odor from […]
[…] must be specific considerations in your Odor Management Plan to be able to protect occupants from the danger of smoke and odor from […]
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!