Pardee Environmental

10/15/2025

New car smell? New house smell? Although new cars and homes can smell pleasant, it doesn't mean the gases you are smelling are good for you, far from it. Most people don't realize that those "new" smells are created by products offgassing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's) and these compounds can be detrimental to ones health if exposed long enough and in high enough concentrations. I had a client recently who had just moved into her newly built home and I was there to look at the mold growth in the basement caused by a typical construction industry flaw where they pour a concrete basement and they don't give it enough time to cure before they build the house on top of it, which traps the evaporating water coming from the concrete leading to mold growth on the wood joists and decking. I see this a lot. The good news for my client is that the basement had since dried out, the mold has gone dormant and she and her family were not being exposed to high levels of airborne mold. However, my multimeter did detect unsafe levels of VOC's and formaldehyde which are caused by the building materials (laminated wood, varnish, paints, stains etc.) and new furniture off gassing and these gasses then accumulate in the home leading to unhealthy conditions. I recommended keeping the windows open when possible and to utilize activated carbon filters in her HVAC system for at least the first year until everything has finished the off gassing process. So if you have a new car, leave the windows open as much as possible or flip the air conditioner to bring in outside air in lieu of recycling it. And if you have a brand new home or did any sort of major remodeling (new carpet, furniture etc.) you should bring in as much fresh air as came be done safely and you should consider adding an activated carbon filter, which absorbs VOC's, to your HVAC filter until the VOV's have fully dissipated. Feel free to reach out if you have any concerns about the environment in your home.

12/09/2024

The exposure to dangerous gases from gas stoves is real, in spite of the mockery generated by folks in some corners of the media and politics. I’ve seen it firsthand. This is my annual reminder to tell people to switch to electric stoves to save yourself and your families from this unnecessary exposure.

The natural gas industry has spent years trying to undermine scientific findings about gas stoves and health. If this sounds familiar, that’s no accident.

07/16/2024

Another apartment found unsafe due to the gas stove: I have been doing indoor air quality assessments for many years and I can't tell you how many times I get called to assess a dwelling because the occupant believes they are being exposed to mold only to discover that their gas stove is the actual culprit. It happened again last week. I was called to an apartment where a mom was concerned because her young daughter had respiratory distress while at home in the apartment. She suspected mold or residual to***co smoke from the previous tenant. But my handheld IAQ meter found elevated levels of VOC's and formaldehyde pointing to the gas stove.

There is a growing body of evidence that finds that natural gas stoves emit many harmful indoor air pollutants, including but not limited to formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide, fine particulates and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) like benzene, hexane, and toluene. Research is finding a strong link between the presence of natural gas stoves and respiratory ailments, especially childhood asthma.

My own research has found the risks are greatest in smaller dwellings with poor ventilation. If you live in a small home or apartment with a gas stove and poor ventilation, chances are pretty good that you and your family is being exposed to unsafe levels of some pretty dangerous compounds. I recommend to all my clients to either install an exhaust fan ducted to the outside that should run on low when the stove is off and run on high when the stove is in use, or to replace the gas stove with an electric unit.

03/25/2024

With the growing season fast approaching, this is an informative article to read to help you understand how safe fruits and vegetables are when deciding what to buy.

It can be confusing for shoppers to wade through the bounty of information about the differences between organic and conventional produce. An expert clears the air on some common questions.

03/04/2024

OPEN YOUR WINDOWS!

Today is a perfect day to open your windows and "burp" your residence. Over the winter, so many contaminants can build up in your home, including radon, mold spores, formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds (VOC's), smoke fumes and scented products to name a few. It's always a good idea to open your windows when weather permits and vent off the unwanted airborne contaminants. Enjoy this beautiful day!!!

02/12/2024

Looking for a plumber who can do a camera study of a 10-12 inch storm drain that runs throughout a muddy crawl space under a school in Lorain County. We are trying to identify the source of extreme wetness in the crawl space so any plumber who is skilled at diagnosing difficult problems and coming up with a solution, we'd love to talk with you. PM me if you're interested or if you know someone who has the skills and equipment for such a project.

02/11/2024

Engineered stone countertops made from crushed quartz have taken over the U.S. market. But compared to natural stone, these slabs often contain much higher levels of crystalline silica — as much as 95%. These countertops are not a danger to the consumers who've put them in their homes, but the workers who cut, grind and shape those slabs are now becoming sick from the airborne silica dust. If you work in the stone or concrete cutting industry, engineering controls (exhaust fans, HEPA vacs and wet methods) and respiratory protection are essential to protect your long term health.

In homes across America, engineered stone countertops are a common sight. However, a hidden danger lurks in the production of these popular kitchen features.

01/30/2024

I urge everyone, especially pet owners, to stop using chemical herbicides and pesticides on your property. Research is finding that dogs whose owners use chemical herbicides and pesticides are getting cancer at 200 times the rates of those who are not exposed and vets are seeing cancers happening in our pets at much younger ages than ever before. And humans are not immune to this exposure either as more and more of these product residues are finding their way into our lives via contaminated food and other routes of exposure. Please consider switching to natural alternatives.

What we know about lawn chemicals and cancer in dogs

11/28/2023

We will be inspecting a minimum of four complete school districts over the Christmas break. It's going to be a very busy December for us and we are certainly very grateful for the many school districts that trust us with the safety of their students and staff. Please let us know if you are interested in having us provide any environmental services this coming year.

Wishing you all a safe and happy holiday season.

11/16/2023

06/27/2023

Although I understand the principle energy efficiency of utilizing the earth for insulation, I don't think a lot of homeowners, architects and engineers understand the pitfalls of this concept.

I've had many clients over the years from homeowners to schools and office buildings that have utilized earthen embankments for its thermal properties. On paper, it's a sound idea but in practical terms I've found that more often than not, it leads to ground moisture intrusion and mold growth. In order for this design to be successful, the waterproofing on the outside of the wall has to be designed and installed to be absolutely bulletproof. Any defect in installation or deficiency in design will eventually lead to mold growth largely because of the use of traditional building materials in the building, such as wood and drywall, two materials that mold thrives on.

If you are determined to use an earthen embankment design, my advice comes down to two critically important points:

1. Make sure the waterproofing system is designed to meet the challenges and is properly installed.
2. Make sure the building materials used to finish off the exterior walls that abut the embankment are mold resistant and the interstitial space is vented so as to prevent moisture entrapment.

The second piece of advice goes double for homes with a finished basement. I've had dozens of clients with basements finished with wood and drywall that are found to be growing mold behind the exterior walls everywhere the basement waterproofing system is failing and we have to come in and take out the bottom four feet of drywall, sanitize the space and reinstall sheetrock or fiberglass panels including passive venting to allow the moisture seeping in from outside to be managed by the basement dehumidifier.

If you have either an earthen embankment outside or a finished basement in your home, school or office building, there's a good chance that mold is growing behind the walls that is likely affecting the health of those who inhabit that building.