Indoor Air - Illnesses

50% of Illnesses Caused By Indoor Air Quality?

Hoping that business heats up Local man strikes out on his own with HVAC service

From Sunday, January 28, 2007 5:02 PM CST

BY SHARON PORTA
Times Correspondent

When Michael Pawlak was 17 years old, he came home one night to find his mom, dad and siblings unconscious on the floor. It turns out that his family had carbon monoxide poisoning.

That experience led him to focus on HVAC as a career. After working in maintenance for more than 25 years, Pawlak decided to start out on his own after a proposed pay cut last year and being downsized several times from various industrial positions.

"HVAC is a normal part of building maintenance," he said. "In the buildings I had been maintaining, we found we could save money a lot of money by doing our own heating and cooling maintenance, so I've had a lot of experience. I've always been attracted to that end of it because of my experience with carbon monoxide poisoning and the technical aspects involved."

Pawlak worked at the former Union Carbide, then on to Globe Building Materials when that closed, and ended up at LTV upon Globe's closure. When Pawlak was told his pay would be cut by 30 percent, he decided to realize his dream of opening his own business.

"Our only option at LTV was to take that cut or leave it," Pawlak said. "It was a major decision, coming out of a comfort situation where you could rely on a paycheck and benefits, but it was something I wanted to do."

Pawlak now repairs, maintains and installs heating and cooling systems, but specializes in improving air quality. He consults with homeowners who have contaminants within the air of their homes, which can cause dizziness, headaches, sinus infections and nausea, and recommends certain furnaces, duct cleaning, specific filters and more.

"I have allergies and once I installed the right furnace, it made all the difference," Pawlak said. "So I can relate to the adverse effect that the air in someone's home can have on his or her life."

According to the American College of Allergists, as many as 50 percent of all illnesses are caused or aggravated by indoor air pollution. The Environmental Protection Agency claims that indoor air has been found to be up to 70 percent more polluted than outdoor air.

"I originally thought that most of my business would come from homeowners," he said. "But I'm getting more calls for commercial than residential. I'm seeing a lot of sick offices. Having cleaner air pays off because companies don't have as many sick employees."

Pawlak said business is going 'pretty well' through word of mouth, and because some people prefer to use "the little guy."

"It's no secret that people cringe when they call the heating and air conditioning guy," Pawlak said. "They are afraid it will cost hundreds of dollars and they will be taken for a ride. But I keep an honest business."

Pawlak said he is pleased he decided to strike out on his own.

"I feel great, like a millstone has been lifted off my shoulders," he said. "I really like being in control of my life."