Your home is a haven where you can rest and take shelter from the harmful elements. But there are instances when your cozy space turns into an incubator for disease, even if everything seems clean due to poor indoor air quality.
Your indoor air might leave behind high concentrations of contaminants that could make one sicker than they were before entering this sanctuary. Smog and other types of pollution are serious issues, but the more pressing concern may be in our homes themselves.
For example, the air quality inside your home can have a much greater impact on your health than car exhaust or factory emissions because you spend 90% or more time indoors when not at work. According to the World Health Organization, over 4 million people die each year from household air pollution.
And when you add in time and money lost due to illness, it’s clear that indoor quality is an essential public health issue in its own right. Learn the possible reasons why your home is having poor indoor air quality conditions with this article and keep your family safe.
Get To Know What Poor Indoor Air Quality Is
You probably already know that pollution can harm the environment when you’re outside. The same is true for indoor environments. We spend about 90% of our time indoors – at home, work, or school – so it’s essential to protect ourselves from potential problems with harmful gas and fumes.
Indoor air pollution can be dust, dirt, or gases in the air inside buildings such as your home or workplace that could harm you.
Poor Indoor Air Quality has been linked to lung diseases like asthma and COPD, which affect over 3.8 million people a year – it even increases risks for heart disease and stroke.
Types of air pollution include:
Particulate matter (pm) – Tiny particles of dust and dirt in the air, such as soot or dander from dead skin cells.
Gases – for example, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur dioxide
Indoor air pollution is caused by anything. From gas stoves and wood burners to dampness.
Indoor environments can also be made worse with mold or fungus growth because these types of microorganisms feed off moisture in the walls, which creates an environment conducive for bacterial activity that releases toxins into your home’s atmosphere.
Combate Poor Indoor Air Quality
Here is the list of possible causes why you are having poor indoor air quality and how to best avoid them:
- Mold
Mold can be found in almost any place with water, and it grows fastest when there is plenty of humidity.
To prevent potentially costly mold growth this summer, keep your air temperature low by using a dehumidifier to lower the number of substances that encourage fungus-growing conditions inside houses.
You should also make sure to fix any plumbing problems like leaking pipes or a dripping faucet immediately and check your ductwork for mold. Unlike the case with indoor air quality, ducts easily get dirty and cause serious health problems.
You should have a professional check your system about every five years to make sure you don’t miss anything along the way – especially since UV lamps are an excellent way of killing any mold spores that may be present in this part.
- Pollen
The best way to prevent spring allergies this year is by keeping the pollen out of your home. You can do that with a few simple steps: take off their shoes when they come inside, vacuum or dust often throughout each day, change clothes if necessary after being outside to reduce exposure rates, and ensure you have an air filtration system, at least once per month.
A professional will know how to check your heating and air conditioning system for leaks. These minor issues can cause big problems in the long run, so make sure you get it checked once a year.
You may also want an indoor purifier that removes all kinds of pollen, mold, spores, dust mites, dirt molecules, and more from inside your home or business.
- Pet Dander
Dogs, cats, rabbits, and other animals can freely shed small pieces of dead skin called dander.
These tiny particles cling to carpets where there are high concentrations of pet lovers, which means that if you spend time with them often enough or have allergies before ever having a furry friend, your symptoms may come from these allergens.
To reduce pet dander, it is best to ask friends with animals not to touch their dog or cat just before you see them. If you have pets yourselves, then regular brushing and bathing should be done alongside a professional grooming service.
It will help keep any dirt from accumulating on the furniture that could make us sick when they come into contact.
- Gas
Indoor air is often not as clean and fresh as one might hope. VOCs, radon gas concentration in the home’s atmosphere, have been called a silent killer because it causes headaches, among other problems.
But you can reduce these risks by taking precautions such as controlling humidity levels around your house which will stop those icky odors from occurring before they start affecting people.
- Cigarette Smoke
Second-hand smoke is a household name for its dangers and effects, but what about the risks posed by indoor air pollution? Simply avoiding smoking indoors can improve your home’s quality of life.
It becomes especially essential when children or elderly residents live there with respiratory illnesses; it could even help them recover faster.
Now That You’re Aware, Get a Cleaner Air
With the right tools and knowledge, you can keep your indoor air quality high by making sure that all of these tips are followed. Circulating cool or warm air through a maintained furnace will not only help to maintain health but also keep away stale odors.
Poor indoor air quality is the leading cause of seasonal and year-round illness in homes. Poor indoor air quality can come from dust, mold, or lack of ventilation. It’s essential to control these factors.
Healthy living starts with indoor air quality. Your family deserves to breathe clean, filtered oxygen every day of their lives, and you can help them achieve this by having your HVAC system checked regularly from AC company West Palm Beach. Enjoy good health and schedule an AC repair today. It’s never too late for improvement.