Since we spend 87 per cent of our time indoors, indoor air quality (IAQ) is of critical importance to your health. Breathing air with poor IAQ can lead to headache, fatigue and irritation of the eyes, nose or throat – symptoms that manifest as … headache, fatigue and irritation of the eyes, nose or throat.
Indoor air pollution is caused by pollutants originating from multiple sources. The main pollutants include secondhand smoke, radioactive radon gas, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mould spores and allergens.
Clean Your Vents
The first evidence that the air quality might be compromised is often the recurrence of unexplained health symptoms or unusual odours. Other pollution sources or conditions, however, may be left undetected for years. Lack of air exchange and indoor-specific pollutants such as volatile organic compounds – compounds emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids such as many types of paint, carpeting, upholstery, glues, adhesives and building materials – may be primary culprits in poor indoor air quality. Breathing VOCs can lead to eye and nose irritation, dry mouth, lethargy, headache and nausea for those exposed. Opening windows to allow in the fresh outdoor air can help dilute indoor concentrations of virus-laden particles and other pollutants, as can the exhaust fan in the kitchen or bathroom that vent outdoors. Houseplants, which biologically give off oxygen, might be another simple way to mitigate IAQ.
Change Your Filters
Bad air can aggravate allergies and asthma because fumes make breathing more difficult. Pollutants include cigarette and other tobacco smoke; toxic cleaning supplies; dust from pets, vacuuming or wall-to-wall carpets; and mould spores. Other pollutants include clogged furnace filters, and even some houseplants that put back out into the air what they’ve ‘cleaned’ from it. You can do things like make sure your air filters are changed routinely, and get rid of scented candles and air fresheners, full of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are highly detrimental to health.
Install an Air Purifier
By cleaning the air, an air purifier can also be effective at removing triggers such as dust mites and/or mould spores that can contribute to respiratory illnesses or cause an asthma attack. But there are steps you can take to minimise pollutants indoors by increasing outdoor air into the home, with either opened windows or by running fans appropriately. Fresh air will dilute any pollutants that might occur indoors and prevent infiltration by pollutants. If opening ventilation is not practical, an air purifier that filters out pollutants might be a better choice, but be sure that you don’t put it too close to walls and furniture, and refer to the user manual.
Install a Humidifier
Whether it’s pollution in outdoor air or indoor, don’t be complacent. You might be surprised to discover that you have sudden allergies or breathing problems, and that your house might not be as healthy an environment as you’d thought. One of the most effective ways of improving home air quality is with basic ventilation – if the outdoor pollen levels are low, of course. However, this approach is not always practical, or effective, in rainy or cold conditions. Instead, you can install a whole-home humidifier on your return or supply air ducts, where hot air comes out of your furnace. A whole-home humidifier is attached to a heat exchanger, which is itself attached to both an electric water heater and a water tank. The warm water then flows into a steam conduit, and the vapour is dispersed into your house via your supply vents.
Install a Dehumidifier
Dehumidifiers provide significant relief from indoor moisture at basement, storage room and attic levels; they can also be relied on to help protect instruments or clothes valuable enough to warrant their expense against mould and mildew, given enough exposure to damaging humidities. Mildew, mould and dust mites all thrive in a humid environment. These organisms not only pose a health risk to humans, but also cause damage to furnishings and walls over time. Although it is good pain to have low humidity (below the 50 per cent danger level), you will need a good vacuum cleaner to get rid of damp carpeting, which attracts moisture – and dry rot, which is an expensive fix when caused by the fungus Dryrot fasten Incidentally, if you have a leaky roof, you may consider fixing it before getting a dehumidifier as it can take a while to locate the source of the moisture, which can be quite problematic. Allergies, sneezing and other respiratory-related problems associated with allergens such as mould spores will be reduced by using a dehumidifier; hence you can even attempt to wean off your allergy or asthma medication. Low humidity is good for your health and young children usually sleep more soundly in a cool room.