How To Improve Air Quality In Your Home – Forbes

Getty

The rising levels of outdoor air pollution, spurred by factors like vehicle emissions, fossil fuel burning and industrial exhaust gases, is worrying enough to make you want to stay indoors as much as possible. But surprisingly, even the indoor air isn't exactly as clean and healthy as we'd like to believe. In fact, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air can often be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air.

"On average, we spend around 90% of our time indoors. So, it's important to keep our indoor air as clean as possible, especially during winter months when we like to keep our windows and doors shut tight to seal out the cold," says Abby Lemon, application engineer at Filtrete.

What causes indoor air pollution?

The most common sources of indoor air pollution include asbestos, carbon monoxide emissions from central heating systems and gas stoves, radon, mold, tobacco smoke and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in household items like disinfectants, air fresheners, paint, carpeting, adhesives, pesticides and wood preservatives.

Inadequate ventilation can also contribute to indoor air pollution by trapping the allergens and pollutants inside and keeping the outdoor air from diluting emissions caused by the pollutants, says EPA. "High temperature and humidity levels can also increase concentrations of some pollutants," it adds.

"Living near a busy road can also affect the indoor air quality as the pollutants from car exhaust can enter your home," says Dr. Payel Gupta, assistant clinical professor at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn and spokesperson for the American Lung Association.

"Since many of these pollutants are odorless, you won't know that something is wrong until you start experiencing symptoms," she points out.

If you want to check how safe the air is inside your home, here's a handy guide to measuring indoor air quality.

How does polluted indoor air affect your health?

Common short-term effects of indoor air pollution include dryness and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and skin, headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath, hypersensitivity and allergies, sinus congestion, coughing, sneezing, even dizziness, tells Dr. Gupta.

The likelihood of an immediate reaction to indoor air pollutants depends on several factors including the individual's age and whether they have any pre-existing medical conditions, notes EPA. For instance, people with asthma and allergies are more sensitive and therefore may experience more severe symptoms as compared to those who don't have asthma or allergies.

Meanwhile, other potential health problems may develop after long or repeated periods of exposure. These long-term effects include worsening respiratory disease (asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, bronchitis), heart disease, lung cancer and premature death, says Dr. Gupta. "Prolonged exposure to polluted indoor air has also been linked to low birth weight infants," she adds.

So, what can you do to improve the indoor air quality of your home?

While toxic indoor air has become a serious problem today, the good news is that it can be effectively managed with the right tools and techniques. Here are eight simple ways to purify the air in your home:

See the rest here:
How To Improve Air Quality In Your Home - Forbes