In recent years it’s been proven that, despite smog and a host of outdoor
pollutants, indoor air quality in homes is actually often much worse than
outdoor air quality. This isn’t good news if you suffer from allergies or hay
fever, since indoor air is recirculated and any indoor contaminants will tend to
simply be wafted through your home again and again.
Improving indoor air quality is a challenge that involves several steps to
insure improvement in allergy symptoms, overall breathing quality and reduction
of symptoms like red, watery eyes and itchy skin. The American Lung Association
has confirmed that indoor air pollution, especially during summer months, can
increase the odds of asthma attacks, upper respiratory infections and colds.
Indoor pollutants include molds, dust mites, tobacco, smoke (from cooking),
pollen, and pet dander and pet hair. How do you get rid of or reduce these in
your home? There are basically three recognized ways to improve air quality in
the home.
Improving Ventilation
Any time you increase the amount of outdoor air that flows into your home,
you’ll improve the air quality (there was a reason our grandmothers loved to
throw open the windows and air out the house in the spring, they just didn’t
know it). If you have an air conditioning unit that has vent controls, open
these to allow air exchange when possible as well.
It’s especially important to properly ventilate the house when you are
painting or cooking. It’s not just that the fumes smell bad - these are air
contaminants and need to be vented outside and replaced with fresh, clean air.
In some newer homes you may be able to get air-to-air heat exchangers
installed on your furnace. These actively bring air from the outdoors into the
house when the furnace runs. Check into this type of mechanical system if you
are building a new home, especially if someone in your home suffers from asthma
or severe allergies.
Controlling the Source
Source control is just as simple as it sounds. If you want improved air
quality, take better care of the air! Have your house inspected for any
potential sources of contaminants or pollution, and then correct these problems.
Does your chimney have creosote build-up? A chimney sweep can quickly get rid of
this and dramatically improve air quality.
Check all major appliances for gas bleed-off and check for asbestos in the
home. A simple adjustment usually takes care of bleed-off or emissions problems,
and asbestos areas can often be sealed. (Asbestos removal should be a last
resort, since it will temporarily kick up an enormous amount of asbestos dust).
There are a few obvious source controls as well - don’t smoke in your house.
Tobacco smoke is a highly toxic contaminant that builds up quickly in your home
and drastically reduces air quality. A few nights of shivering on your front
porch in sub-zero temperatures to have that cigarette may induce you to improve
your lung quality as well by quitting!
Pets are precious and most people wouldn’t dream of getting rid of them, but
you should have them groomed regularly and brush them often - outside. This will
get loose hair and dander off of them so that less of it is shed in the house.
You’ll be surprised by how much your pets actually shed once you start brushing
them on a regular basis.
Air Purification
There are hundreds of air purifiers and air cleaners available in all sizes
and price ranges to fit a variety of needs. You can get small units that will
fit easily on your desk or whole-house units that are expensive and quite
sophisticated. The one thing they have in common is that their function is
generally limited to removing particle pollutants such as pet dander, smoke, and
pollen. In most cases they won’t remove gases from the air.
To determine how efficient an air purifier is, check two things:
- The percentage efficiency rate, which indicates how well it removes
pollutants
- The rate at which air is drawn through or over the filter, determined in
cubic feet per minute.
The best combination is one which will be relatively high in both. Mid-range
on both is better than low in one and high in another.
Vacuuming your home regularly can also reduce contamination of the air from
dust mites, pollen and pet dander that become imbedded in carpets and
upholstery. For the best results, purchase a vacuum with a HEPA filter and
completely empty the filter cup or replace the vacuum bags regularly. A HEPA
filter will trap a number of pollutants and should also be replaced regularly.
Moisture Control is Also Important
Damp basements and other areas that retain and hold moisture also contribute
to indoor air pollution because they encourage the growth of a variety of molds
and mildews. Any time there is excessive humidity in an area, mold and mildew
will tend to proliferate.
Controlling this is key to good air quality in the home, and is essentially more
of a preventative problem than anything. You should always make sure you have
adequate ventilation in areas like bathrooms and basement rec rooms where
moisture tends to accumulate. Also clean regularly with a disinfecting cleaner
that will discourage mildew growth.
Mold and mildew can also grow in heating and air conditioning ducts, and if
you are having repeated respiratory problems or suspect mold because of stale
smelling air, unusual odors, or reactions such as repeated colds or upper
respiratory problems you should have your duct work inspected for possible mold
or mildew growth.
The air ducts should be professionally cleaned if evidence is found of
visible mold growth on the interior of the ductwork (on the sheet metal) or
within the components of your air conditioning or heating systems. If over the
course of months or years there has also been moisture leakage through to the
insulation around the ductwork, you will need to remove and replace this
insulation. You will also need to consult with a professional on how to prevent
the mold growth from recurring.
After following all of the recommended steps mentioned, your home should have
a greatly improved indoor air quality. After a few months of breathing this
improved air you’ll probably notice your overall health has improved as well,
included fewer allergy problems, fewer occurrences of itchy, watery eyes, fewer
headaches and easier breathing.
About the Author
Lori Wilkerson is a full-time freelance writer. Right now she knows a little
bit about almost everything and a lot about
electrical
air purifiers,
ozone air
purifiers, and
whole house air purifiers. She has two dogs who are spoiled and one teenager who is not. They
all pollute her home.
Posted on June 26th, 2008 by itbsuperrich
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