Most of us assume that pollution outside our homes is the leading cause of disease and health-related problems. What we don’t realize is that indoor pollution is a major threat as well. Recent studies have shown that the air we breathe in our own homes is potentially much more polluted than areas that are filled with fumes and smoke-belching cars. Since people have been estimated to be in their homes 90 percent of the time, the air quality plays a huge factor in determining ones health. Especially for those who are prone to illness and those who are elderly and young, preventive measures need to be taken to improve the air quality in your homes.
Causes of Air Pollution:
Before anything else, we need to find out the causes of air problems in our homes. These can range from the following: asbestos-containing insulation, combustion sources such as tobacco products, wood, coal, kerosene, gas and oil, wet carpets, household and maintenance cleaning products, personal care products, central heating and cooling systems, humidification devices, furniture made out of pressed wood products, radon and pesticides. It is important to take note that any of these sources are dependent on how much it actually emits and the level of toxicity it contains. We should also keep in mind that furnishings, building materials and air fresheners continuously emit more pollutants than the sources mentioned. Pollutants that are released intermittently include cigarette smoking, the use of furnaces, solvents for cleaning, cleaning products that contain dangerous chemicals and the use of paint removers for renovation procedures.
Another factor that plays a huge role in the air quality within your home is ventilation. Houses that have a limited number of windows and open doors are more prone to pollutants. That is why it is highly recommended for homeowners with these kinds of houses to install special mechanical devices to control the outdoor air coming in and out of the house. However, even for well-ventilated houses, the weather ultimately dictates how much outdoor air will be entering your house. Hence, weather conditions and geographical locations need to be taken into consideration when it comes to this matter.
Types of Air Circulation:
There are several ways outdoor air enters a house. One process is called infiltration wherein outdoor air enters a house through joints, openings, cracks in walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors. The second process is simply called natural ventilation wherein air goes through doors and opened windows. We should keep in mind that the air movement occurring in both infiltration and natural ventilation is correlated to the temperature difference between the wind and indoor and outdoor air. And the final process is called mechanical ventilation which basically refers to devices such as outdoor-vented vans that control the air coming out from bathrooms and kitchens. It also refers to air handling systems that remove indoor air continuously and automatically spread out outdoor air to designated spots around the house. The term air exchange rate simply means the rate wherein outdoor air replaces indoor air. It is important for infiltration, natural ventilation and mechanical ventilation to be constantly at motion to prevent the air exchange rate from dropping and pollutant levels to rise.
Health Effects:
There is a wide range of health effects caused by indoor air pollutants. Effects such as headaches, irritation of the eyes, throat and nose, dizziness and fatigue are caused right after single or even repeated exposure to an air pollutant. Common diseases that caused by these pollutants are hypersensitivity pneumonitis, asthma and humidifier fever. It is important to take several factors that cause these health problems into consideration. One significant factor that needs to be taken into consideration is age. The immune systems of young toddlers and old people are much weaker and prone to catch the diseases mentioned. Another factor is a preexisting medical condition. People who are allergic to certain products have to make a conscious effort to take further preventive measures to keep their homes air pollutant-free. Furthermore, some people can become sensitized to both biological and chemical pollutants after being exposed repeatedly. The most important thing to do when a person catches a viral disease is to be aware of the time and place the sickness occurs. If the sickness disappears when you are out of the house and only returns in certain areas of the house, you should make an effort to sanitize the room and make sure to air out the contaminated area. Serious diseases can also arise due to repeated exposure to poor indoor air quality. These effects range from heart disease, respiratory failure and to even cancer; which can all be fatal. Do not wait until these symptoms appear. The best way to prevent these ailments is by ensuring that the air quality in your homes is clean and safe.
Preventive Health Measures and Useful Advice:
After a person moves to a new residence, refurnishes a home, or treats a home with pesticides, some health effects can be useful indicators of an indoor air quality problem. If you believe that you have symptoms that may be caused by your home environment, it is best to talk to your doctor or your local health department to see if they could be triggered by indoor air pollution. You may also want to seek advice from an occupational medicine specialist or a board-certified allergist for answers to your questions. Another way to determine whether your home has developed an indoor air problem is to locate possible sources of indoor air pollution. Being aware of the kinds and number of possible sources is a vital step toward assessing the air quality of your home even if the presence of such sources does not necessarily mean that you have an indoor air quality problem.
Air Quality Factors:
Another way to determine whether your home may have poor indoor air quality is to assess your daily activities and lifestyle. Daily activities within your home can be significant sources of indoor air pollution. This is why you should look for signs of problems related to ventilation in your home. Signs that may indicate your home may not have sufficient ventilation include smelly or stuffy air, dirty central heating and air cooling equipment moisture condensation on windows or walls, and areas where shoes, books or other items become moldy.
How to Improve Air Quality in Your Homes:
The most effective way to improve indoor air quality is to remove the primary sources of pollution or to minimize their emissions. Some sources, like gas stoves, can be adjusted to decrease the amount of emissions and those that contain asbestos, can be sealed or enclosed. Source control is also a cost-efficient method to protect indoor air quality compared to increasing ventilation because by increasing ventilation this increases energy costs as well. One approach that can be used to lower the concentrations of indoor air pollutants within your home is to allow more outdoor air to enter indoors. Most home cooling and heating systems, which include forced air heating systems, do not mechanically allow clean natural air into the house. If you want to increase the outdoor ventilation rate, open windows and doors, as well as operating windows or attic fans when it is needed or run a window air conditioner with an open vent control. Local kitchen or bathroom fans that let out contaminants directly from the room where the fan is placed and also contributes to the outdoor air ventilation rate. Make it a point to get a lot of outside air coming into your house as well as letting indoor air out at the same time. This should be done especially when you have activities such as sanding, soldering ,welding, painting, heating with kerosene, cooking and paint stripping with are all filled with pollutants. If possible, it is better to do these activities outdoors to prevent further indoor air pollution.
Air Cleaners:
There are various kinds and sizes of air cleaners available in the market, ranging from affordable inexpensive models to state-of-the-art and pricey whole-house systems. While most table-top models aren’t that dependent, some air cleaners are highly effective when it comes to particle removal. Air cleaners are usually not built to remove gaseous pollutants. The effectiveness of an air cleaner is basically dependent on how well it collects harmful pollutants from indoor air and how much air it sucks through the cleaning or filtering element. Moreover, air cleaners will last and work well if they are well-maintained and serviced regularly. It is also advisable to update it every so often since air cleaners are often updated.
Being Eco-friendly:
Based on all these facts, it clearly shows that air quality control in your home is detrimental to improving your life. Especially now that more and more people are becoming aware of the environment and sustainable development, we should definitely take action in keeping our homes free from pollutants. Not only will we be keeping our homes eco-friendly and safe for the people who live there but we will also be setting an example in terms of living a healthy lifestyle. In spite of our busy schedules and our pursuits to achieve our goals, we cannot neglect the basics and air quality is one that should be on the top of your list.
