Yes, You Can … Improve Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality
Yes, You Can … Improve Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality
By Arlene Bascom
This past winter my husband and I suffered from bad colds, flu, and pneumonia…all respiratory problems. We began to wonder if our indoor air quality was contributing to our illness. I discovered some practical things we could do to make a difference in the air in our condo.
We tend to think of air pollution as something outside—smog, ozone, or haze hanging in the air. But the truth is, the air inside our homes, offices, and other buildings can be more polluted than the air outside. The air inside your home may be polluted by lead (in house dust), formaldehyde in furniture and carpets, fire-retardants, radon, even volatile chemicals from fragrances used in conventional cleaners.
In that mix, you'll also find microscopic dust mites—a major allergen—plus mold and heaps of pet dander, says David Lang, MD, head of Allergy/Immunology at the Cleveland Clinic. "Even if you don't have pets, you've probably got pet dander," he says. "It's become what we call a community allergen. Pet owners carry it around on their clothes and shed it throughout the day. You can't get away from it."
Unfortunately, we bring most of those pollutants indoors ourselves. Some pollutants are tracked into the home. Some arrive via a new mattress or furniture, carpet cleaners, or a coat of paint on the walls.
Indoor allergens and irritants have become much more important in recent decades because we're spending more time indoors, Lang says. Because modern homes are airtight, these irritants can't easily escape. "We're all exposed to a greater degree than we were three or four decades ago," he says.
In my research, I found that for most indoor air quality problems in the home, source control is the most cost-effective solution. Source control simply means that the most effective strategy for reducing indoor air pollution is to eliminate or reduce the sources of contaminants whenever possible.
How to Minimize Indoor Air Pollution
1. Experts say that one of the most common indoor air pollutants is cigarette smoke. If you are a smoker, avoid smoking indoors. Since cigarettes are so harmful, never let anyone smoke inside your home. The Surgeon General states that there is no safe level of secondhand smoke. Ask smokers to take it outside.
2. Minimize the use of harsh cleaners, solvent-based cleaners, or cleaners with strong fragrances. Instead, use eco-friendly, non-toxic cleaners and supplies or make your own cleaners. Choose low-emitting products for cleaning your home that have been third-party certified and labeled by reputable organizations such as GREENGUARD and Green Seal.
3. Freshen your home naturally. Stay away from synthetic air fresheners and petroleum-based wax candles. Opt instead for homemade air fresheners, simmer pots, and all-natural soy or beeswax candles which won't emit any harmful chemicals.
3. Control car and appliance exhaust. Do not idle cars, lawnmowers, or other engines in the garage, especially when the garage is attached to the house.
4. Install a carbon monoxide detector. Carbon monoxide poisoning claims the lives of over 400 people each year and thousands of others become ill or seek medical attention after exposure to the odorless gas. Protect yourself by installing a carbon monoxide detector near your sleeping rooms. Also, have all fuel-burning appliances inspected by a qualified technician once a year to keep the deadly gas away from your home.
5. Test for radon. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and the second-leading cause of lung cancer, period. Scientists estimate that radon causes thousands of deaths annually. Radon is an odorless, invisible gas that occurs naturally in soil and rock and can only be detected through testing. Radon testing is easy and inexpensive and it could save your life.
6. Minimize dirt. Place walk off mats at all entrances to your home and remove shoes at the door to minimize dust and dirt tracked in from the outdoors. Use a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuum cleaner with disposable bags, and microfiber cloths for surface dust removal.
7. Sleep clean. Buy machine washable bedding. Wash pillows, sheets and comforters often to reduce exposure to allergens, including dust mites.
8. Control moisture. Keep relative humidity levels to less than 60 percent, using dehumidifiers if necessary. Repair all leaks promptly, and run bathroom exhaust fans while showering. Last, house plants can improve indoor air quality by filtering carbon dioxide; however, if they are over-watered, they can encourage mold growth.
9. Let fresh air in! Most home heating and cooling systems, including forced air heating systems, do not mechanically bring fresh air into the house. Open the windows as much as possible, even just for a few minutes a day. (Be mindful of outdoor allergens during spring and fall seasons.) Clean or change all the filters in your house regularly, particularly those for your heater or furnace, air conditioner, air purifier, and vacuum.
Keeping the air quality as clean as possible in your home is important for your health. Taking some simple precautions can help boost air quality in your home. Any changes that improve your health are well worth the effort.