Indoor Air Quality And Allergies

How can you tell if an indoor space is clean? For most people, that would mean that it’s clear of dust. There’s no litter strewn on the floor. The garbage cans are empty. Yes, it takes a lot of work to keep the interiors clean. However, one factor that we think that is constantly overlooked is indoor air quality. Unfortunately, it plays a huge role in the health of the residents.

Indoor Air Pollution

Another popular misconception is that outdoor air pollution is worse than indoor air. This is the reason why we keep windows constantly closed. What we don’t realize, though, is more often than not, indoor (or rather, stagnant) air can sometimes be even more unhealthy than outdoor air. What’s worse is that we’re constantly exposed to it and we can be oblivious to its negative health effects until the symptoms get more apparent.

What Causes Air Pollution?

But what causes poor indoor air quality anyway? Here are some of the most common culprits:

• Smoking indoors is a big no-no, especially in spaces that have poor air ventilation. There’s no way for all that second-hand smoke to escape, after all. Not to mention the ash that can get easily blown away and contaminate the air.
• Another big culprit is owning pets with fur and dander that can cause air contamination as well.
• Water Damage. One of the causes that can detrimentally affect indoor air quality is water damage. That’s because it encourages the growth of different types of mold that can then release harmful airborne particles. In fact, some of them can even prove toxic if exposed to them for long enough.
• Poor Air Ventilation. Finally, dust, dander, airborne particles - all of these contaminants won’t be able to escape if you have poor ventilation. Hence, even if you’re not particularly at risk because you don’t own a pet, these particles can still find their way inside your space and accumulate over time.

Indoor Air Quality Influence On Health

Anyway, now that we are more aware of the most common causes of poor indoor air quality, we can move on to talk about its negative health effects. Here are some of them:

• It can cause allergies. Some of the symptoms of allergies to mold are skin irritation, constant sneezing, coughing, runny nose, and watery eyes.
• It can lead to respiratory diseases. You can develop different kinds of respiratory diseases over time due to prolonged exposure to different contaminants. It’s even more harmful to those who already have mild cases, as poor indoor air quality can aggravate your condition further and make it more severe.
• It can kill. Finally, while we don’t mean to scare you, poor indoor air quality can also cause cancer, poisoning, and of course death depending on the types of contaminants present in the air and the duration of your exposure. 

Poor indoor air quality is truly a serious problem that should be dealt with immediately. The question is...how? Don’t worry, that’s what we are going to talk about next.\

How To Improve Indoor Air Quality

Here are some of the most efficient ways to improve your indoor air quality:

• Keep clean. Change and wash your sheets and curtains regularly. Don’t wait for the dust to collect. Keep your pets outdoors and be sure to vacuum regularly.
• Change air filters. Don’t forget to check and change your air filters regularly. They are your first line of defense against air contaminants.
• Deal with water damage. Do you have leaky pipes or flooding issues? Then it is important to deal with them immediately before they cause more damage, and worst of all, mold growth.
• Beware of scents. Strong and weird odors are good signs that you have poor indoor air quality, but did you know that perfumes and scented candles can also cause indoor air pollution? Hence, we discourage you from using them as much as possible, especially if you are already suffering from asthma and other related health problems.
• Get the necessary equipment. There is a variety of equipment that you can get in order to help you improve your indoor air quality like air scrubbers and air movers. Be sure to get them in a size or capacity that matches your space and particular needs.
• Ensure proper air ventilation. Finally, make sure to open your windows every once in a while to let stagnant air out and invite fresh air in.

Conclusion

Poor indoor air quality is indeed something that we should look out for. It can cause different health issues such as allergies, respiratory diseases, and even cancer and death! Fortunately, there are ways to improve indoor air quality. By keeping the tips that we have shared with you in mind, we’re sure that you can improve your indoor air quality significantly for a healthier tomorrow. Good luck!

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Written By:

Megan Jones is an author who works with aerindustries.com. She mostly writes about home remodeling, healthy living and wellness, and related topics. Having a huge experience in indoor air quality maintenance, Megan has gained some valuable knowledge, which she is now actively promoting. 

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash