Why Is It Important to Have Good Indoor Air Quality?
When most people think of air pollution, they picture outdoor areas filled with smoke from a fire or fumes from an explosion. However, the air you breathe in your home could be polluted and may have even worse effects on your health over time.
This is because you spend way more time indoors than outdoors.
Mold, chemicals in paints or cleaners, vapors, etc., are some factors that could affect the quality of your indoor air. These pollutants can go on to cause health issues that you may not notice for months or years.
In this post, we will explain indoor air quality, why it is important, and steps you can take to improve it.
Key Takeaways
- Due to the amount of time spent indoors, indoor air pollution can be more harmful than outdoor air, exposing people to pollutants like mold, chemicals, and fumes from everyday products.
- Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can pose serious health risks, such as respiratory issues, headaches, carbon monoxide poisoning, cancer, allergies, and worsening of pre-existing conditions. Over time, bad IAQ can cause long-term health complications.
- Some common pollutants include bacteria, cigarette smoke, pet hair and debris, mold, pollen, faulty HVAC systems, and fumes from paint or cleaning products. Over 500 toxins could be in your indoor air at any given time.
- To improve IAQ, regularly ventilate your home, use air purifiers, control humidity, clean your floors, avoid harsh chemicals, and schedule air duct cleaning to ensure your HVAC system doesn’t spread pollutants. Keeping the air clean ensures better health for you and your family.
- TIES360 is a NADCA-certified air conditioning restoration service that specializes in comprehensive indoor air quality solutions, such as commercial and residential air duct cleaning and nicotine removal. Schedule an appointment for fresher and cleaner air for your home or office!
What is indoor air quality?
As the name implies, indoor air quality (IAQ) is the quality of the air inside and around buildings related to the health and safety of the occupants of said buildings. A number of pollutants may affect the quality of your air at home, and it’s important to ensure the air you breathe is clean and safe.
Why does it matter?
Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors at home, at the gym, at school, at work, etc. This means you are constantly exposed to different kinds of fumes from your cleaning products, the kind of paint you use, the plants in your home, etc. Indoor air quality is also a serious global health issue. According to the World Health Organization, 3.8 million people die each year worldwide from illnesses that can be linked back to bad indoor air quality, mainly from gas and cookstoves.
Some of the health issues associated with poor indoor air quality are:
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Respiratory illnesses
- Headaches
- Cancer
- Nausea
- Coughing
- Moderate or severe allergic reactions from mildew or mold
- More complications for pre-existing heart and lung conditions
Short-term exposure to bad indoor air can result in illnesses and skin reactions. However, long-term exposure to this bad air can cause more serious health complications.
What are the common pollutants of indoor air?
Most people do not realize how bad the quality of the air they breathe indoors is until they become sick or get diagnosed with serious health issues. This is because you don’t notice the air in your home or at work is bad if there’s no smoke or dust. Here are some common pollutants of indoor air:
- Bacteria
- Cigarette smoke
- Human and animal presence (hair, CO2, viruses, dead skin cells, etc.)
- Mold
- Pollen
- Faulty central heating and cooling systems
- Fuel-burning cooking appliances
- Bad outdoor air quality
- Fumes from paint, cleaning chemicals, building materials, etc.
Over 500 toxins can pollute indoor air at any given time, and these toxins penetrate deep into our bloodstream and lungs.
Factors affecting your indoor air quality
Some of the major factors that affect your home’s indoor air quality are humidity and ventilation, cigarette smoke, and HVAC issues. Let’s explore them below.
Humidity and Ventilation
When it comes to a home’s indoor air quality, ventilation and humidity go hand-in-hand. A well-ventilated home controls humidity levels, which in turn prevents mold growth and the presence of many airborne contaminants, thus contributing to better indoor air quality. When the weather is cool, particularly in the winter, inadequate natural or artificial ventilation can lead to more moisture and humidity accumulation. This reduces the quality of the air as mold, dust mites, and pollen may be present in the home. On the other hand, in warmer weather, the HVAC system can draw in very humid air, causing increased moisture accumulation if the ventilation cannot dehumidify the air properly.
HVAC Issues
Your HVAC system is responsible for cooling and warming your home. So, it’s easy for your indoor air quality to be affected if the system has issues. A very common problem with air conditioning systems is a dirty air duct or air filter. Dust and other particles accumulate on the air duct over time, circulating them all over your home, worsening the air quality and causing breathing and even respiratory issues. You should have your air conditioning system serviced by an expert at least once a year to prevent any issues and keep your HVAC system running smoothly.
Tip: Schedule a routine Air Duct cleaning for your homes or businesses on Ties360. Get rid of dust and allergens and breathe fresh and clean air all year round. Reach out for a tailored solution for your space. Include button: https://ties360.com/
Cigarette Smoke
The stench from nicotine and cigarette smoke can linger in a home for years and can be very difficult to eliminate, thus negatively affecting the indoor air quality. Tobacco smoke also contains about 60 known carcinogens and is made up of 5% tar, which settles on furniture, in your HVAC system, and walls for years. To protect yourself from the harmful effects of cigarette smoke in your home, you should hire a professional nicotine removal service. These experts are experienced in eliminating the remnants of cigarette smoke from your HVAC system and the entire home, leaving your indoor air clean and fresh.
Tips to improve your indoor air quality
The following tips will help you maintain a healthy indoor air quality and avoid things that introduce air pollutants to your home or office.
- Ventilate your home regularly: Open windows and doors to allow fresh air to circulate. This will help remove most pollutants and improve airflow.
- Use air purifiers: Invest in high-quality air purifiers with HEPA filters to capture dust, pollen, and other airborne allergens.
- Control humidity levels: To reduce mold and dust mites, maintain indoor humidity between 30% and 50% using a dehumidifier or humidifier.
- Clean your floors often: Vacuum your carpets and rugs often and mop hard floors to reduce dust, dirt, and allergens.
- Avoid using harsh chemicals: Opt for natural or non-toxic cleaning products to reduce the levels of harmful fumes and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in your home.
- Add indoor plants: Certain plants, like spider plants and peace lilies, can naturally filter the air and improve its quality.
- Change air filters regularly: Replace HVAC and air purifier filters according to manufacturer recommendations.
- Keep pets groomed: Regularly bathe and groom pets to reduce the amount of pet hair in the air.
- Get your air ducts cleaned often: Schedule professional air duct cleaning every few years to remove dust, mold, and other debris that can accumulate and circulate through your home.
Tip: Your HVAC System plays a huge role in your home’s overall air quality. Hire a professional, NADCA-certified air conditioning restoration service to keep your air ducts and entire HVAC system cleaned for healthier and fresher indoor air. Contact TIES360 today.
Wrapping Up
With so many health issues directly linked to indoor air quality, it’s important to keep the air in your home or office clean and fresh. Take note of the major causes of indoor air pollution, from mold to cigarette smoke, and ensure you take appropriate measures to avoid them. The cleaner your air, the healthier you are!
