Dangers of Bad Indoor Air Quality

Poor indoor air quality is a silent, invisible killer. This blogger recently discovered a hidden danger in our home. Trapped water in the ceilings and behind the walls that went undetected for years. Every winter, like clockwork I was rendered sick with horrible sinus congestion that one year ended up in a dangerous eye infection. Last month, we tore out the walls, cleaned up the stagnant standing water and damp drywall and replaced a broken H/VAC condensate drain pipe. Next, we changed the H/VAC filters (long overdue). Already the allergy suffering is gone! Yet, soon we will take it one step further and get the ducts cleaned and sanitized with a botanical pro-biotic spray.  I asked my friends at filterbuy.com to submit this article on indoor air quality. I hope it motivates other homemakers to keep on top of this invisible health destroyer: bad air.

Indoor Air Quality: Impacts to Health

Air pollution is commonly thought of as affecting the air which flows freely outdoors. While this isn’t incorrect particularly in big crowded cities, the problem is that people tend to overlook the fact that indoor air can also be affected by pollution. In fact, indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than the air outside your door.

In what way, then, is it relevant to our heath?

1. Indoor air quality affects health.
Most of our time is spent indoors, which means we’re exposed more frequently to indoor air. Air pollution outdoors is harmful to health, and can cause respiratory problems, among others. So you can only guess how much more potent air pollution can be when its contained indoors.

2. Your everyday household supplies might not be as innocent as you think.
Molds, smoke from outside, pet dander – these can all contribute negatively to the quality of your air indoors. However, seemingly harmless household products such as air fresheners, insect sprays, and even the oven might not be as innocent as you think they are. Particles coming from sprays, as well as fumes from your oven or indoor gas range can contribute to indoor air pollution.

3. Poor ventilation may cause more health problems.
Ventilation is actually quite important in ensuring good indoor air quality. Having an outlet that allows for air to flow out of the house would mean that any harmful air can just as easily make its way out. This is also important to avoid moisture from collecting in any given area, which might give way to the growth of molds and mildew – both of which can be harmful to health.

4. HVAC systems need to be checked regularly.
HVAC systems can help in maintaining good indoor air quality. They do this by ensuring ample ventilation with filtration, as well as providing thermal comfort. Regularly checking the HVAC system as well as changing its air filter can help in maintaining its efficiency, which would in turn ensure that good quality indoor air is continuously circulated indoors. Air filters come in different shapes and sizes, so when looking for a replacement filter for your air conditioning or heater system, make sure you check out air filters online before finalizing your purchase.

5. Repeated exposure can lead to long-term effects.
Exposure to indoor air pollution can have both immediate and long-term effects. Immediate effects can range from mild headaches and eye irritation, to feeling nauseous and having difficulty breathing. Long-term effects can present itself years after the first exposure, and can be in the form of respiratory or cardiac diseases.

Indoor air quality says a lot about the state of health of those breathing it. Understanding the current state of your health, as well as that of your indoor air, goes a long way in helping you reduce your risk of developing health problems related to indoor air concerns.

This post was donated to HartkeisOnline by the experts at Filterbuy.com.

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