Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality is important for several reasons. Millions of people are affected by allergies or asthma. Indoor air is usually polluted by tobacco products, kerosene, wood, oil, gas, insulation, pesticides, or household cleaners.

It is important to properly ventilate a home. Indoor air that is polluted can cause nose, throat, and eye irritations as well as fatigue and dizziness.

Improving indoor air quality can be done by air cleaners, source control, and improved ventilation. Air cleaners have become very popular.

There are several different types and sizes of air cleaners to choose from. The size of an air cleaner ranges from table top to whole house systems. Air cleaners do not remove gaseous pollutants.

Source control is done by eliminating the source of the pollutant. Source control is regarded as the most effective way of improving indoor air quality.

Improved ventilation can dramatically improve indoor air quality. Opening windows and doors can remove pollution from homes.

It is important to learn to identify home pollutants. Home pollutants often consist of moist walls or carpet, paints, aerosol sprays, cleaners, gas heaters, exhaust fumes, tobacco smoke, and damaged insulation. 

Floods, asbestos, carbon monoxide, lead, radon, and pesticides can all cause the indoor air quality of a home to become dangerous.

Breathing disorders, cancer, and asthma have all been linked to indoor air pollutants.  Indoor air pollutants can be reduced by anyone. There are several websites and publications on reducing indoor air pollutants and improving indoor air quality.

There are also a series of tests that can be administered to determine the amount of indoor air pollutants in your home.