Good indoor air quality for a better lifestyle - how to achieve it
Research reveals the noxious effect poor indoor quality can have over one’s life. According to experts, it can be even ten times more harmful compared to outdoor pollution for instance, which is definitely something to worry about.
However, many homeowners don’t give due importance to the air quality inside their homes and they don’t know how essential it is to resort to professional air testing companies such as safeair.ca every once in a while. This article presents the main causes of poor indoor air quality, as well as some useful tips to significantly improve it.
First, know the pollutants
Experts in the field claim there are three main different types of indoor pollutants and they all have harmful effects over people’s health, especially if they expose themselves to these pollutants for a very long period.
• Volatile organic compounds - shortly known as VOCs, they comprise a range of organic chemicals that come in the form of gases, which are released from certain liquids or solids. Household products such as varnishes or paints are the most common source for these volatile organic compounds, but they can also be found in building materials, disinfecting and cleaning supplies, craft materials, pesticides or any other sources of synthetic fragrances.
• Combustion pollutants – these are usually particles or gases that come from various burning materials, such as woodstoves, space heaters, water heaters, gas stoves, fireplaces that are poorly vented or that aren’t vented at all and so on. The type or the quantity of the pollutants produced can vary a lot depending on the way the appliance was installed, vented and maintained and on the type of fuel it utilizes.
• Allergy and asthma triggers – some of the most popular household triggers for allergies and asthma are dust mites, mould, pollen, pet dander and second-hand smoke. These triggers can appear in various rooms and on various objects around the house, such as shower curtain, textiles such as pillows or stuffed animals, or even the floor.
It is important to be aware of all these aspects and to understand that indoor air quality testing is extremely important.
Let your house breathe
In order to live a healthy life, you need to have a healthy house. Experts in the field strongly suggest homeowners to let the house breathe. The simplest way to do so is to open windows wide enough to let fresh air coming from outside enter the house and the best period to do it is early in the morning, when there isn’t much activity on the streets. Opening windows even for just a few minutes a day can make a huge difference between good and poor indoor air quality.
Pay attention to humidity level
It is commonly known that mould spores install in places where there is high level of humidity. These places can be the kitchen, the bathroom, the basement or the attic. Whenever you are cooking or taking a hot shower, ensure you let your windows wide open in order to not to let steam stay for too long inside your house and give mould spores the chance to install there. There are many options on the market when it comes to dehumidifiers for instance, so do some research and select the one that suits you best. The ideal indoor humidity level is around 45%. If it’s under this score, the air is too dry, and if it’s above it, it creates the perfect environment for mould growth.
Replace air fresheners with green plants
Many people make this mistake – they go to local stores and buy some air fresheners with different aromas in order to “make the room smell good and fresh”, but what they don’t know is that they are actually doing more harm than good. These synthetic fresheners will only contribute to having poor indoor air quality, thus affecting the health of everyone living in that house. For this reason, specialists advise to replace these air fresheners with some traditional, yet more effective green plants. These plants will significantly improve air quality.
Clean smart – here’s how
Cleaning the house is a must-do daily or weekly activity. In order to reduce in-house pollutants, you should use eco-friendly cleaning supplies that contain no toxic chemicals. If you don’t trust the cleaners and supplies the market provides, you can make your own cleaners.
You should also pay attention to what appliances you purchase to make your household cleaning chores more effortlessly. Opt for a vacuum that has strong suction, as well as rotating brushes, because this one will be more efficient and will trap those allergens and small particles that a regular vacuum misses.
Hire professional air quality testers
If you are moving to a different house, it is advisable you resort to the services of a top air quality testing company in order to have the air tested inside your both new and old place. You may find a range of quality air testing kits for sale on the market, but none of them compares to the equipment these companies come with. They will provide you with precise results in the shortest time possible and they will also give you the right solution in case air quality is not within normal parameters.
How can good air quality benefit your life?
Now that you know about the pollutants that affect indoor air quality and how you can improve it, you may want to know why it is so important after all. First of all, know that good indoor air quality gives you better breathing. Your lungs will be filled with fresher air, which will give you more energy and prevent against any respiratory problems.
Good air quality results in good sleep too. Even though breathing rates change when you fall asleep, this doesn’t mean that sleeping in a room that has poor air quality won’t affect your health later on. Many respiratory issues occur during sleep, so by maintaining air quality within normal levels, you protect yourself against sleep-related breathing conditions.
Finally yet importantly, good indoor air quality can also have a huge influence on reducing energy costs. Since units and devices that heat or cool the air inside don’t have to work very hard anymore, less energy is used, which automatically results into lower energy bills.