Believe it or not, the air within modern houses can be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air. When you also take into account that we can spend up to ninety percent of our lives indoors, the term sick building syndrome should need little explanation.
Inside pollutants such as dust, pet dander, tobacco smoke, mold spores and pollen tend to be continually recycled which ultimately means that folks who suffer from allergy induced asthma are making their complaint worse by being inside.
There are a number of symptoms associated with so called sick building syndrome including stuffy nose, watery or itchy eyes, head aches, sluggishness, difficulty in concentrating and sickness. Certain immediate effects are akin to those from colds or other viral diseases, so it is frequently hard to decide if the symptoms are a result of exposure to inside air pollution.
If you discover that the symptoms fade when you are away from home, try to discover inside air sources that may be possible causes and try to eliminate them. Fortunately, inside air pollution is one health hazard that you can do something about.
Here are seven tips for improving interior air quality in your house.
Do Not Smoke Indoors
Ideally, you should ban smoking anywhere within the home but if this is not possible, try to restrict it to one place. In our case, if friends or family, who are also smokers, visit, they are either banished to the back yard or the kitchen area. If you have an extractor fan installed in the kitchen, make a point that it is turned on and endeavour to have smokers stand reasonably close to the fan so that the fumes get sucked out.
Let the Bad Air Out
Assuming that it is not freezing cold or blowing a gale outside, let some outdoor air in by opening up your windows and doors every so often. Doing so will also do away with some of the pollutants that have built up inside your home. Make good use of kitchen and bathroom extractor fans. Clean and check the fan and any vents regularly and clean or replace any filters that may be fitted.
Get Rid of Those Chemical Cleaners
If you have ever taken the time to understand the labels on household cleaning products, the majority of them will include a warning about how harmful the chemicals are for your health or skin. Each time you use that product, fumes from whatever is in the bottle get released into the air for you to inhale. I have quite often started coughing after spraying counter tops with so called anti-bacterial cleaner. Personally, I have taken the eco-friendly route to home cleaning. Bicarbonate Of Soda, washing soda crystals, white vinegar and pure lemon juice will work wonders for most cleaning jobs. Not only do they cost less but they also do not release any toxic fumes into your home.
Clean and Dust Your Home On A Regular Basis
Although it might seem obvious to some folks, regularly hoovering your carpets and floors can go a long way in controlling airborne allergens and dust. It is said (although I have no proof) that some seventy percent of all house dust comprises of dead skin, which we humans molt all the time. Dust mites successively feed on this dead skin that falls from our bodies. They then grow and shed their own skin and it is this together with their feces that causes allergic reactions in people.
Pet Dander Triggers Allergies
If you have a family pet, they will molt dander that can spark allergic reactions and asthma. If you suspect that you or a family member may be allergic to your family pet, action needs to be taken. The ideal solution is to keep pets out of the house completely. If that is not a feasible choice, you should restrict the number of rooms that the pets are permitted to enter and definitely keep them out of the bedroom.
Reduce Indoor Air Humidity
Living in a wet clime or an area of high humidity can both result in moisture levels in the house increasing dramatically. This excessive moisture or humidity is the perfect breeding conditions for mold. For anyone with allergies, mold spores can cause as many health problems as airborne dust. Dehumidifiers can be a godsend in a humid environment since they are able to remove excess moisture from the surrounding air, thereby keeping mold and the resulting spores at bay.
Invest in a Home Air Purifier
Home air purifiers are units that clean indoor air of allergens, such as mold spores, pollen and pet dander. They are particularly useful if you or a family member suffers from allergic reactions or asthma since they can reduce airborne contaminants by a considerable amount. Air purifiers and room air cleaners are rapidly increasing in popularity because they make indoor air healthier and cleaner. However, there are several types of air purifier, some of which can actually make allergies worse rather than better.