Many people associate poor air quality with outside air. This is understandable, considering the number of factory fumes, vehicle exhaust fumes, second-hand smoking, etc. that one can encounter while outside on any given day, especially in a busy city.
While these may be unhealthy, a more serious concern is the air quality in our homes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has cited poor indoor air quality (IAQ) as a serious health concern and has further stated that prolonged exposure to it aggravates an individual’s allergies and asthma.
Causes of Poor Indoor Air Quality
There are many contributing factors to poor IAQ: The infiltration of outdoor air pollution into your home, using chemicals found from cleaning materials and perfumes, allergens such as dust mites and mold, and not having adequate ventilation. All these factors are unhealthy to anyone exposed to them and can even be more detrimental to someone who suffers from allergies.
Indoor Air Quality and Allergies
It is common for people with pollen allergies to resort to spending more time indoors during spring and summer in hopes of avoiding the excessive coughing, sneezing and throat itching that Mother Nature’s pollen comes with. This will mean spending more time exposed to the IAQ of your home and if it is poor, then your allergies will become worse and you won’t even know the cause of it. Having good IAQ can, therefore, be seen as key to improving one’s allergies.
What Can You Do About It?
There are many steps you can take in order to improve the quality of air in your home:
Regularly Changing Air Filters. Air filters play such a crucial part in regulating the air that flows in and out of our homes but when they are not changed regularly, the filters may be clogged by a buildup of pollen and dust particles. Air filters should be changed once a month or every two months, especially when you have indoor pets or live in a high-pollen area. Doing this will help promote the natural flow of clean air in and out of your home.
Servicing your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system. Installation of an HVAC system is a good measurement to take as they help improve your IAQ. After it has been fitted, remember to service the system at least once a year by a certified technician who will be able to repair any damages that may be found.
Choosing your cleaning products wisely. It is common for cleaning products to contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). When used, these VOCs go up into the air and cause gases, further affecting your IAQ. Carefully check labels and opt for products with low VOC or no VOC at all when buying.
Maintaining clean and good quality indoor air is essential to not only your health, but to those pesky allergies. Be sure to take extra care of your indoor air and you’ll see the improvement it will have on your quality of life.