Solutions to Indoor Air Pollution

Believe it or not, the air inside modern houses can be upwards of five times more polluted than outside air. When you also take into account that we can spend up to ninety percent of our lives inside, the term sick building syndrome should need little explanation.

Unlike outdoor air, indoor air is recycled again and again with pollutants like tobacco smoke, pollen, mold, dust and pet dander all contributing towards allergy induced asthma and allergies.

There are a number of symptoms connected with so called sick building syndrome including stuffy nose, watery or itchy eyes, head aches, lethargy, lack of concentration and nausea.  However, because some of these symptoms are similar to those of a common cold, it is not always easy to to decide if indoor pollution is the reason or if it is down to some form of viral infection.

If you discover that the symptoms lessen or even disappear when you are out of doors, it is a strong possibility that poor air quality inside your home is the problem. If that is the case, there are several things that you can do to all but eliminate the possible causes and breathe a little easier.

Make a big difference to indoor air quality in your home with the following 7 tips.

No Smoking Indoors

Ideally, you should ban smoking anywhere inside the house but if this is not possible, endeavour to confine 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 as close as possible to the fan so that the fumes get drawn out.

Open Your Windows From Time To Time

Weather permitting, you should open windows and doors in order to reduce the concentrations of indoor pollutants while letting outdoor air to come in. 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.

Throw Those Chemical Cleaners

Pick Out any one of those so called wonder kitchen cleaners from your cupboard and someplace on the label will be a warning as to how dangerous they are to your health. Moreover, look at what they are made of and see if you can recognize the names of any of the substances in that bottle. In fact, I doubt you will even be able to pronounce the name, let alone recognize what it is. Each time you use that product, fumes from whatever is in the bottle get released into the air for you to breathe in. I have quite often started coughing after spraying counter tops with so called anti-bacterial cleaner. Not any longer though, as my natural cleaning products of choice are baking soda, washing soda, vinegar and pure lemon juice. These are all non toxic, environmentally friendly and can undertake the majority of cleaning tasks, either separately or mixed with one another.

Keep you House Clean and Dust Free

Hoovering your carpets and floors on a regular basis will help to keep dust and airborne allergens at bay. It is claimed (although I have no proof) that some 70% of all house dust comprises of dead skin, which we humans shed day in and day out. Dust mites in turn feed on this dead skin that falls from our bodies. They then grow and shed their own skin and it is this and their feces that causes allergic reactions in folks.

Pet Dander Allergies

For those families with a cat, dog or other pet, allergies such as asthma can be sparked off by their dander, which they molt day in and day out. If you suspect that you or a family member may be allergic to your family pet, action is needed. The ideal solution is to keep pets out of the home altogether. If that is not a feasible option, you should restrict the number of rooms that the pets are permitted to go into and definitely keep them out of the bedroom.

Reduce Inside Air Humidity

Living in a rainy clime or an area of high humidity can both result in moisture levels in the house rising dramatically. This excessive moisture or humidity is the perfect breeding ground for mold. For anybody 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 capable of removing excess dampness from the surrounding air, thereby keeping mold and the resulting spores at bay.

Get an Indoor Air Purifier

Home air purifiers or room air cleaners do as their name indicates and clean the air of pollutants and allergens like mold spores, pollen, cigarette smoke and pet dander.  They are particularly useful if you or a family member suffers from allergic reactions or asthma because 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 different types of air purifier, some of which can in reality make allergies worse rather than better.