How Clean is Your Air?
How Clean is Your Air?
We spend most of our quality time at home, so it’s important to manage
the quality of the air we breath. There are a wide range of options
designed to create and protect a healthy air environment. To determine
which is best suited to your needs, you must understand your tolerance
for the various types of allergens or irritants in the air. Although
it’s difficult to determine how serious one should be in guarding
against them, it’s helpful to at least understand the common sources of
airborne pollutants and the various treatment options.
Air Problems can com from almost anywhere
Poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is the result of pollutants being
introduced into, or released form, the interior home environment. For
those wit medical conditions, such as skin or eye irritations, or
breathing difficulties, maintaining good IAQ can be important. Here is a list of common sources of potential irritants often brought into the home by its occupants:
-Paints, solvent, caulking, stain protector, fire retardant, etc.
-Cleaning agents, detergents, fabric softeners, furniture polish, sprays, etc.
-Nail polish, perfumes, make-up etc.
-Furnishings, carpeting, drapery, blankets, fabrics, clothing, cushions, bedding, etc.
-Plants (indoor and outdoor), plant mold, fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, etc.
-Fireplaces, cooking units, candles, car exhaust, industrial smog, etc.
Biological and Chemical Irritations
Air contaminants can be divided into two categories: biological
(associated with natural, living organisms) and chemical (associated
with synthetic materials and natural gases). Generally speaking, you
can get rid of biological contaminants by destroying or altering their
habitats (e.g. reducing humidity to inhibit mold spores, cleaning
fabrics and floor to combat dust mites). Chemical contaminants may be
more difficult to detect and eradicate, particularly if they are
emitting form the home’s structural materials (e.g. old insulation,
pressboard walls, pipes, etc.) Sometimes renovations are required to
eliminate such contaminants.
What to do to get Cleaner Air
Many homeowners don’t know how to improve their indoor air quality.
While they may have no control over pollutants that come from outside,
(especially if they live downwind from and industrial area), they can
remove or at least minimize the pollution once it has found its way
into their home. The three possible methods for dealing with poor IAQ are: Disposal, ventilation, and effective filtering or air cleaning.
At the very least, you should protect your IAQ
by keeping your home well ventilated and by maintaining your home’s
comfort system in order to ensure that it operates effectively and
efficiently.
Consider changing or upgrading air filters, pads and screens from air
conditioning units, heaters or furnaces, vacuum cleaners, humidifiers,
etc. When replacing filters, look for a high efficiency particulate air
(HEPA) filter rating. Bear in mind that most air conditioning or
furnace filters will remove particles, but will not “clean” the air. To
do so requires activated charcoal or alumina filters, often operated
under a separate air quality system.
If you have air ducts, you may choose to have them cleaned, although
that may not be an affective measure of improving air quality. (If you
decide to proceed, be sure to choose a reputable firm that does not use
chemicals.)
Other measures that help improve IAQ include getting rid of carpeting, and replacing bedding and upholstery coverings and hypoallergenic fabrics.
Breathing Easier
If you have implemented the basic suggestions on how to improve IAQ, but still have concerns about IAQ, it may be advisable to have your air tested to identify troublesome pollutants. An IAQ professional can detect many threatening airborne pollutants. But, before you hire an IAQ
investigator, ask for references, get advice from various health groups
or municipal departments about local contaminants, and sign a contract
that specifies your concerns and how they will be addressed.