Do people in your household keep having symptoms such as itchy throats, runny noses, shortness of breath, dry throats, or cough only when they’re in the house? These are all signs that your home most likely has poor indoor air. This is a serious matter that should be handled immediately. Find out more about how it can affect your household and ways of improving your home’s indoor air quality.

Do people in your household keep having symptoms such as itchy throats, runny noses, shortness of breath, dry throats, or coughing only when they’re in the house? These are all signs that your home most likely has poor indoor air. One way to address this issue is through air quality testing which can help identify specific pollutants in your home.

This is a serious matter that should be handled immediately. Find out more about how it can affect your household and ways of improving your home’s indoor air quality.

What Illnesses Can Result From Exposure to Air Pollution?

If you continue to breathe in indoor air pollution it could lead to lung cancer, pneumonia, or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). People your household will also have an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

What Can Negatively Affect Your Home’s Air Quality?

Dust mites, mould, animal dander, cleaning products, smoke, and some building materials are things we can find in our homes that pollute our air. All of these things can affect your air quality which will negatively affect your health. For example, there are chemicals in cleaning products called VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that evaporate into the air. According to the British Lung Foundation, breathing in too many VOCs can contribute to people being diagnosed with asthma or allergies. Some popular VOCs are formaldehyde and acetone that can be found in products such as detergent, carpet cleaners, air fresheners, and more.

Smoke from burning coal and wood, as well as tobacco smoke, all contribute to the air quality in your home. Tobacco smoke is especially bad for young children as their lungs are negatively affected. This increases their chances of developing a lung condition when they become adults. Items used in buildings also contain VOCs such as roofing materials, cement, heating equipment, and plastics. The most popular building material that is known to be harmful is asbestos which can lead to lung disorders years later.

Easy Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality in Your Home

There are plenty of things that you can do in your home to improve its air quality. A major way is to make sure to avoid any smoke inside your home.  As stated in Scientific American, making your home smoke-free is key to reducing your exposure to PM2.5. PM2.5 are the tiny particles that enter deep into your lungs as well as blood and lead to major diseases. You should clean and change the filter in your HVAC system every three months. To get rid of dust mites, you should vacuum your carpets, area rugs, and curtains weekly.

If you have a pet, clean up thoroughly after them wherever they sleep and eat. Taking these steps can reduce animal dander, which is a common irritant that triggers allergies. Using green cleaning products can also reduce asthma attacks caused by dust and allergens, according to New York’s Green Cleaning Program.

It is essential that you identify the things in your home that could be affecting your air quality. Once you determine what it could be, take the necessary steps to eliminate it. The air quality in your home will be improved and your risks for various medical ailments will be reduced.

This is a collaborative post.