SYNOPSIS:
As harmful pollutants continually increase in the
outside world, everyone should make an effort to ensure
that their indoor sanctuaries are as lung-friendly
as possible. Taking these four steps to cleaner air
will allow you to breathe easier and may even make
you healthier.
It is easy to think that the air outside is the air you have to worry about. Many cities have "brown clouds," some worse than others. When you drive, you almost always see a car or two spewing black exhaust. However, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the air inside our homes can be twice as polluted as the air outside. In some cases, it can be as much as 100 times as polluted.
According to the EPA's website (epa.gov),
Indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air are the primary cause of indoor air quality problems in homes. Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the home. High temperature and humidity levels can also increase concentrations of some pollutants.
A recent article appearing in USA
Weekend outlined four steps to take for better
air quality in your home:
Step 1: Clean your home as much
and as thoroughly as possible. With today's
frenetic pace of living, it is difficult to stay ahead
of dust and dust mites, but doing so can dramatically
improve your home's air quality. Also, make sure you
use a vacuum that is fitted with a HEPA (high-efficiency
particulate air) filter. The HEPA filter will make
sure you are not just returning the dust to the air
as you clean.
Step 2: Have the air ducts cleaned
and sealed internally if you have a forced-air heating
system. You probably do not want to know
about the amount of dust and debris in your air ducts.
When hiring a cleaning contractor, make sure he or
she is a member of the National Air Duct Cleaners
Association (nadca.com). To have your air ducts sealed,
visit aeroseal.com; sealing is a new technology, for
which Aeroseal has the patent.
Step 3: Improve the quality
of filters on your furnace. Most of us use
spun-glass filters that are cheap and protect the
blower motor, but do almost nothing to improve the
quality of your home's air. Try upgrading to a pleated
electrostatic or media filter, which will capture
smaller particles. These should be changed every two
or three months.
Step 4: Consider purchasing
an indoor air purifier such as a portable HEPA machine
or an ionic air cleaner. These units vary
in cost, size and performance and no single machine
is a cure-all for everyone. Since most manufacturers
offer a trial period with a money-back guarantee,
it's a good idea to try one out. If a small unit does
not relieve your family's suffering, the solution
may be a large filtration unit that treats the air
in the entire home. One such product is the "Guardian
Plus" by Broan-Nutone, which costs between $1400 and
$1800 and has to be professionally installed. It is
rated by the Food and Drug Administration as a medical
device, however, so your health insurance may cover
part or all of the cost.
Following these simple steps to better indoor air quality will ease your mind and improve your family's health.
