What Promotes Good Indoor Air Quality And What To Do To Maintain It?
Excellent indoor air quality promotes healthy living as it keeps you away from diseases that could be caused by poor indoor air quality. Lung diseases such as asthma, COPD, and lung cancer may sound terrifying, but these can occur if there is not enough ventilation in your home or offices and a lot of pollutants in the air. Good indoor air quality keeps you healthy and is a reward for a hard day at work since your home is your place for relaxation.
In this blog, we will know more about maintaining good indoor air quality not only for your homes but also for your offices since these two are the most common places we stay throughout the day and how it can improve the quality of your life as a whole.
What Promotes Good Indoor Air Quality?
Many things promote good indoor air quality, and it is essential to do what you can to maintain it. Some of the most important things include:
-Ventilation: This is one of the most important aspects of maintaining indoor air quality. Ensure your home or office is well-ventilated to allow fresh air to circulate. When building a home or renting a place, always ensure enough windows for the air to circulate.
- Humidity: Keeping the humidity levels in your home or office at a comfortable level will help prevent mold and mildew, which can cause respiratory problems.
- Filters: Using filters in your heating and cooling system will help to remove airborne contaminants from the air.
- Cleaning: Keeping your home or office clean will help reduce dust and other allergens in the air. Regular dusting and vacuuming will make a big difference.
- Pets: If you have pets, keep them clean and groomed to minimize the amount of dander and hair they shed into the air.
Is indoor air quality measurable?
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality Index
( AQI ) values at and below 100 are considered to be satisfactory. When AQI values are above 100, air quality is considered unhealthy, at first for members of populations at most significant risk of a health effect. AQI values get higher (greater than 150) for the entire population.
Is indoor air quality worse than outdoor?
No, not necessarily. It depends on the environment inside and outside your home and various other factors. However, indoor air quality can be worse than outdoor air quality.
Many things can contribute to poor indoor air quality, such as mold, dust mites, chemicals from cleaning products, smoke from cigarettes or candles, and even radon gas.
There are a few things you can do to help improve the air quality in your home, such as:
- Ventilate your home regularly, especially if you live in an area with high levels of pollution
- Use natural cleaning products where possible
- Avoid smoking indoors
- Invest in an air purifier
- Regular cleaning and vacuuming keep your home free from mold and dust mites.
- Test your home for radon gas and take steps to reduce the level if it is high
Only use high-quality Air Conditioning units and keep them maintained by professionals only.
What are the symptoms of unhealthy Air Quality?
The most common symptoms of poor indoor air quality are:
- Dryness and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and skin
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
What causes poor indoor air quality?
There are many potential sources of indoor air pollution, including:
- Cigarette smoke
- Stovetop cooking
- Fireplaces
- Cleaning products
- Pesticides
- Building materials and furnishings
- Radon gas
How do I clean my indoor air?
Reduce dust by frequently dusting with a damp (not dry) cloth or mop. Once a week, vacuum upholstered furniture, drapes, and carpets thoroughly using a vacuum with a HEPA filter. For example, it’s best to get rid of wall-to-wall carpeting and large area rugs in the bedroom. Dust mites are a ubiquitous allergy trigger because they live in the air.
In the kitchen, wash dishes as soon as possible after meals, and sweep or vacuum floors regularly. Keep food in sealed containers to avoid attracting pests.
Bathrooms are another common source of indoor pollution. To reduce mold and mildew, ventilate showers and baths after use and keep the bathroom clean and dry.
You can also improve indoor air quality by bringing plants into your home. Some plants are known to remove harmful toxins from the air, such as formaldehyde and benzene.
Finally, it may be a good time to consider having your AC ducts cleaned. This can help drastically improve your indoor air quality by removing built-up dust, dirt and debris.
In general, good ventilation is essential for reducing indoor pollution. Ventilation helps remove contaminated air and bring in fresh air from outside. Some ways to ventilate your home include opening doors and windows, using exhaust fans, and running a whole-house fan. It is always inexpensive to clean your environment rather than suffer from diseases that can rip off your budget, especially for medical consultations and hospitalization. Always keep an excellent indoor air quality; it benefits your health and provides you comfort and peace.