Are You Breathing Toxic Air In Your Home?
Indoor Air Quality or IAQ relates to the quality of air in buildings or structures and is essential to the comfort and health of all the occupants in the building. To prevent indoor health concerns, you must understand and control all primary air pollutants in these spaces. Various pollutants can have a severe impact on a person’s health either soon after exposure or even several years down the line.
The Major Causes of Indoor Air Pollution
The primary cause of poor indoor air quality is when pollution sources slowly release particles and gases into the air. Insufficient ventilation results in increased pollutant levels. Outdoor air helps to dilute the emissions of the air inside as it carries all the particles and pollutants out of that specific space. Also, increased humidity levels and high temperatures have a significant impact on the concentrations of specific contaminants.
Sources of Pollutants
It is important to determine if your are breathing poor air quality.
Several sources can be the cause of indoor air pollution, such as:
- Tobacco products
- Deteriorated asbestos-containing insulation
- Cabinetry or furniture made from specific wood products
- Central heating and cooling systems
- Humidification devices
- Outdoor sources like pesticides and radon
- Fuel-burning combustion appliances
- Building materials and furnishings
- Products for household cleaning and maintenance
- Personal care products
- Excessive moisture
- Outdoor air pollution
How To Determine Whether Your Air Is Polluted
There are several different ways to determine whether you have toxic indoor air. Here are a few aspects to keep in mind- indoor air pollution symptoms can be caused due to various elements. Sometimes, these symptoms can also be mistaken as symptoms of entirely different illnesses like allergies, influenza, or a simple cold or even stress. Here are the most common symptoms that people living or working in polluted indoor spaces may suffer from:
- Sneezing
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Coughing
- Watery eyes
- Dizziness
- Hearing loss
- Nausea, anorexia, vomiting
- Headache, dizziness
- Fever, chills
- Eye irritation
- Myalgia (muscle pain)
- Lethargy, malaise, and fatigue
- Rashes
If these symptoms recede as soon as you leave the building or apartment, it is most likely caused by indoor air pollutants.
A healthy environment can easily boost your productivity.
There are certain effects on our respiratory health as well, such as:
- Dyspnea (difficulty breathing or painful breathing)
- Wheezing, worsening asthma
- Rhinitis, nasal congestion ( inflammation of the nose, runny nose)
- Pharyngitis (sore throat)
- Epistaxis (nose bleeds)
- Severe lung disease
- Upper respiratory congestion
- Tachycardia (rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath)
Why Is Maintaining Good Indoor Air Quality Important?
As you know, now, toxic indoor airhas a significant impact on the comfort levels of your house as well as your health. Although these symptoms may not seem like much at the time, if not dealt with, they will soon escalate and result in severe health complications. Here are two things you can do to minimize these effects:
- Use an air purifier with a HEPA filter
- Change out your air filters regularly
Pay attention to the symptoms mentioned above, and identify the source of your problem. Doing so will help you address these issues, and in turn, improve the air quality of your house.
For any more information on indoor air pollutionand how to deal with it, feel free to contact QUINNAIR Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. at +1-303-980-3788. You can also send us your queries through this Online Form.
