In Edmonton, an average person spends majority of the time indoor. However, the air quality indoor is at least 5 to 6 times worse than outdoor. There are many things in your home that could reduce the air quality. For example, anything from the building material, furnishings to products can have an impact on the air quality. These elements that surround your home have pollutants that could affect your health.
Biological contaminants are living organisms such as Fungi, moulds, Dust mites, Bacteria and animal dander. Chemical contaminants are gasses and particales that come from your furniture and carpets, tobacco smoke, combustion by-products (furnaces, stoves, fireplaces), Chemical from cleaners, paints, solvents and glues, Perfumes and fragrances, Pesticides, plastics and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), lead and Asbestos. Lastly, physical contaminants are Electromagnetic radiation, Radon gas and Heavy metals. As you can see, most of them are common in any home.
To reduce energy, many homes built in the 1970 and 80s, as well as some conversion homes today, are well insulated and tightly built. Less fresh air can get in and out. The levels of contaminants inside a home can build up until they are many times greater than the levels in outdoor air. This is why modern homes usually have heat recovery ventilators installed, and apartment buildings have heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. This equipment conserves energy, but at the same time ensures an adequate supply of fresher, outside air.
Exposure to poor indoor air quality could cause possible health effects long term. Common symptoms are headaches, Dizziness, trouble concentrating, fatigue, eye dryness and/or irritation, stuffy nose and/or sneezing and sinus congestion, sore throat and/or husky voice, dry cough, wheezing and/or shortness of breath, nausea, and skin dryness and/or rashes.
There are several ways to improve the air quality at home.
-Buy an Air filter. The most common type is HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate air) filters, which remove even the tiniest of airborne pollutants from you air. Some purifier also has ionizer, charcoal or carbon filter to reduce the odor at home.
-Get a vacuum with a HEPA filter built in. It works like magic, the vacuum will clean the air and the floor at the same time.
-Start using natural and organic cleaning products! They do not release the same dangerous chemical into your home compare to regular cleaning products that compose with harsh chemical.
- When making a purchase decision for a furnace or air conditioner, always consider the impact it might have on indoor air quality.
