How to Reduce and Eliminate Indoor Air Pollution

Darcy Logan

How clean is the air you breathe? If your first thought was about the city you live in, think again. Your first concern should be your home. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that most people spend about 90 percent of their time indoors. Even worse, some of the primary sources for indoor pollution do not come from outside your home—they exist within your own walls. Your indoor air quality could be two to five times worse than it is outdoors. Here is just a small sample of things that could be decreasing the quality of air indoors:



• Inadequate ventilation
• Combustion sources such as oil, gas, kerosene, wood and tobacco products
• Deteriorated insulation or other building materials
• Wet or damp carpet,
• Furniture or cabinets made from pressed wood
• Cleaning products
• Improperly used and maintained humidifiers
• Improperly adjusted gas appliances
• Personal care products
• Products used for hobbies or maintenance



Any combination of these substances can dramatically reduce the quality of air inside your home or work and make you sick. Headaches, dizziness, fatigue, along with eye, nose, and throat irritation have all been connected to exposure to indoor air pollution. Other symptoms include those similar to colds and asthma. Continued exposure can cause some respiratory diseases, heart disease, and even cancer.



The EPA suggests three basic strategies to improve air quality in your home: eliminate and reduce sources of pollution, improve ventilation, and using an air cleaner.




Eliminating and Reducing Indoor Air Pollution




The first step is to eliminate sources of pollution. Have a professional inspect, clean, and tune-up your heating system annually. Make sure the ductwork is clean and repair any leaks. Don't forget to change the filters on your central heating and cooling systems and air cleaners regularly according to the manufacturer's directions.




Make sure you have any water-damaged carpets professionally cleaned or replaced. Also, check that your gas appliance is properly adjusted. A properly adjusted gas appliance will emit less carbon dioxide than an improperly adjusted one will.



Improving Ventilation




Improving the ventilation in your home is also important. Weatherized homes might reduce the utility bills, but they also increase the indoor air pollution. Installing and using vent fans in the bathroom and laundry room can help. You should also consider installing an exhaust fan over your gas stove that is vented to the outside. Also, replace any unvented space heaters with vented ones whenever possible. If that's not possible, be sure to keep doors to rest of house open when using unvented space heaters.



Whenever using chemicals, make sure you provide plenty of fresh air. It is better to use stronger chemicals such as paint and paint strippers outside. Never mix household care products unless directed on the label.



Opening windows and doors, using window or attic fans whenever possible, along with running a window air conditioner with the vent control open will increase the outdoor ventilation rate and improve the quality of air indoors.


Using an Air Cleaner




Air cleaners are generally not designed to remove gaseous pollutants but are highly effective at partial removal. They range in size and prices. The efficiency of an air cleaner is measured by how well it is capable of collecting pollutants from the air. The air circulation rate is determined by how much air it draws through the cleaning filters (expressed in cubic feet per minute). You should consider both of these factors before making a purchase. If either the efficiency or the air circulation rate is low, the cleaner will not be very effective.




There are three basic types of air cleaners: mechanical, electronic, and ion. Mechanical filters contain a fan that forces air through a filter. Electronic filters use an electrical field to trap charged partials. They are usually electrostatic precipitators or charged-media filters, which mean the particles are ionized before the collection process. Ion generators also use static charges to remove particles from the air. Air cleaners that combine any or all of the methods are referred to as "hybrid" devices.



Although there is no universally accepted method for comparing air-cleaning devices, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) is an organization that certifies the testing results of home appliances such as room air conditioners, dehumidifiers, and room air cleaners. A good way to find an effective air purifier is to look for the AHAM seal. Any product that has the seal will list three clean air delivery rate (CADR) numbers indicating the volume of tobacco smoke, pollen and dust is filtered by the air cleaner. The AHAM recommends that you purchase an air cleaner with a CDR that is at least two-thirds of your room's area. For example, if you had a 12"x12" room has an area of 144 square feet. Its CADR should be at least 96.



Air pollution is one time where what you don't know will harm you. Taking a few simple steps will improve your health, increase your peace of mind, and help you and your family all breathe a little easier.


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