5 Things You Should Know About Indoor Air Quality (iaq) and the Associated Health Risks

1)  Indoor Air Quality Makes the EPA’s Top Three Highest Environmental Risk List

Have you ever wondered about the microorganisms that could be contaminating your air? Unquestionably, people today are unaware of the health risks associated with breathing unclean air. Bearing in mind that there are immeasurable causes for the development of pollutants in the air that you breathe at home, it is safe to say that people should be more concerned about the health risks of inhaling unsafe air. But just how severe can the effects be of regarding the air that you breathe? The EPA Science Advisory Board rated indoor air pollutants (except radon) as the third highest in their list of environmental risks, well ahead, of the exposure to chemicals in the occupational environment, which ranked six.

2)  Uncirculated or Confined Air can be up to four times as harmful.

It is quite hard to decipher, as possible effects of poor quality air in the home range from minor allergic symptoms all the way to heart disease. Although the effects are not considered as critical as those associated with smoking, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure, the situation is definitely worth addressing. Keep in mind that if no action is taken, the quality of air that you breathe in your household will only worsen. This makes it extremely important to provide some type of purification in the winter, as the air breathed during this time can be up to four times more hazardous if confined and not circulated properly. The most feasible solution is to open a few windows regularly, as this allows the polluted air to escape and employ an air purifier. I suggest an air purifier utilizing HCPH (Heterogeneous Catalyzed Photolysis Hydration) technology. You must use discretion when to open your windows, as in the warmer weather as pollen can aggravate allergies.

3) Polluted Air Has Direct A Correlation With Various Diseases

Studies indicate that polluted air has a correlation with increased risk of various cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure. Studies also state that for people diagnosed with lung disease, diabetes, and, heart disease, the exposure to unclean air is a even greater cause for concern, as it only exacerbated each disease’s symptoms. The various chemicals found in unclean air, include but are not limited to carbon monoxide, nitrates, and sulfur dioxide. These chemicals are the main catalysts causing varying degrees of diseases. This is aside from the pollutants emitted from secondhand smoke, pets, molds, yeast, pollen and bacteria throughout the home.

4)  Carbon Monoxide, A Dangerous Pollutant From Various Sources

It should be noted that secondhand smoke itself is recognized as the number one cause of indoor air pollution. Again, this goes to show how important it is to provide ventilation or invest in an HCPH type air purifier. Carbon monoxide, as mentioned above, is also found in cigarette smoke, and has serious negative effects on the coronary system. Basically, as carbon monoxide is inhaled, it travels to the body’s bloodstream. As this occurs, oxygen levels in the blood are significantly reduced, leading to respiration diseases and infections. Even at low concentrations Carbon Monoxide will cause fatigue in healthy people. Taking into consideration that secondhand smoke creates a substantial risk to non-smokers, there is no doubt that its effects are not always recognized, let alone desired. Some other sources of Carbon Monoxide are gas stoves, gas ranges, unvented kerosene heaters or gas fireplaces, boilers, furnaces, automobile exhaust from attached garages as well as from gasoline machinery seeping in from outside.

5)  Test Your Indoor Air Quality and Take Action

Since the particles in air are invisible to the naked eye, many people fail to realize just how many millions of molecules make up the air that is breathed every day. Air testing is quickly becoming a practice among health concerned Americans that want to know the quality of their indoor air. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the number of airborne contaminants in the air inside homes far surpasses that of the air on a smoggy day. This is only one analogy that exemplifies how crucial it is to take action. Whether it is through proper air purification or simply providing a proper method of ventilation, there is no question that the pollutants found in unclean air are a major cause for concern.

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