"The Indoor Air In Your Home Is More Polluted Than
The Air Outside"
Purify the Air in Your Home and Breathe Easier
We've all heard that the air in our homes
may be (and probably is) more polluted than outdoor air. According to
the
EPA:
"In the last several years, a growing
body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and
other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in
even the largest and most industrialized cities. Other research
indicates that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time
indoors. Thus, for many people, the risks to health may be greater due
to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors."
So what's polluting our indoor air? Radon
from the earth; smoke from tobacco; gases from gas stoves and
fireplaces; as well as dust mites, mold, and fungi from bathrooms,
carpets, bedding, plants, etc. Not to mention the volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) outgasing from our furniture, cabinets, mattresses and
other building materials as well as coming from our fragrance air
fresheners and candles, our dry-cleaned laundry, and our aerosol sprays.
And let's not forget the pesticides and herbicides that we use as well
as those that float in from neighboring yards and crops. And last, but
not least, asbestos and lead that come from the actual building
materials and paint of our homes, if built before the early 1970s. Makes
you want to go outside just thinking about all the stuff floating around
in our homes!
Primary Indoor Air Pollutants
|
Pollutant |
Details |
|
Radon |
Invisible, odorless gas that comes
from the earth and rock beneath home, well water, building
materials. The second-leading cause of lung cancer. |
|
Smoke and Gases |
Smoke from tobacco products as well as
gases and soot from inadequately vented gas stoves, fireplaces, and
kerosene heaters can accumulate to irritating and toxic levels. Can
cause lung cancer, heart disease, asthma, and respiratory
infections. |
|
Biologicals |
Animal dander, dust mites and roaches
are allergens and asthma triggers. Mites thrive in bedding, carpets,
curtains and stuffed animals, which also collect dander. Mold and
other fungi typically invade the bathroom, basement and potted
plants. |
|
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) |
Suspected carcinogens formaldehyde and
benzene can come from evaporated gaseous fumes from many home
decorating and furnishing products, treated fabrics, plastics,
pesticides, cleaners, glues, aerosol sprays, scents, and dry-cleaned
clothes. |
|
Pesticides |
Not only found in the bug sprays you
use in and around your house, but also from contaminated soil or
dust that floats or is tracked in from outside, stored pesticide
containers, and household surfaces that collect and then release the
pesticides. |
|
Asbestos |
Commonly found in older homes, in pipe
and furnace insulation materials, asbestos shingles, millboard,
textured paints and other coating materials, and floor tiles. |
|
Lead |
Old lead-based paint is the most
significant source of lead exposure in the U.S. today, but lead
pipes/plumbing can also expose you to lead.
|
So what can you do to improve the air
that you and your family breathe?
Minimize the Air Pollution in Your Home
- Remove the source of pollutants.
- Don't use chemical pesticides—they are poisons. There are safer
alternatives to keep pests under control.
- Stop using aerosol sprays, such as deodorants, hair sprays, carpet
cleaners, furniture polish and air fresheners...all of which spew
invisible droplets of chemicals into the air.
- Use non-toxic household cleaners or home-made cleaners.
- Avoid the use of kerosene and gas space heaters, wood-burning
stoves, and fireplaces. The burning of fuels and wood emit gases and
particles that can damage the lungs and trigger asthma attacks.
Clean the flue and chimney annually. Burn only hardwoods.
NOTE:
Install carbon monoxide alarms outside of bedrooms to alert you when
carbon monoxide from the furnace, gas stove, or garage reaches
dangerous levels.
- Make your home a tobacco-free zone. There are more than 4,000
compounds in cigarette smoke. Medical research shows that
second-hand smoke increases a child's risk of developing ear and
respiratory infections, asthma, cancer and Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome.
- Leave pollutants at the door. Wipe your feet on a doormat or
remove your shoes before coming inside. This will reduce the amount
of pesticides and other pollutants that you track inside onto
carpets and floors.
- Vacuum as much as possible...preferrably with a
CRI-certified machine.
- Improve the ventilation and humidity of your home.
- Open your windows to air out the house at least once a week.
Reduce dust and other particles on your floor by mopping twice a week
or vacuuming a cleaner that has a HEPA filter.
- Open a window or use an exhaust fan when cooking with a gas stove.
- Keep humidity in your home low because mold and dust mites can't
grow if humidity falls below 50 percent. You can measure your
humidity on a hygrometer, available at hardware stores. Repair leaky
plumbing, and ventilate during/after showering. Dehumidifiers and
air conditioners help in areas that are consistently damp.
- Clean the air in your home.
- Use 3M Filtrete 1250 or 1700 air filters (and change them every
three months) if you have a central air system. Unless someone in
your family has severe allergies, these filters should be enough to
filter out the majority of allergens in your home. However, these
filters will not capture VOCs in the air.
- For severe allergies, and to filter out VOCs, you will need
something like the
Lennox PureAir system installed on your central air system. This
unit filters out just about everything, even VOCs, but will cost
around $2500-$3000 to have installed.
- Other top-rated options for filtering your air include:
—IQAir
HealthPro Plus HEPA Air Purifier - Air Cleaner with
Gas and Odor Filter - HyperHepa Technology
—IQAir
HealthPro Compact Air Cleaner
—AirFree
Platinum 1000 Air Sterilizer and Purifier
—Blueair
HEPASilent Air Purification Unit
- Use plants to help filter
your air:
—Spider
plants (Chlorophytum elatum) removes carbon monoxide
and formaldehyde.
—Golden
pothos (Epipremnum aureum) removes carbon monoxide
and formaldehyde.
—Chinese
evergreen removes benzene.
—English ivy
(Hedera helix) removes benzene.
—Peace lily
(Spathiphyllum) removes benzene and trichloroethylene.
—Marginata
(Dracaena marginata) removes benzene.
—Mass
cane/corn cane (Dracaena massangeana) removes
formaldehyde.
—Potted mum
(Chrysanthemum morifolium) removes
trichloroethylene.
—Warneckii
(Dracaena dermeusis) removes trichloroethylene.
What to do if you still want to "freshen"
the air in your home? Here are
Five Phthalate-Free Air Fresheners
- Kill odor with naturally deodorizing and disinfecting white vinegar
(but don't use on marble floors or countertops). A solution of 1 part
vinegar to 4 parts water works, and so does a recipe of 1 teaspoon
baking soda, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 2 cups hot water in a spray
bottle.
- Use baking soda or zeolite to absorb odors. You can fill small bowls
with baking soda and place them in areas where smells
accumulate—closets, bathrooms, etc.
- Use herbs to freshen your home. Lavender sachets not only release a
fresh fragrance in closets and dresser drawers, but they also ward off
moths. In the kitchen, boil a mixture of your favorite herbs or spices
for a wonderful aroma.
- Freshen rooms with cut flowers and potted plants. A Boston fern is
effective at removing formaldehyde and the peace lily effective on
acetone.
- Use essential oils as fragrance. Put a drop or two of essential oil
or extract on a cotton ball and place them throughout your home instead
of using scented candles or air fresheners. You can also add a few drops
of essential oil to homemade cleaners.
Next ArticleÜ
More Interesting Stuff
|
Spider Plant |
Golden Pothos |
Chinese Evergreen |
English Ivy |
Peace Lily |
Marginata
|
Mass Cane/Corn Plant |
Potted Mum |
Warneckii |
|
|
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