The Importance of Indoor Air Quality
Did you know that the quality of air in our homes and offices is much more important than ever suspected. Leading environmental health researchers have discovered that indoor air is often 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air, and can be up to 1,000 times more contaminated in extreme cases. Given that many of us spend up to 90% of our time indoors, the health risks associated with indoor air quality far surpass the risks related to outdoor air contamination.
Fortunately, prevention of indoor air quality problems and treatment to remove indoor air contaminants are easy and economical. Your home and office can have clean, safe air.
Improved building techniques and society's concern for energy efficiency have resulted in major improvements in draft-proofing and air-tight housing. Modern homes and office buildings retain and re-circulate indoor air for longer periods, along with any contaminants that may be present, including dust mites, mold spores, pollen, pet dander, fumes from cleaning chemicals, and smoke. The ratio of 'fresh' outdoor air entering our homes and offices has been greatly reduced, allowing contaminants to accumulate to unsafe levels.
Also building materials including pressed woods, synthetic carpets, plastic laminates, insulation, petroleum-based glues and adhesives, and a wide range of other products, are being implicated in the off-gassing of volatile organic compounds and other chemicals which in turn have been blamed for health conditions ranging from allergies and chronic respiratory irritation to cancer. 
Particulate in Our Indoor Air
Common harmful particulate contaminants found in our homes and offices include fine dust, dust mites, pet dander, mold spores, and pollen.
Some allergic reactions are severe - asthma is the best known and one of the most serious. Other allergic conditions are subtle chronic conditions. Runny nose, watery eyes, recurring headaches, lethargy, even snoring can all be symptoms of allergy. Many people endure these conditions, not knowing that they are allergy-related and that prevention is readily available.
Gases in Our Indoor Air
Gases are as much a risk to our health as airborne particles.
Among the greatest concerns to health are the volatile organic compounds, or VOC's. These gases, up to 500 of them, are dispersed from cleaning solutions, carpets, building materials, plastics, and many chemicals commonly used around the home.
Formaldehyde is the chief concern among the VOC's, as it is so widely used. Its effects show up normally in itching of the eyes, ears and throat, but it is implicated more seriously as a carcinogen.
Tobacco smoke, radon, and fumes from fuel combustion (from furnaces, gas stoves, and our cars) also invade our homes and are responsible for indoor air quality problems.
What can we do to improve our indoor air quality?
Every house or place of business abounds with potential air quality risks. It is important to deal with these risks in an intelligent manner.
The first step is to prevent contaminants, where at all possible, from entering the home. Indoor air quality will depend on humidity, the age of your home, the type of heating, the choice of furnishing and insulation materials, the presence of pets or smokers, and so forth. Reduce the creation of new contaminants in your home by choosing cleaners and new building materials carefully, avoiding smoking in the home, keeping windows closed during high pollen days, etc. is important to reduce your exposure to harmful indoor air contaminants.
Keep aware of the risk factors and avoid them where you can. Using fewer aerosol products, for example, is a positive contribution to the health of your home.
After controlling the sources, you can now take aggressive action to remove indoor air pollution from your home using an air cleaner specific to your situation. Real preventive health in your home means going after offensive allergens and chemicals and positively eliminating them.
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