Many of us consider our Covington homes to be our castle, our refuge, our kingdom… Well, you get the idea. We feel safe at home. But, can the air in our house hurt us?
Recently, we have heard a lot about Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and its effect on our health. IAQ is just another name for Covington indoor air pollution. Normally, when we think about air pollution, we think of factories belching out smoke and cars spewing exhaust into the atmosphere. We are concerned about carbon dioxide emissions and other “greenhouse gasses.”
Wait you say, we don’t have to worry about those things indoors. Our houses are very energy efficient. They are sealed tight so the bad pollution can’t get inside.
Well, that’s right, our houses are sealed tight, and that’s part of the problem. The air inside our homes is filled with things. I’m going to divide them into four groups: particles, chemicals, smoke, and biological.
Particles
If you have allergies, these will concern you the most. Particles are the most common sources of allergens: dust, pollen, and dander. These allergens are so small they are practically invisible. Sometimes you can see the larger dust particles sparkling in direct sunlight.
For many people this kind of pollution is nothing more than an inconvenience. Other people, however, face serious health risks. Allergy and asthma sufferers will see their symptoms worsen as particles build up in the air.
Particles continue to build up in our indoor air unless we get rid of them. Every time someone walks around or sits down, allergens are sent back into the air. The best way to get remove these particles is to clean regularly. Vacuum, dust and wash the linens each week. Use an air purifier. One with a HEPA filter to help keep the air clean.
Chemicals
Chemicals and gasses are present all over your house. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are some of the chemicals in your house. These are given off by many common household products. Things like paint, glue, cleaning sprays, aerosols, and air fresheners are all sources of VOCs. New furniture and carpet also give off VOCs. If you can smell it, it means there are likely to be chemicals in the air.
Unlike particles, chemicals are harmful to everyone. The best way to get rid of these is to find the source of the VOCs and get rid of it. Try not to use these types of things. I know that there are some things that we just cannot get rid of or avoid. In this case, an air purifier designed to remove chemicals will really help. In order to remove chemicals the air cleaner needs to have an activated carbon filter.
Smoke
Smoke contains both particles and chemicals, so I gave it a group by itself. We need to be concerned with smoke from different sources. There are three common sources of smoke in our houses.
- Wildfires or other outdoor fires: There is not much we can do to prevent these fires. Try to keep the smoke out of your house by closing doors and windows.
- Fireplaces, furnaces, or stoves: Be sure that your equipment is working properly to prevent smoke from these sources.
- Tobacco: Cigarettes, cigars, and pipes are a big source of indoor smoke. It is easy to prevent this one. Don’t let anyone smoke inside your house!
Smoke contains many different chemicals. Cigarette smoke has over 4000 chemicals is it. NONE of them are good for you. The dangers of second hand smoke are numerous and well known.
You should make every effort to avoid inhaling smoke no matter what source it’s from. Use an air purifier with a HEPA and activated carbon filter to remove smoke.
Biologicals
The final group is biological organisms. These are things like mold and fungi spores, germs, and bacteria. These organisms are all over your house. Mold and fungi can cause allergies and other respiratory problems. Germs and bacteria can spread diseases and make it easier for you to get sick.
To remove these organisms, use an air purifier with a UV light. The UV light will destroy the organism’s DNA, killing it.
Summary
The quality of Covington indoor air is getting worse as our houses are built better. These pollutants can cause multiple health problems. They need to be removed or at least controlled. Keeping your house clean will go a long way to control particles. Find the source of any chemicals and remove it. An air purifier is not a miracle worker, but it will help a lot. Use a good quality air purifier with a HEPA and activated carbon filter to control most indoor air pollution.
