According to the World Health Organization, approximately 4 million people succumb annually as a result of air pollution. Unfortunately, 500,00 more are killed every year due to outdoor air pollution. The alarming fact is that many people often spend most of their time indoors, which is concerning to say the least. But why is indoor air pollution harmful? And how do we protect ourselves and stay healthy?
Contrary to common misconception, most of these harmful contaminants usually originate indoors. In fact, indoor air might be more contaminated when compared to outdoor air. Remember that contaminants get easily trapped in the home, thereby making the hair stuffy, dump and uncomfortable to breath.
Common Air Contaminants
Combustion products: All homes use combustion products regularly but most people are unaware of their toxic effect. Some of the common household appliances such as your water heater and dryer can emit toxic combustive elements like CO2 – which can be fatal when inhaled over a prolonged period of time.
Dust: The accumulation of dirt, carpet fiber and dead skin cell can be toxic to your health. Dust can build up indoors when you don’t remember to service the HVAC filters regularly, causing poor ventilation. That said, dust might seem harmless but can easily cause allergies.
Moisture: Excessive moisture accumulation in your home can cause the onset of health hazards such as mildew, mold, and dust bites. These health hazards can cause difficulty breathing and allergies.
Radon: Beneath your home’s foundation, radioactive radon gas can be percolating through the soil and into your home, without your knowledge. Radon gas has been known to instigate lung cancers and can affect your family when you don’t take the right preventative measures.
Who is more at risk of poor indoor air caused by air contaminants
Everyone is at high risk of air contaminants, especially if your HVAC system is faulty or hasn’t been serviced for a long time. People who spend most of their time indoors are vulnerable to the bad effects of indoor air pollution.
For example, the elderly and young children who spend most of the time indoors are most likely to be affected by harmful air contaminants indoors. And exposure to indoor air contaminants can cause the onset of health problems such as allergies or breathing issues. Due to this, it’s essential to seek medical assistance if you notice symptoms like headaches, fatigue, coughing, sneezing, dizziness and sore throat.
Conclusion
For that reason, you should service your home’s HVAC system regularly to ensure it works optimally. Replace all the filters to eliminate air contaminants with ease. You can hire an HVAC technician to check whether your system is installed properly.
References: HVAC.com, City Heating and Air Conditioning, Lung.org