Breathing healthy air is the key to living a healthy life.
Most of us take air pollution like smog, ozone layer depletion, and the smoke that industrial chimneys pump out, but an astounding fact about it is that indoor pollution is around 2 to 5 folds higher than outdoor pollution. Indoor air pollution is highly hazardous to mental and physical health, but it goes unnoticed. For a healthy lifestyle, indoor air quality standards need to be enhanced.
Maintaining a healthy air flow inside your home is really important otherwise, it may end up causing many problems. It may cause chronic headaches, allergies, coughing, and asthma.
What Are The 5 Ways To Maintain Healthy Air Flow Indoors?
In the last few decades, it has become very significant to understand the effects of indoor air pollutants and allergens as we spend most of our time indoors. As modern houses are airtight, so these allergens can not get out quickly, and so, we must have a better alternative to this. That is why we have prepared a list of the five ways to enhance indoor air quality standards. So, let’s dive right in:
Keep indoors clean
Dehumidify your home
Proper ventilation system
Avoid smoking
Proper air filter
Keep Indoors Clean
The main way to keep irritants and pollutants out of your home is to keep your place clean. Cleaned houses reduce the risk of aggravating allergy effects and related problems. There are three ways to clean your home properly, includes;
- Vacuuming
- Mopping
And;
- Using doormat
Vacuuming
To keep the floors clean, it is recommended never to let dust accumulate and suck it up using a vacuum that comes with a HEPA filter. A vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter also helps in reducing the degree of toxins such as PBDEs (Brominated Fire-Retardant Chemicals). Additionally, cleaning with a vacuum will help you eliminate allergens and irritants like pet dander and hair, pollens, and dust mites. It is recommended to use a vacuum cleaner twice or thrice a week.
Mopping
Mopping is an essential part of cleaning as it removes all the remaining dirt and particles that your vacuum cleaner could not suck. If you are mopping your home regularly, then you do not have to use soap or cleanser; you are good with a piece of microfiber and plain water.
Use Door Mat
Having a doormat at every door is very important as it keeps the dirt coming from outside via your shoes away. It also reduces pesticides, dirt particles, and other pollutants and allergens. If your mat is more oversized, then it will consume all the dirt out of your shoes. The most recommended way is to keep shoes outside and use separate house slippers or shoes.
Dehumidifying
The production of mildews and mold represent the increased humidity level in a place. Make sure you are keeping a healthy level of humidity. The recommended humidity level is around 30 to 50 percent – it helps keep irritants and allergens in control. A dehumidifier and an air conditioner reduce the moisture in the air. Additionally, it helps in controlling the pollutants and allergens proficiently.
How Can You Dehumidify Your Home? Any Tips?
For your feasibility, we have put together some practical tips to dehumidify your home, and these are as follows:
- While cooking, dishwashing, or bathing, water fumes are produced – increase moisture in the air, so use an exhaust fan or open a window.
- Avoid overwatering your im-home plants.
- Always use a clothes dryer, keeping the vent outside in position.
- Repair any leaky area in your home to prevent mold.
- Keep the drip pans empty of your dehumidifier and air conditioner.
Proper Ventilation System
To keep the inner air clean, the simplest method is to ventilate your home correctly. The complete indoor area needs to get fresh air once a day at least. Whenever possible, open all the windows of your house and let the new air pass through it thoroughly.
Some people do not open windows to prevent the polluted or smoky air from coming in. It may save you from one problem but know that it is worsening the situation. For such air, trickling ventilation is the most appropriate alternative and helps the inner pollutant escape.
Avoid Smoking To Enhance Indoor Air Quality Standards
The most significant thing in making indoor air pollution is cigarettes smoke. Researches have shown that cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals that are contagious to health. These emitted toxins from smoke can cause many serious health problems like asthma, bronchitis, cancer, SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), heart problems. They can enhance the risk of incomplete development of the fetus. Passive smokers are more prone to such health problems. So, it is recommended to avoid smoking inside the home.
Avoid The Emission Of Gases
There are many invisible and non-smelling gases to which you may get exposed inside your home. Many people use indoor furnaces, heaters, propane stoves, and other such devices. These domestic equipment emit very harmful unseen gases such as nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and toxic fumes. So, make sure you keep your home clean and ventilate it thoroughly. Otherwise, you may have many serious health problems.
Proper Air Filter
Last but not least, using gas detectors and air filters is an ideal way to ensure that you are inhaling healthy and clean air. Many harmful gases like radon may get into your home and, being undetected, spread in more significant amounts. Additionally, it isn’t easy to test this gas.
As radon emits as the result of uranium explosion, it has a higher risk of lung cancer. However, many types of radon detectors have been invented and can help you in treating them. These appliances are equipped with disposable HEPA filters that help in reducing the excessive moisture and pollution from the air.
Some Frequently Asked Questions
How can you improve indoor air quality standards?
There are certain factors to consider if you want to improve the indoor air quality and those include;
Do not overwater your indoor plants and try not to keep many indoor plants.
Use an air purifier and a dehumidifier in your home.
Keep your house fully ventilated with fresh air.
Keep your house clean and free of allergens and irritants.
Use the proper air filters and change them regularly.
What are the major indoor air pollutants?
The primary indoor air pollutants that are harmful and you must eliminate include; carbon monoxide, cookstoves, formaldehyde, lead, pesticides, asbestos, formaldehyde, and nitrogen dioxide.
How poor air quality affects your health?
Poor air quality has many hazardous effects on one’s health. The following video will help you in understanding it better:
What are the symptoms of poor air quality?
You can have many serious health problems because of poor air quality. Still, the most significant symptoms include headache, dryness, fatigue, shortness of breath, sinus congestion, coughing, sneezing, hypersensitivity to allergies, dizziness, and irritation to the ear, nose, and throat.
What is the number one indoor air pollutant?
The number one indoor air pollutant is cigarette smoke, and it is the most dangerous pollutant so far. Cigarette smoke contains at least 200 known toxins with 60 carcinogens and is the most significant cause of cancer.
Concluding Note
In order to appreciate pure and breathable air, you require proper maintenance to build a healthy environment. In this article, we have given the best ways to enhance indoor air quality standards. Also, the harmful effects of poor quality air are mentioned above. If you have to deal with moist air, the most suitable alternative is to buy a quality dehumidifier.
For More Related Article: Best Humidifier/Dehumidifier Combo
Sources
- https://gharpedia.com/blog/5-ways-to-keep-healthy-indoor-air-quality/
- https://www.webmd.com/lung/features/12-ways-to-improve-indoor-air-quality
- https://www.corporatewellnessmagazine.com/article/five-tips-to-improve-workplace-indoor-air-quality
- https://www.centralhtg.com/blog/indoor-air-quality-solutions
