Most people associate the word “pollution” primarily with outdoor areas, but this is actually a bit of a misnomer. Indoor air can actually become far more polluted than outdoor air in many cases, leading to potential health issues, breathing problems and even damage to certain areas of your home or building.
At Wasatch Clean Air, we’re here to help. Through services like our air duct cleaning, dryer vent cleaning, UV air purification and several others, we’ll ensure your home or building is always a safe, healthy area to spend time and breathe in. Let’s go over some of the common causes of indoor air pollution, plus a few additional tips we can offer for preventing it from becoming an issue for you.
Common Indoor Pollution Causes
Indoor air pollution includes any physical, biological or chemical characteristics of the air you’re breathing. Because air is roughly 10 times as concentrated with pollutants inside compared to outside, it’s a vital area to consider for human health and comfort. Some of the top causes of this pollution include:
- Dust
- Chlorine and chlorine byproducts
- Tobacco smoke
- Insecticides or other product chemicals
- Perfumes and colognes
- Mold and pollen
- Pet dander or hair
- Household cleaning products and solvents
Possible Health Risks
Some general basics on the health risks potentially posed by these pollutants, especially when their concentration reaches high levels:
- Short-term effects: Irritation to the eyes and throat, scratchy voice, and dry skin and lips are all possible due to pollution.
- Long-term effects: Over time, inhaling polluted air can lead to respiratory conditions, asthma, cancer and other extremely dangerous health risks.
- Extreme cases: In cases where carbon monoxide or other dangerous pollutants are involved, even death is possible without proper control.
- Children: Indoor air pollution may weaken lung growth in children, putting them at higher risk for the cold and flu.
Tips for Pollution Prevention
In coordination with our air quality measures, here are some tips for preventing indoor air pollution:
- Proper ventilation: Ventilation has several purposes, from removing exhaust or gas from cooking and cleaning to helping hair spray, perfume and other possible minor pollutants find their way out. Ventilation also helps limit indoor humidity levels – spaces that are too humid risk the growth of mold and mildew, which come with their own set of risks.
- Smoking: Smoking should be completely prohibited indoors or anywhere where the smoke might flow indoors. Cigarettes contain a huge quantity of toxic and carcinogenic substances, and these will stick within fibers and other parts of a room for a long time.
- Filters: You should invest in quality air filters for your HVAC system, and should be dedicated to changing these filters regularly to ensure they don’t clog and allow pollution particles to pass.
- Indoor plants: Did you realize many indoor plants help clean out pollutants like formaldehyde or benzene? It’s true – ask our pros about which plants might be best here.
For more on how to prevent indoor pollution in your home or building, or to learn about any of our duct cleaning or other air quality services, speak to the staff at Wasatch Clean Air today.
