Indoor air quality can impact your health. People spend approximately 90% of their time indoors; this can be even higher for young children, older adults, and individuals with chronic illnesses.
Keep reading for tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to help you identify indoor air quality issues and take steps to reduce exposure to pollutants.
Indoor Pollution and Your Health
The main cause of indoor air quality issues in homes is indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air. This can include everything from combustion sources (oil, gas, wood, kerosene, coal, tobacco products) to building materials, household cleaning products, central heating and cooling systems, and more.
Indoor air quality is negatively impacted by poor or inadequate ventilation. High temperatures and humidity levels can increase concentrations of some pollutants.
Health effects from indoor air pollution may be experienced right away or years after exposure. Headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and irritation of eyes, nose, and throat are common immediate effects. Since some symptoms overlap with virus symptoms, it can be challenging to determine if they are caused by exposure to indoor air pollution. If symptoms decrease when an individual is away from home and come back when the person returns, work to identify potential causes.
Long term health effects may appear years after exposure or after long or repeated exposure. These can include some respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer.
Identifying Air Quality Issues
Being aware of potential sources of indoor air pollution can help you identify air quality issues. Activities such as cooking with a gas stove, smoking tobacco, or painting can negatively impact indoor air quality. Eliminating or controlling pollution sources, increasing ventilation, and installing air cleaning devices are ways to potentially mitigate air quality issues.
Look for ventilation problems. Moisture condensation on windows or walls, dirty central air equipment, smelly or stuffy air, and areas where items become moldy are all signs of ventilation concerns. You can increase ventilation by opening windows or doors, using fans, or running a window air conditioner with the vent control open.
Reduce Exposure to Common Indoor Air Quality Pollutants
Radon exposure has no immediate symptoms and is estimated to contribute to thousands of lung cancer deaths each year. You can easily test your home for radon with an at-home kit.
Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is more commonly known as secondhand smoke. It can cause irritation of eyes, nose, and throat as well as headaches and lung cancer. For children, secondhand smoke increases the risk of lower respiratory tract infections, ear infections, asthma severity, and decreased lung function. Reduce exposure by not allowing smoking in the home. Don’t smoke if children are present. If you must smoke indoors, increase ventilation in the smoking area by opening windows or using exhaust fans.
Biological air quality issues can occur due to wet or moist walls, ceilings, carpets, and furniture. Poorly maintained humidifiers and air conditioners can contribute, as can bedding and household pets. Reduce exposure by using fans vented to outdoors in kitchens and bathrooms; vent clothes dryers to outdoors. Clean humidifiers according to manufacturer instructions. Clean and dry or remove carpet that has been water damaged. Only use basements as living areas if they’re leakproof and have appropriate ventilation.
Carbon monoxide exposure can occur due to unvented kerosene and gas space heaters, leaking chimneys and furnaces, back-drafting from certain appliances, gas stoves, and automobile exhaust from attached garages. Take steps to reduce exposure by opening flues when fireplaces are used, keeping gas appliances properly adjusted, and using proper fuel in kerosene space heaters. Use an exhaust fan vented outdoors over gas stoves. Get your central heating system inspected, cleaned, and tuned up annually, and get any leaks repaired right away. Don’t leave vehicles idling inside the garage.
Air quality issues can cause illnesses and injuries. Taking steps to reduce your exposure to pollutants can help. Always follow manufacturer guidelines when using products such as space heaters. If you suspect a product is defective, discontinue use and contact the manufacturer.
If you or a loved one has been injured, contact the Schuerman Law office today. Schuerman Law has been working with personal injury claims for over 40 years. John Schuerman will compassionately advocate for injured individuals as well as their families while fighting for full compensation of their claims. Schuerman Law offers evening and weekend appointments in addition to home and hospital visits. Schedule a free consultation today by calling 1-800-274-0045.
