Stay Healthier with Cleaner Indoor Air

We've all been in indoor spaces that are unpleasantly dusty, musty or smelly, but these can be more than mere inconveniences. In many cases, these are signs of poor indoor air quality, and they have real implications for human health.

Managing the quality of the air inside your home is part housekeeping, part healthcare. It can make your home look, feel and smell cleaner by cutting down on dust and other airborne particles, but more importantly, it can make you feel better by minimizing irritants that can cause a wide range of symptoms.

What Kinds of Contaminants are in Your Indoor Air?

It's easy to think of pollution as being an "outdoor" problem. But as toxic as vehicle exhaust and industrial fumes can be, they have plenty of room to ventilate in the great outdoors. Indoors, pollution can hang around longer, especially in poorly ventilated rooms, which can sometimes exacerbate the health risk.

There are several common sources of indoor air contaminants:

• Byproducts of natural gas-burning appliances. This is one of the most dangerous categories of indoor pollutants because it contains carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas that can cause serious symptoms and even death. These contaminants can leak indoors as the result of improperly vented or malfunctioning heating equipment, water heaters, ovens, ranges and dryers.
• Building materials. Asbestos insulation is a good example of an especially dangerous contaminant, but you can also experience indoor air quality issues related to some pressed-wood products, newly installed carpeting, and other furniture or materials.
• Tobacco. Second-hand smoke contains a complex blend of more than 4,000 compounds, more than 40 of which are known to cause cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.
• Household products. Paints, solvents, adhesives, cleaning products, bug spray, hair spray – we bring dozens of these products into our homes every year, and many of them cast off chemical particles into the air we breathe.
• Contaminants in your HVAC system. Your heating and cooling equipment circulates air all throughout your home, so if you have a contaminant inside that system, it's circulating that, too. Mold and mildew can develop inside ductwork and HVAC equipment to spread unhealthy air everywhere.
• Dust and pet dander. These biological byproducts are not only messy, they can cause respiratory irritation.
• Outdoor pollutants. If you live in an area with poor outdoor air quality, you're dependent on your home's air filtration systems to keep that pollution out. Insufficient filtration or leaks through doors, windows or cracks can let that unhealthy air right in.

What are the Risks of Poor Indoor Air Quality?

Some consequences of poor indoor air quality, like foul odors, are merely annoying. But the effects of airborne impurities can be much worse, depending on the contaminants and the health of the people breathing them in.

The immediate effects of contaminated indoor air can include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness and fatigue. People who suffer from asthma, allergies or respiratory conditions may find these symptoms to be more severe. More harmful contaminants can contribute to a range of long-term conditions including respiratory diseases, heart disease and cancer.

While you should look into the air purification strategies described below if you suspect you have symptoms related to poor indoor air quality, it's important that you also discuss this matter with a physician. Your doctor may prescribe tests to help identify possible toxins, which could be helpful in identifying potential sources of contamination in your home.

How to Detect Poor Indoor Air Quality

If you think you might have an air quality problem in your home, there are several things you can do to collect more information:

• Schedule a professional indoor air quality diagnostic test. IAQ testing services are offered by many HVAC service companies. This involves a technician inspecting your home and using a variety of testing methods to check for mold, dust mites, pet dander and other contaminants.
• Use an air monitor. These are typically small, tabletop devices that continuously monitor the air in the room and send alerts for small particles, smoke, carbon monoxide, humidity fluctuations and other concerns. They can be moved from room to room to detect IAQ issues all over the home.
• Carbon monoxide detectors. Because carbon monoxide is deadly, you should treat carbon monoxide detectors just like smoke detectors. There should be at least one working detector on every floor of your home, and you should regularly test them and replace the batteries. Carbon monoxide detectors themselves expire after several years, and should be replaced on schedule.
• Radon detectors. Radon is an invisible gas that is released naturally into the atmosphere, but exposure to high levels of radon over time can cause serious health problems, including lung cancer. Most radon detectors are portable, inexpensive electronic devices.

What to Do About Poor Indoor Air Quality

There are several effective approaches to improving indoor air quality, ranging from easy and inexpensive to major HVAC upgrades:

• Whole home air filtration. There are a range of whole home air filtration systems that are designed to work in conjunction with your HVAC system. These systems can capture and neutralize tiny particles, including viruses and bacteria. They should be professionally installed by an HVAC technician.
• Air purifiers Smaller, standalone air purifiers can be placed anywhere and moved around the home. These devices circulate air through a filter that can be replaced or cleaned.
• UV light systems. Some HVAC components, particularly indoor cooling coils, can develop mold, bacteria and viruses that get blown all over the home. You can add professionally installed systems that bathe these components in low-watt ultraviolet light that these harmful microorganisms.
• Ductwork and HVAC system cleaning. Many HVAC professionals offer cleaning services for your ductwork and heating and cooling equipment. Duct cleaning in particular can remove a large amount of dust, dirt, pet hair and other contaminants from your ductwork, which can make treated air noticeably cleaner.
• Home envelope sealing. If your concern is polluted outdoor air seeping into your home, you can minimize these air leaks by replacing worn-out weather stripping and sealing cracks and gaps in your exterior walls. Scheduling a professional home energy audit is a good way to locate all the air leaks in your home.

If your home seems excessively dusty, or you're just not breathing as easy as you think you should, you might have an IAQ problem. Consider taking some initial steps to assess your indoor air and invest in upgrades if they're warranted. Your lungs may thank you!

You can find more tips for taking care of your home in our Learning Center.