Why is Indoor air Quality Important?

According to the EPA, the air in your home is often more polluted than the air outside your home,even in majory cities with highly polluted air. Air from inside your home is quite often a cause of greater health problems than the polluted air we may encounter outside our homes.

Most Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors! 65% of that time is spent in our own homes.Pollutants in our indoor environment can increase the risk of illness. Several studies by EPA, states, and independent scientific panels have consistently ranked indoor air pollution as an important environmental health problem.

Factors that Contribute to Indoor Air Quality

Modern homes are do not leak heated air inside the home out or cooled air inside the home out, because it is an enegy wasting. The tighter the seal of the building the better has been the rule for years.

Sources of pollutants or odors; design, maintenance and operation of building ventilation systems; moisture and humidity; and occupant perceptions and susceptibilities.

Controlling indoor air quality involves integrating three main strategies. First, manage the sources of pollutants either by removing them from your home or isolating them from people through physical barriers like doors, air pressure relationships, or by controlling the timing of their use. Second, dilute pollutants and remove them from the building through ventilation. Third, use filtration to clean the air of pollutants.

Common pollutants in a house are:

Biological

Bacteria,Viruses,Fungi,Molds,Dust Mites, Animal Dander, and Pollen. These contaminants happen because of inadequate maintenance and housekeeping, water spills, inadequate humidity control, condensation, inadequate infiltration, poor ventilation.

Chemical

Sources of chemical pollutants include tobacco smoke, emissions from products used in the home (like, furniture, wall and floor coverings; and cleaning and consumer products) accidental spill of chemicals, and gases.

Moisture and Humidity

It is important to control moisture and relative humidity in occupied spaces. The presence of moisture and dirt can cause molds and other biological contaminants to thrive. Relative humidity levels that are too high can contribute to the growth and spread of unhealthy biological pollutants, as can failure to dry water-damaged materials promptly (usually within 24 hours) or to properly maintain equipment with water reservoirs or drain pans (e.g., humidifiers, refrigerators, and ventilation equipment). Humidity levels that are too low, however, may contribute to irritated mucous membranes, dry eyes, and sinus discomfort.

Ventilation Systems

Maintaining good indoor air quality requires attention to the building's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system; the design and layout of the space; and pollutant source management. HVAC systems include all of the equipment used to ventilate, heat, and cool the building; to move the air around the building (ductwork); and to filter and clean the air. These systems can have a significant impact on how pollutants are distributed and removed. HVAC systems can even act as sources of pollutants in some cases, such as when ventilation air filters become contaminated with dirt and/or moisture and when microbial growth results from stagnant water in drip pans or from uncontrolled moisture inside of air ducts. Because of the HVAC system's importance, good indoor air quality management includes attention to:

See Filters on our store site.