It is a simple truth that the air you breathe can affect your health. Unfortunately, many of us are exposed to unhealthy air almost every day due to poor indoor air quality. Clearing the air in your home is essential to promting better respiratory health. We’ll explore how to achieve that in this article.
1. Capturing the Source: What Causes Poor Indoor Air Quality?
Poor indoor air quality can be attributed to a variety of sources, leaving an invisible cloud of contamination in the air. Contaminants should not go unchecked as they can potentially lead to short-term and long-term health issues. In an effort to create healthier indoor air, it is important to capture the source of the contaminants and eliminate it. Here are some of the prime culprits.
- Mold – Mold can be insidious. Spores can travel through the air and sneak in uninvited through openings like cracked windows, open doors, or other hiding spots. If the environment is ideal, like in basements and bathrooms, mold can grow and become a health hazard.
- Cigarette smoke – Not only does cigarette smoke contain thousands of chemicals, it is also a primary source of secondhand smoke. How other people are using tobacco affects a home’s indoor air quality, whether the smokers live in the home or are visiting.
- Chemicals & cleaners – Common household cleaners, paint, and pesticides contain harmful chemicals that can build up in indoor air over time and remain in the air for long periods of time. Dust suppressants, varnishes, waxes, and air fresheners can also make the air quality deteriorate.
- Dust mites – This small critter is tough to detect, as they’re invisible to the human eye. But don’t let their size deceive you. Dust mites produce fecal particles, which are distributed across the house when the air is disturbed. The mites can cause serious allergies and respiratory problems, making indoor air dangerous to breathe in.
These are not the only sources of poor IAQ. VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), asbestos particles, and pet dander can linger in a home’s environment, particularly if proper hygiene isn’t exercised. Assessing the source of these pollutants and taking the appropriate actions is a crucial part of improving a home’s indoor air quality.
2. Keep it Clean: Simple Tips for Freshening the Air
Sometimes just opening the windows and letting in a gentle breeze is all that’s needed to freshen our home. But on those days when nature does not cooperate, or when the air in the home may be confronting indoor air pollutants, there are still steps you can take to get the air in your home feeling and smelling fresher.
If you’re looking for ways to quickly eliminate odors and freshen the air without using harsh chemicals or fragrances, there are a few easy and simple steps you can take:
- Vacuum and sweep regularly – this will help to reduce allergens and large particles in the air.
- Open windows and doors – even a few minutes a day of fresh air can make a noticeable difference in how your space smells.
- Add live plants – having plants in your environment helps to get that oxygen circulating.
- Invest in air purifying equipment – having an air purifier running during the day can help keep the air feeling clean.
But freshening up your air isn’t just about tackling odors. If you’re looking for a way to make sure your air is clean as well, then there are a couple of perhaps more unexpected solutions you can implement.
- Burn a beeswax candle – these candles are known for their smoke-eliminating properties and help to filter pollutants out of the air.
- Make your own smudge sticks – the smoke of herbs such as sage, rosemary and lavender have natural purifying qualities.
- Diffuse essential oils – use a diffuser to keep your living area smelling great and the air purified for up to two hours.
3. Get a Filter: Investing in Respiratory Health
When it comes to healthy living, respiratory health is essential. The best way to improve your respiratory health is to get a filter which can help reduce the amount of toxic air that you breathe in. Here are three reasons why it’s a worthwhile investment.
- Firstly, a filter will improve your day-to-day lifestyle. It can reduce pollutants, ozone, ash particles, pollen, and other air particles that can cause breathing issues. With a cleaner air supply, you’ll be able to enjoy a healthier, safer environment in your home.
- Secondly, investing in a filter can prevent long-term respiratory issues. Harmful air pollutants can cause a range of illnesses, from asthma to lung cancer. By investing in a top-quality filter, you can help protect your lungs and have the peace of mind in knowing that you’re reducing the risk.
- Finally, a filter can save you money in the long run. Poor air quality affects everyone in the home, especially those who have allergies or asthma. A filter helps keep these instances to a minimum, resulting in fewer trips to the doctor and less money spent on treatments.
When it comes to respiratory health, investing in a filter is one of the best investments you can make. Shop around for the highest quality filter that you can afford and reap the long-term health benefits.
4. Going Green: Making Eco-Friendly Decisions
Our planet is facing complex problems that are having a profound, negative impact on the environment. To help mitigate the worsening global climate situation, individuals can embrace eco-friendly decisions that are both sustainable and mindful of the future of the planet.
Reduce Reuse Recycle – The biggest factor in leading an eco-friendly lifestyle is to adopt the mantra of reduce, reuse and recycle. When we reduce our use of natural resources, we are faced with less impact and more sustainability. Re-using items has the potential to divert large amount of material out of landfill and into recycling or upcycling, which sometimes creates a new item out of useables. If recycling and reusing doesn’t work, choosing items made with recycled content is the best option.
Mindful Shopping – Be mindful and purposeful when shopping. Be mindful and investigate the products we are buying and the right questions: Where does it come from? Have sustainable practices been employed in making it? How much do I need? How much can I buy? Not every product needs to be “eco-friendly” and organic, so ask yourself if you really need to buy it in the first place.
Conserve Water & Energy – The less energy and water we consume, the slower the depletion of natural resources is. We can conserve water and energy by:
- Turning off lights and TVs when not in use
- Installing insulation, energy efficient windows and weather stripping on doors
- Planting trees that shade your house in summer and allow the sun through in winter
- Installing water-saving showerheads and faucets
- Using cold and warm water washes on your clothes
If we all work together in making eco-friendly decisions, we can make a world of difference. When it comes to sustainability, every action counts!
5. Cutting the Hazard: Health Benefits of Clean Air
Air pollution is one of the most pressing global environmental issues of our times. This is why it’s so important to take all necessary steps to cut down on air hazards and protect our health. Clean air, in addition to benefiting the environment, has several health benefits. Let’s take a closer look at some of them:
- It works to protect the heart: Scientists say that high levels of pollution in the air are linked to a greater risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular complications. Clean air, on the other hand, helps to keep the heart healthy.
- It helps to improve the respiratory system: Air pollution can pose a great threat to our respiratory system. Studies have found that people with high levels of exposure to air pollutants have an increased risk of chronic respiratory conditions, such as asthma. Clean air, therefore, helps to keep airways healthy and clear.
- It boosts the immunity system: Clean air is beneficial to people suffering from a weakened immune system, as it can act as a natural boost to the system. The absence of contaminants and particles like dust, pollen, and allergens helps to strengthen the immune system.
It aids better sleep: Air pollution has been linked to disturbed and inconsistent sleep. Clean air, on the other hand, is great for improving the quality of sleep. Studies suggest that exposure to clean air improves length and quality of sleep.
It is clear that the health benefits of clean air are significant and should not be overlooked. That is why steps must be taken to reduce air hazards and work to maintain clean air.
The truth is that respiratory health is something that should not be taken lightly. With this in mind, it is essential to take the necessary steps to improve indoor respiratory health. From proper ventilation to air purifiers, there are a variety of methods that can help clear the air and make sure that the air you breathe is cleaner and healthier. So take these steps and get on your way to a fresher home and a healthier you.
