Poor indoor air: How can you improve the quality of air at home?

Our ancestors spent most of their time outdoors, by the pollution for it was not nearly as large as it is today. Today, however, the average person spends 90% of his time inside of buildings where the air is more polluted than waiting outside. Here, the contamination of the indoor air can have consequences like asthma, headaches, Flu-like symptoms and other diseases.

Poor air quality is associated with both short- and long-term health problems.

The following health problems are caused or exacerbated by poor air quality in the interiors:

• Asthma, allergies and other respiratory diseases
• Headache
• Dry eye and skin irritation
• Sore throat, colds and flu
• Memory loss, dizziness, fatigue and depression.

Exposure to toxic dust can also lead to serious diseases, including:

• Heart disease
• Personality disorders
• Reproductive disorders and infertility
• Cancer.

Common sources of indoor air pollution.

• Building materials
• interiors (furniture, carpeting etc)
• Space colors
• Air Freshener
• Cleaning Products.

Air pollution from used construction materials.

Are three of the most common causes of air pollution from building materials:

1. Pressed wood products.

This wood product is made by using remaining pieces of logs and wood chips and glued together. Pressed wood pieces we find in panels particle board and insulation that were very popular in the 70s. The glue used in this case contains urea formaldehyde resin as. Formaldehyde exposure can cause many watery and burning eyes and a dry throat, difficulty in breathing and asthma attacks. The risk is grow in older pressed wood products. The newer types of production are better controlled and used fewer pollutants.

2. To limit this risk:

• Using pressed wood products that do not contain phenolic resins and urea resins.
• Use air conditioning and dehumidifiers only to keep a temperature and reduce humidity.
• Ventilate well, especially after installation or construction of new sources of formaldehyde in your home.
• Check before the purchase of building materials about the formaldehyde content of pressed wood products used in this case.
• Using solid wood whenever possible.

3. Rugs and carpeting.

Many types of carpeting still contain more toxic materials. The glue and dyes that are used in carpeting harmful to health. Limit or eliminate the load is possible by a careful selection of non-toxic carpet of wool or of non-toxic soil from solid wood or bamboo.

4. Toxic room colors.

DThe quality of the room color has improved a lot in the last 25 years. Most colors used today contain less unhealthy vapors and volatile organic compounds such as formaldehyde and benzene. These types of vapors can be harmful and also affect your brain functions. Hold this clam-damaging vapors away and ventilate regularly. Another danger to our health is lead paint. As soon as the paint of these colors starts flaking, this results in the release of harmful particles in the room air. Even low concentrations of it can lead to problems with the central nervous system, impair brain function and blood cells and kidney. It is particularly threatening for fetuses, infants and children because of this possible developmental disorders. Fortunately it is now very easy to buy high-quality non-toxic colors. Both large manufacturers of paints as well as smaller alternative brand manufacturers offer a wide range of color.

Air pollution from air fresheners.

Take a hard look at your household products and including the air freshener that you may use. Many of these funds give toxic pollutants into the air. Two primary pollutants are ethylene-based glycol ethers and terpenes. In particular, air fresheners contain a number of volatile organic compounds such as nitrogen dioxide or paradichlorobenzene. In studies of paradichlorobenzene was found that this causes cancer in animals. Another frequent substance that is found in air fresheners, toilet bowl deodorants and mothballs, is 1,4-dichlorobenzene, or 1,4-DCB, which can be used during pregnant cause problem with lungs. If you want your room climate add a new fragrance, use natural aromatherapy products.

Air pollution from detergents.

By actively managing cleaning products, we can also affect the air quality and thus the quality of our health. While dust has its own health risks, can the products that you use to keep your home clean, cause a far more damage. Detergents are have lifted in fact a major source of air pollution, Which in turn is retained until you Sufficiently. Other products, in Which you suspect immediately that they are harmful, are Detergent, softener liquid and dryer additives. Many of these products can carcinogenic pollutants into the air exits.

What do we can to improve the quality of our indoor air?

While it may seem at first sight a difficult task to try the primary sources to eliminate the bad air, there are a lot of simple things that can you do yourself to your own health and to protect the family.
1. Frequent airing. Open the windows every day for 5 to 10 minutes, preferably on opposite sides of the house, so that a passage can occur.
2. Keep yourself living houseplants.
3. Take off your shoes when you enter the house and let them stand at the door to prevent the toxic particles that can adhere to the shoes, get into your apartment.
4. Set smoking place in your home.
5. Switch to non-toxic cleaners and safe personal care products. Avoid aerosols. Avoid commercial air fresheners and scented candles.
6. Hang freshly dry-cleaned clothes immediately into your wardrobe. Hang these clothes for a day or two after waiting outside. Better still ask whether there is a new, environmentally friendly cleaning methods in your area, is used in the liquid CO2.
7. Clean your carpets and floor regularly, preferably with a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter (dust filter).
8. Check your furnace filter. Today, there are more complex filters that can absorb more of the harmful particles. Let clean your fireplace and your conditioning and your fireplace regularly.
9. Avoid the use of coatings, adhesives, solvents and other chemicals in your home or the nearby garage.
10. Do not use non-stick cookware. Find yourself a healthy alternative such as ceramic tableware.
11. If you build or remodel your new home opt for the use of safe and environment-friendly materials.
12. For a sustainable health benefits: Use parquet held carpeting. Carpet take a plurality of particles, such as pet dander, heavy metals, and all other types of allergens.
13. The same principles apply to the performance of your vehicle, especially if your car is new and even chemicals and solvent retention.