When people think about indoor air quality, they think about pollution – outdoor pollution, including smog and ozone.
While these are dangers to human health, most people spend the vast majority of their time indoors. Restoring and maintaining indoor air quality should be a focus for them if they are concerned about their health. What are the health benefits of air quality?
HEALTH EFFECTS OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY
What kinds of health risks are associated with bad indoor air quality? One is chemical air pollution. Pollution can mean toxins released from the use of chemical cleaners or air fresheners, secondhand smoke, or pesticides. It can also mean biological hazards like bacteria, viruses, dust mites, mold spores, or pollen. The symptoms of exposure to both of these hazards may be similar and include things like irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, congestion, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. People will asthma or allergies may experience more flare-ups as well.
The second issue is dry air. Dry air is also hard on the lungs. In the winter, when the furnace is running constantly, the air becomes dry, causing nosebleeds and skin irritation. During the summer, the air indoors can get too moist, which can result in mold or bacteria overgrowth and general discomfort. Both aridness and humidity can make it harder to sleep and live.
AIR FILTRATION AND HUMIDIFICATION
The solution to polluted air is the proper IAQ (indoor air quality) products. The proper IAQ products will remove both toxic chemicals, bacteria, mold, viruses, and biohazards from the air, making the air better and healthier to breathe.
The solution to dry air is humidification. Regulating the humidity level in the house will also make it easier to breathe, and healthier for you and your house. A good air conditioning system will also lower humidity during the warmer months and make the house a more comfortable place. Some hardwood flooring manufacturers require homeowners to maintain humidity to reduce the wood from shrinking and expanding.
People who live in environments with better indoor air quality will get sick less often. They will strain less to breathe, and their hearts, lungs, and bodies will have to work less hard. Good indoor air quality also has an effect on sleep. Better sleep and easier breathing results in higher energy levels. Breathing well means living well.
Not everyone will have the same reaction to poor indoor air quality. Symptoms can fade and reappear over time. However, even when there are no outward symptoms, poor indoor air quality, or unaddressed indoor air quality is still bad for people’s overall health. There are simple ways to clean and hydrate the air that will impact the quality of life in everyone.
Most people will see experience a noticeable difference if they address two air quality issues: air filtering and humidification. If you would like to improve the indoor air quality of your home in either or both of these ways, please call us at Lake Michigan Heating, Cooling, Plumbing. We care about the health and overall wellness of our customers and want to provide solutions for better living. We’d be happy to talk to you about your options and the steps you can take to improve your health and comfort.
