Concerns for Indoor Air Quality

Taking the necessary steps to improve your indoor air quality really has more to do with your health and the health of your loved ones than anything else. Yes, it improves the cleanliness of your home because it removes and reduces the collection of many of the impurities such as dust, allergens and mold spores that have a great impact on your breathing comfort. Yet, improving your home's indoor air quality is still about more than clearing the particles and spores from the air. Nowadays, professional technicians meeting EPA standards can test the air in your home, or you can learn how to do it yourself. From there, you will be able to assess whether your ventilation system, ducts and fabrics need to be cleansed and/or replaced in order to make a difference on the amount of organisms that are occupying your air when you spend long periods of time indoors or while you are sleeping. The danger lies in the amount of microorganisms and chemicals that you can take into your body, and the effects that they have on your immune system. You can suffer from allergies, fatigue, skin irritation, nausea, minor memory loss and worsen long term illnesses, all because of your home's indoor air quality. Many people don't think about this every day. They may notice when a room or the house gets a little stuffy or humid and adjust the thermostat or open a door or window, but they don't stop to think about the fact that it happens consistently and that it affects the living organisms in the room, including people.

There are at least five different substances in your home that you inhale through your lungs and your skin that impact your quality of life. From your home's construction materials to the way you choose to decorate and clean those surfaces, they can all impact your quality of life.

First, the type of insulation in your walls and whether it has been compromised by water damage can impact your air.

Second, the age and condition of your heating, air and ventilation systems can spew and recycle all types of contaminants into your air.

Third, your interior design aesthetic or furniture make large contributions to your air by releasing or absorbing and re-releasing the toxins from other means. A major way that your furniture and design features can influence your air is with wood finishes, fabric dyes and paint choices.

Fourth, cleaning products definitely remain on the surfaces that you clean, and slowly release their scent for hours or days after they have been applied.

Lastly, pure air exchange can happen with the opening of doors and windows, especially when the people inside take some time to get outdoors. Nowadays, many people work from home, avoid long days in the sun and spend a great deal of time on their computers indoors. The lack of circulation and fresh outdoor air on a regular basis is detrimental to anyone, whether your indoor air quality is poor or of the highest quality.

This article is brought to you by MATCH.