Back in the old times, when someone wanted to improve their health, they would get more exercise and strive to consume only healthy foods. Today, however, staying healthy in our fast-paced society requires a lot more awareness.
Not only do we need to consume healthier foods and exercise, but we also have to be aware of what’s in the air we are breathing.
Why is Indoor Air Quality Important to Our Health?
Well, in recent years, a mounting body of cutting-edge research has brought to light a health problem that’s been around for a long time; we just didn’t know as much about it, until recently. What are we talking about?
The air we are breathing within our places of work and homes is proving to be far more contaminated than the air outside, which we aren’t breathing nearly as much of. It’s true: Even in the most populated U.S. cities. Because people stay inside an average of 90 percent of their day, this makes inside air pollution a far more serious health hazard than outside air pollution.
What’s more is the fact that the air we breathe has a significant effect upon our health in a ton of different ways, studies show. Indoor Air Quality impacts our moods, well being, energy levels, and brain functions in a big way. However, experts at the Environmental Protection Agency report the air they’ve tested in our homes and places of work is anywhere from two to five times more polluted than the air on average outside. In fact, in the worst scenarios, it can be up to 100 times worse.
Some might find this hard to believe because they think of all the smoke and smog and exhaust outdoors. That’s the way we think of air pollution traditionally: City Smog. But this isn’t true and it makes more sense after you realize how tightly insulated modern homes are designed. Homes and buildings are intended to keep treated air inside to lower heating and cooling costs. And this makes a recipe for disaster: The air has nowhere to escape. Outside nature has a ton of vast open space; the earth has a whole host of ways of cleaning the air to make it breathable. The trees and wind are merely two small components. Within the small spaces of a building or a home, however, even a small amount of household air pollution becomes a serious problem without adequate filtration or ventilation of outside air.
Know the Short-term and Long-term health implications!
How serious? Short-term health symptoms can appear shortly after being exposed to a pollutant. Some of these include soreness of the throat, eyes and nose. It also causes fatigue, headaches, and dizziness.
Even more serious are the long-term symptoms; those are respiratory illness, heart disease, and cancer. Long-term risk can be severely debilitating or, in extreme cases, even fatal.
We at Fairfield-Hamilton Heating & Cooling take these new findings seriously. We suggest all homeowners do whatever is necessary to ensure their health and safety and the health and safety of their loved ones: Your Indoor air quality is very important!!!
Among the leading suggestions, homeowners should definitely get their air tested in their homes. Furthermore, you might need to use additional ventilation and update your air filtration.
In any case, identifying and resolving sources of household air pollution is a modern essential!
FAIRFIELD-HAMILTON HEATING & COOLING IS HERE TO ASSIST, ANY TIME!
We at Fairfield-Hamilton Heating & Cooling care deeply about your home comfort levels; that’s the bread and butter of what we do.
However, more than that, we also care deeply about the health of you and your loved ones! A major component of that health concern involves keeping the air you breathe free of toxins and allergens. With home air quality having such a serious impact on your health and well being, we put this information together so that it would be useful and hopefully helpful. If you are interested in any of the products and services we provide (all at affordable prices), or if you would like to learn more, give us a call at 513-540-1716, or Click Here to schedule an appointment now.
We look forward to hearing from you and hope to help you further!
Next, in Part 2, we will explain the typical culprits when it comes to indoor air pollution. After that, in Parts 3, we will explain the most effective methods for cleaning up your indoor air quality via products and services we sell at affordable rates. In Part 4, we will tell you about the various things you can do to improve your IAQ on your own at home.
Indoor Air Quality 101 – Part 2
