| Those who suffer from breathing problems like | | | | Just one ounce of dust can contain over |
| asthma and allergies truly appreciate the | | | | 40,000 dust mites, and your average 1,500 |
| importance of indoor air quality. That's because | | | | square foot home is likely to have 40 pounds of |
| without clean air, their home is not the safe | | | | dust or more. |
| haven that they need it to be. The same holds | | | | Even products like scented air fresheners, |
| true for the rest of us, it's just less obvious | | | | which people buy to "clean" their air, introduce |
| because it takes longer for the negative effects | | | | contaminants that build up and pollute it. |
| to manifest. | | | | How do we detect air quality issues? |
| What is in our air? | | | | The problem is that unless someone in the house |
| Pollutants pervade the air in even the cleanest | | | | has allergies or asthma, the signs of impurity can |
| home. The "good" news is that 80% percent of | | | | be difficult to identify for what they are. Air that |
| that pollution is "just" dead skin. The remaining | | | | you would describe as "stale" or "stuffy" would be |
| 20% can be any of a number of harmful things: | | | | the most obvious sign. Another sign are indoor |
| Secondhand smoke remains in our air far | | | | odors that have no obvious source. Unpleasant |
| longer than we smell it or see it, and while it's | | | | odors without an obvious source are very likely a |
| present, it's just as dangerous as if we were | | | | buildup of bacteria in the air. |
| puffing on that cigarette ourselves. | | | | How do we make the air we breathe healthier? |
| Radon, which is radioactive dust, exists in | | | | The first order of business is cleanliness. |
| many of our homes because of the materials and | | | | Cleanliness will not cure air pollution, but a lack of |
| processes used to install the foundation. | | | | cleanliness will exacerbate matters greatly. Regular |
| Other substances introduced during | | | | dusting followed by vacuuming is the most |
| construction and remodeling include lead, | | | | important step. The problem is that while reducing |
| formaldehyde, and asbestos. | | | | pollution particles it also stirs them up. This is |
| Bacteria can build up in bathrooms, garages, | | | | where a HEPA air purifier plays its part to prevent |
| and HVAC systems, and then contaminate the | | | | what would otherwise be a vicious cycle. |
| rest of the home. | | | | |