Indoor Air Quality and Your Home

Given that Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors—and 65 percent of that time at home—indoor air quality is something that can have a major impact on our lives. It's particularly important for small children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses. But many, even those who are aware of the issue, don't know where to begin. Indoor air quality testing can be expensive and time-consuming, so we tend to ignore the issue. Here's quick guide to indoor air quality.

Indoor Air Quality Problems
Some of the main areas of concern include:

• Radon: an odorless, colorless gas, radon can lead to serious health concerns, even lung cancer.
• Asthma: There are more than 20 million asthma sufferers in the United States. Indoor pollutants can aggravate asthma symptoms and make attacks more frequent.
• Mold: Mold grows by releasing spores into the air. These spores can be inhaled, leading to allergies and more serious health problems.

Do You Have Indoor Air Quality Issues?
The easiest indoor air quality testing that you can do is to simply look at how you feel when you are at home. Do you or anyone in your house:

• Sneeze and cough when you are at home?
• Have an irritated nose, throat or eyes?
• Wake up suffering from congestion or headaches?
• Suffer from frequent asthma episodes or colds?

If so, you may have indoor air quality issues. More in-depth, professional indoor air quality testing may be necessary.

Improving Indoor Air Quality in Your Home
Fortunately, there are things that you can do to improve the quality of the air in your home.

• Purchase an air purifier. These are widely available, but be careful—ozone-based machines are not advised. The EPA has issued an advisory against ozone air cleaners.
• Open windows occasionally to allow air to circulate.
• Use natural household cleaning products, when possible. Watch out for so-called "green" products if ozone concentrations are above 50 parts per billion.
• Stick with natural pest control, rather than chemical pesticides, both indoors and out.
• Clean the vents in your bathroom, kitchen, and dryer regularly, and change filters on central heating and cooling systems.
• Do not smoke inside the home.
• Keep your appliances serviced with regular inspections, especially humidifiers and dehumidifiers, air conditioners, and gas appliers.
• Test for radon. Radon is an odorless, colorless gas that can be harmful or even lethal. Self-testing kits are available, or you can hire an indoor air quality testing professional.

If you suspect that there is a problem with the air in your home, consult an indoor air quality testing professional.