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How to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

It has been shown that the air inside homes is often more polluted than outdoor air. Maybe you don't have blatant irritation symptoms such as itchy eyes or wheezing, but you could still better your health and quality of life by improving your indoor air quality (IAQ). Follow these steps to clear the air in your home.

Signs of a Problem

You might have a health problem-irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, fatigue-that you think is associated with your air quality. If so, speak to your doctor. Look for evidence of an IAQ problem and keep track of when your symptoms act up. Our daily activities can contribute to indoor air pollution; For example, you might discover a problem if you live with a smoker or use harsh cleaning products. Improper ventilation could be the cause of your woes. Moisture condensation on windows or walls, smelly or stuffy air, or dirty central heating and air-cooling equipment, could all be signs of a ventilation problem.

Approaches to Improving IAQ

Source Control - Sources of pollution in your home include harmful gases such as radon; lifestyle choices such as tobacco smoke; and equipment such as stoves and fireplaces. Lead might be a concern, and pesticides (think roach spray or rodent poison) could be a source too. Some of these can have serious health effects, but the problems can be addressed by sealing or enclosing them, or in the case of the stoves adjusting their emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests source control is the most effective method.

Ventilation Improvement - It's important that your home has enough fresh air coming in to replace the stale air in your home. Older homes might have enough cracks and leaks to ensure the exchange of air, but over the past three decades homes have been built with the maximum air tightness in mind. While this improves your home's energy efficiency, it can create air quality problems if your home isn't properly ventilated. Ventilation can be as simple as opening windows and doors, or you might choose to install a household ventilation system. Areas such as the kitchen and bathroom should have site-specific exhaust fans.

Air Cleaners - There is some debate about how well air cleaners work, but the EPA says there are some that are effective at removing particles from the air. Air cleaners are not designed to remove gases from the environment, so you should bear that in mind. The EPA also says those who suffer from allergies might find relief by using air cleaners in conjunction with another method.

Best Practices

Change filters - Keep filters on heating and cooling equipment clean, since dirt and debris can build up on them.

Keep Plants - The EPA doesn't endorse the use of plants as air cleaners, but studies have shown that plants act as natural filters for the air in your home. Bill Wolverton, a former NASA scientist, describes the science behind the theory in his book, How to Grow Fresh Air. Peace lilies and English ivy are examples of toxin-removing plants.

Don't Use Toxic Home Furnishings - This mind sound obvious but there are sneaky sources of air pollution in your home that you might not even suspect. Carpeting and furniture made of pressed-wood products might contain glues and resins that contaminate your home's air. Asbestos-containing insulation and cleaners made with harsh chemicals are other common sources that can contribute to indoor air pollution.

Air Out New Carpets and Furnishings - If you do purchase a new carpet or piece of furniture that offgases, air it out before bringing it into your home. That new carpet smell is not a healthy one.

Use Low-VOC Paints - A freshly painted wall might look good, but it smells toxic. Low- and no-VOC paints are now widely

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