Outdoor air can be cleaner than indoor air. Even with all the exhaust from cars and pollution, outdoor air still has a better quality than indoor air. If you got an indoor air quality testing done, you would see that the air you are breathing inside your home is not quite as great as you thought it was. Have you ever noticed that when you have a cold, you feel worse inside but being outside in the fresh air makes it a little better? That is because of the air quality. Let’s look at a few indoor air quality facts to try and convince you to take better care of your indoor air. Here are just a few to show you the reality of indoor air:

1. Health Risk
   Studies done by the United States EPA showed that part of the indoor air quality facts is now that the air quality inside is among the top five risks to public health. The air pollutants that can be inside were typically between two and five times higher than the outdoor pollutant level. In some cases that amount was as great as 100 times higher, depending on the quality for the building. This can happen for a few reasons; poor ventilation, toxic chemicals or candles, air fresheners and other things are just a few examples. Some of the things we let loose in our homes we think are helping the odors and generally cleanliness of our homes but they actually make them worse.




2. Mold Inspection
   Mold testing is an extremely good habit to get in to especially if you live in a humid area. If you allow to home to collect moisture, mold and mildew will be encouraged to grow. These substances let off gases and toxins in to the air that are very bad for you. They affect the respiratory system making it more difficult to breath. Most molds do very well at regular indoor room temperature but very few are able to grow at temperatures lower than 40 degrees Fahrenheit and higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Not that you want to live at these temperatures, but it gives you an idea of how prevalent mold can be.




3. Air Fresheners and candles
   It was mentioned earlier than one of the indoor air quality facts is that air fresheners and candles can be among the culprits that are ruining your air quality. Most air fresheners contain noxious chemicals that have been proven to disturb hormone balance in babies and children. They’ve always been known to induce infertility and make respiratory conditions like asthma worse. Candles are no better. Although they are nice and set a homey atmosphere, you need to be careful about which candles you buy. Many candles have benzene and toluene which are two common carcinogens but they also have hydrocarbons which is the same chemicals that are found in car exhaust. So, you may think you’re simply lighting a candle to make your home smell better but actually you are releasing a chemical similar to car exhaust into your breathing space.




4. Wood Smoke
   This includes campfires, fireplaces, wood burning ovens and wood burning grills. Studies have shown that breathing in wood smoke on a regular basis can actually slow down the immune system. If you often use wood for cooking, consider a different method for making your food as you could be inducing illness in yourself and your family. Dust and particles typically gather among wood before it is burnt and once it is lit the smoke carries it around the home, exacerbating respiratory conditions as well as lowering the immune system making it easier for everyone in the home to get sick and not be able to fight it off very well. A good fire once in awhile is not bad but get out of a daily habit of wood burning if you want to keep healthy.

These are just a few of the indoor air quality facts that could be listed. Try and improve your ventilation by cleaning your filters and dusting and vacuuming often in order to remove contaminants. Regular trips outside will also do wonders for you as will opening up the windows and doors for a little bit every day to air out the home.