Indoor Air Quality
Homes
Considering we spend up to 90% of our time indoors, our homes should be safe and comforting places, not a potential sources of illness. Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) at home can be a real problem in both new and older homes. New carpet, fabrics, and building materials in new homes can be sources of IAQ contaminants. Older homes can have a build up of dust, mould, and moisture problems that can cause sickness or exacerbate respiratory illnesses and allergies.
Poor IAQ problems at home can be a result of a number of common and unsuspected sources. Tobacco smoke, oil furnaces, wood stoves, gas stoves and ovens, and cleaning solvents are common suspects for releasing harmful pollutants in the air at home. However, moisture, fabrics, building materials, dust, plants, and even the family pet (sorry, Rover) are potential sources of IAQ problems.
The good news is that you can do something to improve the IAQ in your home. If you think that the air you breathe may be unhealthy, download the Lung Association's Healthy Home Audit and series of fact sheets, or contact the Lung Association.
Fact Sheets:
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