Indoor Air Quality

Indoor Air Quality

The Environmental Protection Agency has identified indoor air quality as one of the top five most urgent environmental risks to public health.

The bad news…..we spend 90% of our time in our sealed up tight homes, and indoor pollutants are 1000 times more likely to reach your lungs than pollutants outdoors; and how many homes today have 25 to 100 times more pollutants in them than polluted outdoor air. But now it’s time for the good news…..you can do something to protect you and your family! And it won’t cost a lot of money or time. The key is to be informed.

Combat Indoor Air Quality

According the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) there are 3 things you can be doing to combat the problem of unhealthy indoor air. Here they are…

#1: Source Control. This simply means get to the source of the pollution and either contain it or eliminate it. This could be as simple as adjusting a gas stove to reduce emissions. Adjustments like these are usually the most effective and cost efficient ways to improve your indoor air quality.

#2: Ventilation. A second way to improve your indoor air quality is to bring some of the outdoor air in. Today most homes have forced air heating systems and do not bring fresh air into the home. However, simply opening windows or doors, or operating window fans or a/c units with fresh air vents can bring in some fresh air. But, keep in mind all this ventilation will make your home less energy efficient. Also, the EPA emphasizes it is especially important to take as many of these steps as possible while you are involved in short-term activities that can generate high levels of pollutants – i.e. painting, paint stripping, heating with kerosene heaters, or engaging in maintenance and hobby activities such as welding, or sanding.

#3: Air Cleaners. When choosing an air cleaner do your research! There are a lot of different ones on the market and some of them don’t do much to improve air quality. Things to look for are: how well it collects pollutants from indoor air (look for a percentage efficiency rate) and how much air it draws through the cleaning or filtering element (look for cubic feet per minute). Also, look for what it removes. Most air cleaners will claim to remove the usual allergens, but the higher end ones will also remove viruses, and VOC’s. (Toxic off gasses.)

The EPA also had this to say, “Keep the house clean. House dust mites, pollens, animal dander, and other allergy-causing agents can be reduced, although not eliminated, through regular cleaning.” And also, “…carpet owners should follow the manufacturer's instructions for proper carpet maintenance.”

Remember, your carpet is like a big filter. It traps pollutants and when it gets full it redistributes them back into the air with every step you take. If it’s been more than 6-12 months since you had your carpets cleaned your “filter” (carpet) is probably full. If you want to take steps toward healthier indoor air then call Sean's Carpet Care, a Portland Professional Carpet Cleaner. 503-922-4875 / 360-901-8686 right now.