Indoor Air Pollution

With a background of working with respiratory disorders, I have found that issues within the persons home can aggravate their particular problem.  Often overlooked because it can't be seen is the quality of air within the home. 

The EPA has said that a "growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities.  Thus, for many people, the risks to health may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors."

Reasons for increased levels of pollution within the home come from "iinadequate ventilation by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the home.  High temperature and humidity levels can also increase concentrations of some pollutants."

Sources for indoor pollution come from combustion sources such as oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, and tobacco products; building materials and furnishings, wet or damp carpet, and cabinetry or furniture made of certain pressed wood products; products for household cleaning and maintenance, personal care, or hobbies; central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices; and outdoor sources such as radon, pesticides, and outdoor air pollution.

"If too little outdoor air enters a home, pollutants can accumulate to levels that can pose health and comfort problems. Unless they are built with special mechanical means of ventilation, homes that are designed and constructed to minimize the amount of outdoor air that can "leak" into and out of the home may have higher pollutant levels than other homes."

"There are a number of mechanical ventilation devices, from outdoor-vented fans that intermittently remove air from a single room, such as bathrooms and kitchen, to air handling systems that use fans and duct work to continuously remove indoor air and distribute filtered and conditioned outdoor air to strategic points throughout the house. The rate at which outdoor air replaces indoor air is described as the air exchange rate. When there is little infiltration, natural ventilation, or mechanical ventilation, the air exchange rate is low and pollutant levels can increase."

 

And as polluted air is often heavier than room air it tends to fall and accumulate in the lowest area of the home;  the basement or crawl space.  And most basements and crawl spaces are the least well ventilated areas in the home.  To improve the air exchange rate in the basement or crawl space, some form of mechanical ventilation should be considered to expel the pollutants to the outside.  Mechanical ventilation will improve not only the air quality but the quality of life for the homeowner.

Comments

[phoenix air conditioning]

Difficult for some people to get a lot of outside air in, though, and still maintain nice temperatures. Sad, but true.