Keep Your Home's Air Clean for Your Family's Health

While Americans spend an estimated 90 percent of their time indoors, the majority of the public does not realize that the air in their homes can contribute to health problems, particularly during peak summer months when ozone pollution is at its highest, according to the American Lung Association.

Poor Indoor Air Quality Can Affect Your Health

"Indoor air pollutants like pollen, pet dander, dust mites, cockroaches, and tobacco and cooking smoke particles can cause asthma attacks, as well as itchy eyes, sneezing and runny nose. Radon and tobacco smoke can cause even more dangerous health effects, including lung cancer.", said John L. Kirkwood, President and CEO of the American Lung Association in a news release. "Keeping the air in your home clean is particularly important for people with asthma or allergies, but the quality of indoor air is something all Americans should be concerned about."

Poor indoor air quality can cause or contribute to the development of or worsen chronic lung diseases such as lung cancer or asthma. In addition, it can cause headaches, dry eyes, nasal congestion, nausea and fatigue. People who already have respiratory diseases are at greater risk for problems caused by poor indoor air quality.

Strategies for Reducing Indoor Air Pollution

The American Lung Association recommends these strategies for reducing indoor air pollution:

Control the Source

Reduce or remove as many asthma or allergy triggers from your home as possible; pay attention to dust mites, controlling them especially in the bedroom; keep pets outside whenever possible; wash all bedding weekly in hot water; do not allow anyone to smoke indoors.

Ventilate

Keep the windows open as often as possible to allow air to circulate. When the temperature, pollution index or pollen count are high, use an air conditioner to allow the windows and doors to stay closed while air circulates. Test your home for radon and, if present in high levels, add ventilation to remove it.

Filter the Air

This can be done several ways, such as by using an air purifier with high-efficiency (HEPA) filters that meet the American Lung Association Health House Guidelines to help capture airborne particles and common household allergens, such as pollen, pet dander, dust and mold spores that pass through the air.

Source: American Lung Association News Release
June 16, 2004