When the world was hit with COVID back in 2020, we learned this virus is almost exclusively transmitted through the air indoors. Cleaner indoor air has other benefits besides reducing COVID risk. Influenza and other respiratory viruses also spread through the air and cause a huge amount of illness. Plus, studies have shown that poor ventilation has all kinds of other health effects, like “sick building syndrome”.
We spend 90 percent of our lives indoors, and we rarely think about air quality in our homes. It’s fall in North America and Europe. For energy conservation, most of us have made improvements to prevent air leaks in our homes this winter. Furnishings, upholstery, synthetic building materials, and cleaning products in homes and offices can emit a variety of toxic compounds. While you can take steps to minimize them, one of the most prevalent chemicals in your home isn’t easy to get rid of. Formaldehyde, a volatile organic compound that’s emitted in low levels by a variety of household building products and furniture, may cause cancer in humans and has been known to trigger asthma attacks and allergic reactions when present in high levels. Indoor air pollution can also be caused by pollen, bacteria, and molds, as well as outdoor air contaminants like car exhaust . All of these are made worse in small or poorly ventilated spaces. What are the things that we need to do to improve the air quality in our homes?
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