| We breathe ten to twenty thousand liters of air | | | | added toxins like flame retardants and stain |
| per day, so if toxins are contained in that air, we | | | | resistant chemicals in carpets, clothes and |
| inhale them along with the air. Indoor air pollution | | | | furnishings |
| comes from home building materials, paints, | | | | - Gas appliances and heaters |
| carpets, furniture, bedding and mattresses, | | | | - Building materials and furnishings made from |
| cleaning products, plastics, etc. It also comes from | | | | formaldehyde and other toxins |
| contaminated outside air that gets in your house, | | | | You can also reduce indoor air pollution by |
| even with the doors and windows shut. Slowly | | | | increasing ventilation. In good weather, keep your |
| replacing toxic products and home building | | | | windows open as much as possible and use fans |
| materials with more natural products, along with | | | | to increase air flow. In the winter, you may want |
| an air purifier or air filter can make a big | | | | to consider an air-to-air heat exchanger (for more |
| difference in reducing the amount of toxins you | | | | info, contact a local HVAC contractor, who can be |
| breathe on a daily basis. | | | | found in the yellow pages under Heating, |
| Indoor Air Pollution More of a Problem | | | | Ventilation or Air Conditioning). Houseplants such |
| Indoor air pollution in offices and homes is | | | | as aloe vera, elephant ear philodendron and English |
| becoming more and more of a recognized | | | | ivy can also help to clean the air. |
| problem, for a couple reasons. One, we seal our | | | | Air Purifiers Can Help Clean Your Air |
| buildings up tighter than we used to in order to | | | | Although the best way to reduce your exposure |
| increase energy efficiency, and two, we are filling | | | | to these chemicals is to remove them from your |
| them up with more and more toxic products that | | | | home, most people are unable because of high |
| get in our air. In some homes, indoor air pollution is | | | | costs to remove enough of the products that |
| 100 times higher than outdoors! Cheaper goods | | | | emit toxic gases from their home, and are |
| from places like China often come with a cost to | | | | continually breathing in chemicals, particulate |
| our long-term health. | | | | matter, and more. Air purifiers are not just for |
| Ways to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution | | | | people who are sensitive to pollen or chemicals, |
| You can reduce indoor air pollution by removing as | | | | even though it can help them immensely. Unless |
| much as possible the following types of products | | | | you live in a pristine home and outdoor air |
| from your home: | | | | environment, we can all benefit for adding a high |
| - Artificially scented beauty and personal care | | | | quality air purifier to our home. When looking at |
| products and candles | | | | different air purifier or air filter models, you need |
| - Cleaning products made from synthetic | | | | to keep in mind which pollutants you want to |
| chemicals | | | | remove from the air, how effective the air filter |
| - Air fresheners (which only add more chemicals | | | | is at removing these pollutants, how big of an |
| to cover up smells) | | | | area you want to clean, how much noise the filter |
| - Plastics | | | | makes, and what you need to do to maintain the |
| - Pesticides | | | | filter. |
| - Synthetic fibers, fabrics and materials, as well as | | | | Copyright 2008 Karen Pijuan. |