Importance of Good Indoor Air Quality

Importance of Good Indoor Air Quality

The quality of air that we breathe is very important to our health. Many people are suffering from different types of illnesses because of bad air quality. For instance, smokers have higher risk to suffer from lung cancer and other respiratory problems than people who are not smoking. However, people who can inhale the smoke of smokers also have the same risk so if possible, second hand smoke should be avoided.

Even if you are doing your best to be healthy, the air pollution outside our homes cannot be controlled. Vehicles and manufacturers are producing gases that are not healthy for the body. There are products that contribute to air pollution. Even if you do not have the control over the pollution outside, you have the power to maintain good air quality inside your home.

Air Purifiers for Good Indoor Air Quality

You go outside to work or meet with friends. Your children go to school. Even so, you spend most of your time at home. It is very important that the quality of air inside your premises is clean and good for the health. You may not be aware but there are millions of bacteria present in the air. Keeping good air quality indoors is not that hard. However, many people still forget about its importance.

Cleaning your furniture, linens and other things are not enough. You are probably thinking that cleaning what you see are enough but no. Where does all the dirt go? In your mop or wipes, but some of them are left in the air. Bacteria are everywhere and you cannot see them with bare eyes! Your children could be sneezing most of the time, and that is because of bad air quality.

Air purifiers are devices that are used to clean indoor air quality by simply filtering particulate matter such as pollen, gaseous pollutants, dust as well as unpleasant odors. Most air purifier devices have three layers of filters. First is the pre-filter which captures bigger particulates. Second is the carbon-activated middle filter for gaseous pollutants like hydrocarbons. Third is the innermost High Effiency Particulate Arrestance or HEPA which filters finer particulates.

There are many manufacturers that always add more benefits on their devices through the combination of other technologies. For instance, some companies are using photocatalytic oxidation or light-based triggers. Some are using electric processes which can emit negative ions in order to attract positively charged particulates. Some devices are using UV ray technology and ozone for filtration. The prices for these devices also depend on the technology applied, the type of filters used as well as the volume of air that the device can purify.

How Effective Air Purifiers Are?

Most of the air purifiers have monitors that can show the levels of particulate matter inside the house by 50 to 90 percent. Many international studies have shown that the particulate matter levels drop with particular machines. Air purifiers can reduce the concentration of pollutants which is good for health. This is great especially for people who are suffering from asthma or allergies as the amount of particulate present in the house is lessened.

For an air purifier to be effective, it should provide clean air to a home at a rate which exceeds the amount of pollution entering the home. However, the carbon filters to a little to control gaseous pollutants but do not address pollutants like benzene, hydrocarbons and NO2.

Air purifier has great benefits when used properly. Regular maintenance is required and the device should match the place that it needs to clean. Another practice that can boost the way of cleaning the indoor air quality is by decreasing the amount of pollutants inside your home. Not because you have air purifier does not mean that you can allow someone or yourself to smoke inside. It is important to ban smoking inside your house and eliminate odors by opening the windows for air exchange.

If you want your home to have good indoor air quality and at the same time, eco-friendly, you can get air purifying plants. This way, you have plant decorations inside your home as the plants also purify the air.