Did you know that the quality of air indoors, particularly in your own home, is even worse than that outside? An average human spends about 89% of their entire life indoors, and out of that, 69% is within our own homes. Since each individual breathes more than 11,000 liters of air (oxygen) everyday, it means that the quality of the indoor air needs a lot of consideration from your side.
Contributing Factors
So what exactly contributes to poor air quality within our homes? Let’s take a look at the major factors responsible.
• Second Hand Smoking – Not many individuals smoke, and those who do usually refrain from smoking inside due to the presence of children and other members of the family; however, there are a few who do smoke inside and this is quite concerning. The smoke from the cigarette contains many components which can cause serious and long term illnesses like heart and lung problems, including strokes and asthma. Many young children also develop serious ear infections as well.
• Particulates & Chemicals – Unfortunately, our entire household, including us, is surrounded by chemicals. These chemicals and particulates can be anywhere, from the paints on the wall, to the undusted and unclean pipes, vents, sewages, even in the cleaning solutions which we use to clean our house. These chemicals contain millions of particles which are very dangerous and quite volatile. Contrary to what one might expect, they don’t disperse outside either, sticking around and getting inhaled by us and our children.
• Radon – Radon is an extremely dangerous gas, being the 2nd major cause of lung cancer, right behind cigarettes (United States Survey). The worst thing about radon is the fact that it is a natural gas which can occur without any reason as it exists under the crust of the Earth and is common in rocks, soil, and in our water. This gas finds a way to get inside of the household through cracks in the foundation of the building, without us being aware.
• Bioaerosols – Mites, bacteria, mold, etc are all contributors to poor air quality, producing an immense amount of air pollution. It is important to keep the entire house well ventilated as mold is created through the presence of moisture, and once those spores are formed, it is almost next to impossible get rid of them.
• Combustion – Combustion is the deadly combination of very volatile gasses like nitrogen dioxide as well as carbon monoxide. These gases are the byproducts of fireplaces, wooden stoves, dryers, etc.
The Solution
The solution is fairly simple. These factors are all contributors to poor air quality; however, if there was a proper ventilation and air purification devices, like cold plasma units, within the residential household, these problems can be significantly reduced.