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Many people don't believe that the air in their home is more polluted than the air outside. If you own a pet, have someone in your household that smokes or there is pollen in the air, the air in your home can subject you to a whole host of health problems. Add to that the chemicals we are using to clean our homes and the volatile fumes that are being given off by many of the products that we have in our homes, it's no wonder the air in our homes is so bad for our health.
This article deals with some of the leading misconceptions about the air in our home.
1. With the increase in industry, automobiles, trucks and air traffic you would think that the air is more polluted outside your home than it is inside your home. Nothing could be further from the truth. Research has shown that indoor air is from 20-50% more polluted that the air outside your home. This polluted air is linked to the reason that cases of asthma and allergies is on the rise, especially in children.
2. The amount of air we breathe in varies with the activity we are doing, our age and a host of other factors. But by breathing 12-18 times a minute times for twenty four hours, and on average taking in a half a liter of air each time, it doesn't take a mathematician to figure out how much air we are breathing in a day. In the average home, indoor air contains about 50 million particles of pollutants in each breath we take. In a smoker's home, that figure skyrockets to 50 billion particles per breath. This is why smokers and those people exposed to second hand smoke are at risk for lung and other respiratory diseases. It is certainly recommended that you quit smoking or at least make it a habit not to smoke in your home, especially if you have children in the home.
3. In generations past, a good deal of the time spent by people was outdoors. With the advent of the computer and television, more and more people are spending less and less time outdoors. With more consumer products available, we are accumulating more possessions and many people spend less time giving their homes a really thorough cleaning. In addition, with the advent of air-conditioning, there are more and more people who never open a window to give their home some fresh air.
4. The invention of the vacuum cleaner has made it a bit easier to clean your home, but many vacuum cleaners clean up the dirt, but expel fine dust particles back into the air. Advanced filter systems such as the HEPA filters, in modern vacuum cleaners have reduced the amount of pollutants that are being kicked back into the air. Maintaining your vacuum cleaner is very important in order to prevent it from causing more harm than good. Always follow the manufacturers recommendation when it comes to filter changes and if you are susceptible to allergies,
5. Many of the cleaning products we are using give off a toxic mixture of fumes when they are used. Oven cleaners, chlorine bleach, ammonia, floor cleaners, aerosol sprays, and air freshers are only some of the products that degrade the air in our homes.Many of these products use perfumes to mask the smell of the chemicals they use. These perfumes are just as bad as the products that use them. Switching to earth friendly products, or making your own cleaning products using natural ingredients will help clear the air so to speak.
6. Plastic, foam rubber, clothing, paints and many more of the most common things we use in our homes give off volatile organic compounds VOCs. These VOCs can be given off the product for years. Trying to eliminate the use of these products at every opportunity you can for a safer, healthier home
Becoming an educated consumer is the first step you need to take in order to "go green". Going green isn't just ay less toxic product we buy helps. Improving the air in your home is just one of the benefits of going green. fad, it a way of life that we must all adapt if we plan on saving the planet.
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