Indoor Air Quality Concerns

All of us face a variety of risks to our health as we go about our day-to-day lives. Driving in cars, flying in planes, engaging in recreational activities, and being exposed to environmental pollutants all pose varying degrees of risk.

Some risks are simply unavoidable. Some we choose to accept because to do otherwise would restrict our ability to lead our lives the way we want. And some are risks we might decide to avoid if we had the opportunity to make informed choices. Indoor air pollution is one risk that you can do something about.

In the last several years, a growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities. Other research indicates that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors. Thus, for many people, the risks to health may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors.

In addition, people who may be exposed to indoor air pollutants for the longest periods of time are often those most susceptible to the effects of indoor air pollution. Such groups include the young, the elderly, and the chronically ill, especially those suffering from respiratory or cardiovascular disease.

How Does Outdoor Air Enter a House?

Outdoor air enters and leaves a house by: infiltration, natural ventilation, and mechanical

ventilation. In a process known as infiltration, outdoor air flows into the house through openings, joints, and cracks in walls, floors, and ceilings, and around windows and doors.

In natural ventilation, air moves through opened windows and doors. Air movement associated with infiltration and natural ventilation is caused by air temperature differences between indoors and outdoors and by wind.

Finally, there are a number of mechanical ventilation devices, from outdoor-vented fans that intermittently remove air from a single room, such as bathrooms and kitchen, to air handling systems that use fans and duct work to continuously remove indoor air and distribute filtered and conditioned outdoor air to strategic points throughout the house.

The rate at which outdoor air replaces indoor air is described as the air exchange rate. When there is little infiltration, natural ventilation, or mechanical ventilation, the air exchange rate is low and pollutant levels can increase.

Indoor Air and Your Health

Health effects from indoor air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years later.

Immediate effects may show up after a single exposure or repeated exposures. These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Such immediate effects are usually short-term and treatable. Sometimes the treatment is simply eliminating the person's exposure to the source of the pollution, if it can be identified. Symptoms of some diseases, including asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and humidifier fever, may also show up soon after exposure to some indoor air pollutants.

The likelihood of immediate reactions to indoor air pollutants depends on several factors. Age and preexisting medical conditions are two important influences. In other cases, whether a person reacts to a pollutant depends on individual sensitivity, which varies tremendously from person to person. Some people can become sensitized to biological pollutants after repeated exposures, and it appears that some people can become sensitized to chemical pollutants as well.

Certain immediate effects are similar to those from colds or other viral diseases, so it is often difficult to determine if the symptoms are a result of exposure to indoor air pollution. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the time and place the symptoms occur.

If the symptoms fade or go away when a person is away from the home and return when the person returns, an effort should be made to identify indoor air sources that may be possible causes.

Some effects may be made worse by an inadequate supply of outdoor air or from the heating, cooling, or humidity conditions prevalent in the home.

Other health effects may show up either years after exposure has occurred or only after long or repeated periods of exposure. These effects, which include some respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer, can be severely debilitating or fatal.

It is prudent to try to improve the indoor air quality in your home even if symptoms are not noticeable.

While pollutants commonly found in indoor air are responsible for many harmful effects, there is considerable uncertainty about what concentrations or periods of exposure are necessary to produce specific health problems. People also react very differently to exposure to indoor air pollutants. Further research is needed to better understand which health effects occur after exposure to the average pollutant concentrations found in homes and which occur from the higher concentrations that occur for short periods of time.

Natural Air Refresheners

Sometimes when you enter a room, the smell that hits you makes you wrinkle your nose, or you are expecting guests and you want to get rid of food odors! Spraying air fresheners is just a temporary measure of refreshing the place. There are also plug-in refresheners – another temporary measure.

However, here are some natural ways to have an odour-free and clean house, without being the least embarrassed of unexpected guests.

  Vinegar is an inexpensive, effective deodorizer. To get rid of unpleasant odors (like cigarette smoke), pour 1/2 cup of vinegar in each of several containers and place them around the room.

 To eliminate the scent of cabbage or other disagreeable odors wafting through the kitchen, simmer cinnamon sticks or cloves in a pot of water. Or boil 3 tablespoons of vinegar in 1 cup of water.

 Rid your hands of fish odor by washing them with vinegar, then rinsing them with water.

 Lingering odor on your plastic or wood cutting board? Cover the board with a paste of baking soda and water and let it set for 15 to 30 minutes. Remove the paste with hot soapy water - and as a final step, rub the entire board with a little lemon juice.

 Oven cleaners tend to leave behind a strong chemical scent. To freshen the air (and your oven), place orange peels in the oven and bake them for l5 minutes at 300 degrees. Or do the same with a whole unpeeled lemon. After baking, leave the oven door slightly ajar, and take care not to touch the fruit until it has completely cooled.

 Sour microwave smells are easily eliminated. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to 2 cups of water and microwave the solution on high power for 10 minutes. Leave the lemon water in the microwave for another 10 minutes, and then wipe down the microwave walls with a clean cloth dipped in a bit of the mixture. Repeat if necessary.

 For simple fridge fresheners, cotton balls soaked in vanilla, or an open container of coffee grounds (even used coffee grounds!), do the trick.

 The ultimate litter box deodorizer? For every 5 pounds of litter, add 2 teaspoons dried mint and 1 cup baking soda.

How Well do You Know the Air You Breathe at Home?

by Dimitri Svolos

A basic understanding of indoor air quality

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)? Multiple Chemical Sensitivities )MCS)? Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)? Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDP's)? Radon? These are terms found only in obscure college chemistry texts, right? Well, not any more!

Recent studies (both governmental and independent) show a dramatic increase of harmful airborne pollutants in our homes.
Consequently, a number of medical conditions (including cancer) can easily be attributed to this gradual deterioration of our Indoor Air Quality (IAQ).

Some questions to ponder:

What do we (and the ones we love) breathe at home, in other
words, how well do we know the air we breathe?

What can we do to improve our indoor air quality?


Here is list of how far down the "rabbit hole" poor indoor air quality can take you and your family:

1. Dryness and irritation of eyes, nose and skin

2. Headaches

3. Fatigue

4. Shortness of Breath

5. Sinus congestion

6. Coughing and sneezing

7. Dizziness

8. Nausea

9. Asthma

10. Allergic reactions

11. Toxic shock

12. Lang disease

13. Cancer

According to the National Lung Association (NLA), lung disease claims close to 335,000 lives every year in America, making it the third leading cause of death in the U.S. So, what is causing this disease?


a) Carbon Oxides(CO,CO2)-Nitrogen Oxide (NOx)- Tobacco Smoke, Perfumes and Body Odors:

Heating systems and other appliances (stoves, furnaces, heaters, water heaters, dryers etc.) that use fossil fuel (gas, fuel or wood) can produce several combustion products. Carbon oxides interfere with the oxygen in our body. At low levels they can produce fatigue, confusion, nausea and dizziness. Prolonged exposure to Nitrogen Oxides can lead to chronic bronchitis.

b) Radon:

Radon is a naturally occurring gas that can permeate into our homes through cracks in the foundation, floor, walls and drains. The National Research Council reports that it is the second leading cause of lung cancer (15,000 to 20,000 deaths per year).

c) Dust:

Researchers found that flame retardants (Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers) in the dust in American homes are 10 times higher than anywhere in Europe. The Deca Brominated Diphenyl Ether form is especially toxic as it accumulates in the body. For that reason, it is a potent carcinogen. PBDEs are also found in carpets, drapers, auto interiors, hair dryers, computers and television sets.

d) Chloroform:

Chlorinated hot water in the kitchen sink, washing machine, dish water and shower can release chloroform, a known carcinogen

e) VOC's:

Studies have repeatedly shown that computers release up to 47 chemicals in the form of gases, including toxic hydrocarbons from adhesives. In addition, engineered woods such as plywood, fiberboard and strand board contain adhesives that emit hydrocarbons.

f) Carcinogens:

Environment Science and Technology recently published a study that shows that the average American house contains 20 banned substances like PCB and DDT. PolyCarbonatedByphenols (PCBs) are ingredients in disinfectants, detergents and adhesives.

g) Organic Matte:

Indoor air in also laden with fungi, molds, bacteria and other microbial contaminants from damp areas, stagnant waters, carpets and other fabric. Allergens from pet hair and pollen are present as well.


The list can be really long... Over the past 10 years poor indoor air quality has become one of the leading causes of disease in the United States. Since we spend 90% of our time indoors (according to the U.S. census) it is very important to understand that taking measures to reduce or eliminate indoor air pollution can dramatically increase quality of life. Here is a quick list of action steps:

Eliminate or reduce chemical usage in your homes.

Used ionized water and decloronation caps in your showers

Use organic/ natural cleaners whenever possible

When possible use natural wood

Eliminate smoking

Ensure adequate house ventilation

Get an air purifier


Remember the solution to each problem starts with acknowledgement and the first small step.


DISCLAIMER: The information in this article is intended for educational purposes only. The author of this article is not a medically trained physician; therefore, any theories or suggestions put forward are intended to supplement and not replace the advice of medically or legally trained professionals. All matters concerning your health require medical supervision. Please ensure that you consult your doctor prior to adopting any suggestions put forward by the author, as well as about any condition that may require medical diagnosis or medical attention. The author is not responsible in any manner whatsoever for any injury sustained either directly or indirectly from information put forward in this article.


About the author:
Dimitri Svolos is Chemical Engineer that has spent years working as a process and controls optimizer for various manufacturing sectors. His website www.e-smartliving.com/Air_Purifiers.html