Whats in Your Air? Integrative Considerations for Home Air Quality

Most pay very little attention to the air in their homes well… because its air and we can’t see it. We often don’t even notice smells in our homes because we become desensitized to it until someone from outside our home makes a comment about the way it smells (hopefully good). While it may have been some time since you thought about the air quality of your home, we encourage you to do so. We spend a significant amount of time—now more than ever—in our homes and the quality of our air can have major implications on our health ranging from respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic symptoms of mold exposure. For this reason, we are going to review some considerations to take when assessing your home’s air quality.

What is in your air?

To start, you must know what is in your home air. This varies from home to home and depends on your environment, but the most common home air pollutants are dust mites, pet dander, mold, smoke, radon and carbon monoxide. Both radon and carbon monoxide are extremely toxic, therefore we recommend having carbon monoxide and radon alarms set up in your home.

Another factor to consider is the location of your home. Do you live near any factories that may be emitting pollution? These could be entering your home air. A good HEPA air purifier can filter small particulate matter typically down to 0.3 microns. Gases and odors are too small to be trapped in a HEPA filter so try and look for a HEPA filter that also includes activated charcoal. Most HEPA filters do come with it. Cleaning your home frequently will also prevent build up of dust mites and dander. We recommend washing bedsheets and vacuuming weekly. While cleaning, it is important to wear a mask to prevent breathing in fumes from chemical cleaning supplies. We will cover safe household alternatives in a future blog.

Also consider how much water is in your air (humidity). A good range is between 40-60% humidity. Too high or too low creates breeding conditions for mold, bacteria, and viruses. Hygrometers measure humidity and are very cheap to buy if you’re curious about your humidity levels. In depth air quality testing is available from specialty testing companies.

How much air flow do you have?

Another factor to consider is how often your air moves. Most of us know what stale, stuffy air smells like and it is not pleasant. If you don’t know, consider yourself lucky. Proper ventilation is a key factor in keeping your air quality healthy and frequent ventilation is best. Take note of how many windows you have in your house or apartment, where air vents are located, and if your bathroom has a window or fan. We recommend opening up windows on a sunny day to get fresh, outdoor air moving in (as long as outdoor air quality is safe). Do you know when the last time your air ducts were cleaned. If you don’t, it is probably time to have them cleaned. While air heating and cooling is great for moving air, it is not great if its blowing dust all over your house. Lastly, making sure your bathrooms have good airflow helps prevent mold. While a steamy shower feels great, the increased humidity is perfect breeding grounds for mold.

PIM wants to know, do you have an experience with keeping your home air quality healthy ? Do you find this article helpful? Share your thoughts in the comments below or on our Facebook and Instagram!

If you or your loved one needs help, perhaps you are suffering from the effects of ongoing stress, mood or hormone imbalance, including thyroid imbalance, or you or they are already working with a doctor to address a condition but want a more comprehensive, empowering approach to medicine? Schedule a 20 minute free consultation or an appointment with Zoie Phillips, MSPA, PA-C or Lynda Sherland, CRNP, FNP-C today! Not quite ready to schedule and have questions? Quickly get in touch with us today!

Sources:

https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/air-pollution/index.cfm

https://www.epa.gov/report-environment/indoor-air-quality#:~:text=Health%20effects%20associated%20with%20indoor,%2C%20heart%20disease%2C%20and%20cancer.

IFM Toolkit: HEPA Air Purifiers. Version 3. 2020.

IFM Toolkit: Dust Mites Protocol. Version 2. 2020.