Understanding Indoor Air Pollution and Its Effects

Indoor air quality can be compromised by sources like mold, tobacco smoke, household products, pesticides, and gases like radon and carbon monoxide. Even furnishings can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) over time.

Volatile Organic Compounds are not just in paint. They're emitted by electronics, air fresheners, and even dry-cleaned clothing. Long-term exposure to VOCs can affect health significantly, including causing organ damage and cancer.

Poor indoor air quality can lead to immediate effects like headaches and dizziness, as well as long-term consequences such as respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer. It can exacerbate asthma and allergy symptoms.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that you can't see, smell, or taste. It can infiltrate homes through cracks in floors and walls, and is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking.

Improving indoor air quality involves ventilation, controlling pollutant sources, and using air purifiers. Plants can absorb toxins, but you need a lot of them for a significant effect—about 10 plants per 100 square feet.

Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems can harbor and distribute microbes. Regular maintenance and cleaning of filters are crucial to prevent the spread of airborne diseases within buildings.

Climate change may worsen indoor air quality by increasing outdoor pollution, which can seep indoors, and by extending allergy seasons. Increased heat and humidity can also amplify the concentration of pollutants indoors.

Residue from tobacco smoke can cling to surfaces for months, releasing harmful chemicals and posing health risks long after smoking stops.