Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Poor indoor air quality is an ‘invisible epidemic’

Indoor air pollution can cause headaches, fatigue, depression and more symptoms

Headaches and other symptoms may be
related to poor indoor air quality.
No matter where we are and what we do, we need to breathe. But the indoor air quality in many homes and workplaces can be full of chemicals, gases, odors, particles, dust, allergens, mold spores, bacteria, viruses and more.

The number of people that react to these indoor air pollutants is growing steadily.

While headaches, respiratory issues, fatigue and depression belong to the most immediate symptoms, research has shown that long-term effects from exposure to toxins include heart disease, respiratory disease, reproductive disorders, sterility and cancer.

The four most common sources of indoor air pollution are
  1. Pressed wood products (formaldehyde fumes)
  2. Carpets (volatile organic compounds from glues and dyes)
  3. Paints (VOCs like formaldehyde and benzene)
  4. Furnishings with flame-retardants, like mattresses, upholstery, drapes, curtains;

For better indoor air quality, experts recommend source control (choosing the least toxic and healthiest options and products), ventilation and air cleaning.

According to Dr. Mercola in an article for Food Consumer, an air purifier is the most effective way to improve your indoor air quality, after fixing the problems that may contribute to poor IAQ.

However, his list of air filtration technologies was missing activated carbon, one of the most important filters when it comes to harmful indoor air pollutants.

Activated carbon is a safe, affordable and highly effective filter media for the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), gases and odors. Make sure you get an air purifier with many pounds of granular activated carbon, since thin spray-on or mesh carbon filters won’t do the job.

With activated carbon, you need a large internal surface area where gaseous pollutant will get trapped – that is why more carbon is better and will last longer.

AllerAir air purifiers combine activated carbon plus HEPA filter technology to remove both chemical pollutants as well as particulate matter (up to 99.97% of all particles at 0.3 microns, in fact), and many air purifiers can also accommodate a UV lamp for extra protection against bacteria, viruses and molds.

Contact AllerAir for more information and options!