February Is National Care About Your Indoor Air Month

February is National Care About Your Indoor Air Month, which makes this a great time to talk about the importance of indoor air quality testing. But you really should care about the indoor air quality of your home and workplace as well as your child’s school every day of the year.

“Over the last several decades concern over indoor air quality has grown and with good reason,” the folks at the National Air Duct Cleaners Association say. “On average, Americans spend 90 percent of their time indoors where, according to the EPA, the air can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air.

Yes, you read that right – the air you breathe inside your home can be more hazardous to your health than the air you breathe in the great outdoors.

Most people think car fumes and the smoke billowing out of factory smokestacks are the biggest drivers of air pollution, but you probably have products inside your home that are releasing volatile organic compounds into the air.

“Things like burning candles, spraying hair spray, and using cleaning products can negatively impact your indoor air quality. Over time these contaminants, plus dust, dirt, and pet dander, can build up inside your air ducts where they can be recirculated through the air 5 – 7 times per day,” officials at the National Air Duct Cleaners Association say.

Threats To Your Indoor Air Quality

To protect yourself and your family from indoor contaminants, it is best to understand what the threats are. As the experts at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency say, “Understanding and controlling common pollutants indoors can help reduce your risk of indoor health concerns.”

According to the experts at the EPA, the primary causes of indoor air problems include:

• Building materials and furnishings, such as flooring, upholstery or carpet as well as kitchen or bathroom cabinets and furniture made of certain pressed wood products
• Paints, resins, paint thinners and other chemicals
• Cleaning products
• Mold
• Certain personal care products
• Supplies related to particular hobbies
• Excess moisture
• Inadequate ventilation
• Radon
• Pesticides
• If you live in an older home, insulation made with asbestos may be a concern
• Smoking cigarettes or other tobacco products

If you have concerns about the air your family is breathing – at home, at school or at work –contact the indoor air quality testing experts at AirMD! From asbestos testing and mold inspections to volatile organic compound testing and comprehensive wellness testing, our services will allow you to breathe easy!