Indoor Air Quality Savings: More Important Than Ever Before

Most adults now spend over 90% of their lives indoors. On average, children spend over 75% of their time indoors whether it is in the classroom, watching television, playing video games or spending time on the internet. When children do go outside, it tends to be for scheduled events that are held under the watch of adults and for a controlled period of time. A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that in a typical week, only 6% of children play outdoors on their own.

Adults and children alike are now subjected to poor indoor air quality at alarming levels which can cause or contribute to chronic respiratory diseases, headaches, dry eyes, congestion, nausea and fatique. The EPA now lists indoor air quality as one of the top environmental risks. Studies have shown that indoor air can often be 2 – 5 times worse than outdoor.

Indoor Air Quality can be affect by particulate matter and gaseous pollutants. Particulate matter includes dust, pollen, animal dander and particles associated with tiny organisms such as dust mites, mold, bacteria and viruses. Gaseous pollutants come from combustion processes. Sources include gas cooking stoves, vehicle exhaust and tobacco smoke. They also come from building materials, home furnishings and the use of adhesives, paints, varnishes, cleaning products and pesticides. Because newer homes are built tighter to save on energy costs, it tends to bottle-up the contaminants that are generated every day through our normal living habits.

In a recent survey, 70% of those polled believed that air purifiers or high efficiency cleaners can actually improve health and quality of life.