Would you believe the air inside the average home is dirtier than the air outside? It's full of biological pollutants, gases and particulates that can - and do - impact your family's health.
This is a huge problem since we all spend most of our time inside - in our offices, schools or homes. Houses have become much more airtight over the years, and forced-air heating and cooling systems recirculate dust particles, pollutants and bacteria.
Biological pollutants
The air you breathe is full of living organisms such as mould and mould spores, pet dander, bacteria, viruses, dust mites (and their waste). These pollutants need two things to grow: food and moisture, and there is plenty of both in every home. Household dust is 90 per cent sloughed-off skin - a feast for dust mites.
Showers, laundry, cooking, air humidifiers, condensation and leaks from the outside all produce the kind of indoor moisture that mould needs to grow. When it does, it releases spores into the air. These are small enough to breathe in, and they will aggravate allergies and asthma.
Off-gassing
Many things in your house release chemicals and VOCs (volatile organic compounds): furniture, carpets, synthetic fabrics, cabinets, paint, wallpapers, cleaning products, glues and some cosmetics.
Some older building materials can emit toxic dust into your home. Insulation or drywall compound that contains asbestos, as well as paint that contains lead, can release dust particles.
Products you use every day in your house can adversely affect indoor air quality. They include household cleaners and air fresheners, perfume and pesticides, glues and tobacco smoke. Appliances and fireplaces give off gasses as well as particles.
Too much humidity
If you keep your house too humid, you will encourage the growth of dust mites and mould. You need to control moisture levels - exhaust fans that vent to the outside are essential in your bathrooms and kitchen. Because of the way we build houses now, your basement is probably not insulated properly. If you don't have a proper thermal break on your basement walls, you'll need to run a dehumidifier, especially in muggy summer weather. Insulate cold-water pipes and toilet tanks so condensation doesn't form.
Clear the air
Get rid of the source of the contaminants. Clean up mould. Don't store any chemicals or solvents in your home. Make sure you keep your stove, water heater, furnace, fireplace, woodstove and chimney properly maintained and inspected. And clean your furnace ducts every year; hire a company that uses a camera and scope to view the ducts before and after.
Ventilation
Make sure there's a sufficient air exchange rate in your home. This will help control humidity and get rid of some chemical pollutants. Poor ventilation contributes to higher humidity levels and leads to condensation. If your home is too airtight, you'll have poor air quality. So open windows, or install a high-quality exhaust fan.
Filtration
Your furnace has a filter on it that traps some particulates in the air; change it often. I recommend you have an air cleaner installed by a specialist in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). Get a unit with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter, which will remove biological contaminants and airborne particles. Some models also contain activated carbon filters that absorb odours, chemicals and VOCs. Others have UVC induct units that can be mounted to your HVAC system. These use ultraviolet light to sterilize and kill 99 per cent of the bacteria and viruses.
Mike Holmes is the host of Holmes on Homes on HGTV. E-mail Mike at mikeholmes@holmesonhomes.com or go to http://www.holmesonhomes.com
