When we think about air pollution, we usually picture the smog from cars or factories outside. However, indoor air pollution is actually a bigger threat that we often ignore.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, causing more than 1.6 million deaths annually. Common sources of indoor air pollution include chemicals from household products, gas appliances, furniture, and tobacco smoke, which can lead to serious health issues like eye and throat irritation, respiratory problems, headaches, fatigue, and even cancer.
This article will take a deep look at indoor air pollution and offer several tips on how to reduce indoor air pollution and improve indoor air quality.
What is Air Pollution?
Air pollution refers to the presence of harmful substances in the air, which can be gases, particles, or even biomolecules. If exposed to poor air quality for a long time, these harmful stuff can get deep into lungs and enter bloodsteam, causing serious damage to lungs, heart, and brain.
Air pollution has become one of the major environmental threats to global public health, leading to millions of premature deaths each year, especially among poorer folks in low- and middle-income countries who often rely on sold fuels or kerosene for cooking. If we don’t address air pollution, it could hit vulnerable groups like women, children, and the elderly the hardest.
What Causes Indoor Air Pollution?
Indoor air pollution comes from various everyday sources, and poor ventilation can trap these harmful substances inside. Common culprits include:
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Paints, cleaning products, air fresheners, and even even new furniture can release chemicals like formaldehyde.
- Pesticides and herbicides
- Combustion pollutants from cooking, smoking, and emissions from stoves, fireplaces, and heating systems can introduce harmful gases like carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.
- Biological pollutants such as mold, dust mites, pet dander, and bacteria can lead to allergies and respiratory issues.
- Outdoor pollutants. If home ventilation system isn’t properly filtered, outdoor air pollutants can enter and worsen indoor air quality.
How to Monitor Indoor Air Quality?
Monitoring indoor air quality is essential for spotting air pollution levels and knowing when to take action. Unfortunately, there’s no straightforward way to track indoor air pollution without investing in a specific device. An indoor air quality monitor is specifically designed for this purpose. Different devices can detect different data points like VOCs, particulate matter, and carbon dioxide, so just choose the one that fits your needs.
If you’re unsure about which one to go for, the INKBIRD IAQM-129-W is a solid option, which delivers 10 types of real-time data, including CO2, TVOC, HCHO, AQI, PM2.5, PM10, temperature, humidity, and even the time and date. Plus, it will alert you if any readings go above your set limits. While not everyone may find an indoor air quality monitor necessary, it can alert you when air quality goes bad, prompting you to take action.
If you already have an air quality monitor, but it doesn’t track humidity, getting a hygrometer is a smart move. High humidity can lead to mold growth and dust mites, which aren’t good for your health. If you find your house humidity levels are too high, you might want to check out this tutorial: How to Reduce Indoor Humidity?
How to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution?
Now that you know the potential sources of indoor air pollution and how to monitor indoor air quality, it’s time to focus on how to reduce indoor air pollution.
1. Improve Ventilation
Opening windows and doors to let fresh air in is the simplest way to reduce the concentration of indoor pollutants. Just like lungs, houses need to breathe too. Long-term unventilated indoor spaces can gather excessive moisture, gases, dust, and other harmful stuff. In ares where it’s inconvenient to get airflow, like kitchens and bathrooms, turn on an exhaust fan. If possible, use a fan to increase air circulation.
2. Control Source
Eliminating or reducing indoor pollution sources is also effective.
- Avoid smoking inside or using kerosene heaters indoors.
- Choose furniture and building materials that are free from formaldehyde, such as solid wood, drywall, stainless steel, tile, adobe, and brick. If you need paint, coatings, composite wood, or products with adhesives, look for low VOC or non-toxic choices.
- Reduce the use of stain-resistant, waterproof, or non-stick products since they might contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl- substances (PFAS).
- Limit air fresheners and other strong scents.
- Dust frequently and wash curtains and bedding regularly to reduce dust mites, allergens, and other pollutants.
3. Use Air Purifiers
Air purifiers aren’t a substitute for the above two methods, but they do help improve indoor air quality, especially in sealed office spaces. You can use them alongside those methods to reduce indoor air pollution more effectively.
There are two types of air purifiers: portable ones and HVAC systems. Most of these devices can capture harmful particles like PM2.5. When setting them up, think about the size of the area and how many rooms you need to cover, and their effectiveness is also related to the concentration of pollutants present. Plus, remember to replace the filters when they get dirty.
4. Maintain Houseplants
While research indicates that plants don’t significantly reduce air pollution, and might even worsen pollen allergy symptoms, having indoor plants can still be beneficial. They help absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. For your living room, Monstera Deliciosa is a great choice since it requires sparse soil, contains fewer insects, and are relatively easy to cultivate: How to Care for Monstera Deliciosa Indoor? Just remember, if you plan to use pesticides or fertilizers, take the plant outdoors and ventilate it for at least two hours to minimize any negative effects.
