10 ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality in New Jersey

The I A Q (Indoor Air Quality) in your home

Part 4 of 4...10 steps to better indoor air      

Most people just breathe without giving it much thought. Breathe in and breathe out all day long. If you knew what you were breathing you’d probably hold your breath.

What we are talking about is Air Pollution. Air pollution is defined as: the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the environment. The World Health Organization states that 2.4 million people die each year from causes directly attributable to air pollution, with 1.5 million of these deaths attributable to indoor air pollution^.

While there are many factors contributing to the air pollution or IAQ in your home, let’s take a closer look at what I like to call the Big 3: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Biological Pollutants and Formaldehyde.

Now that we are worried about what we are breathing, let’s talk about what we can do to minimize this threat to our health.

The way that we minimize the threat is by reducing our exposure to the pollutants.

1. Don’t allow any smoking in your home. Smokers should go outside to smoke.
2. Increase ventilation in the home. By providing an egress for the pollution we lessen the volume of toxins in the home. Ventilation systems that work independently of your HVAC work the best, because they ventilate year round whether the A/C or heat is on or off.
3. Increase immediate ventilation when using products that emit VOCs. If you are painting or varnishing, open the windows.  If the smells are too strong while using cleaning products, open the windows. You get the idea, open the windows.
4. Follow label instructions carefully. Potentially hazardous products often have warnings aimed at reducing exposure of the user. Read the directions for any chemical product you are about to use.
5. Try to eliminate the use of all sprays that contain chemicals in the house. Dust furniture with a slightly damp cloth (no sprays). Use potpourri instead of air fresheners.
6. Throw away partially full containers of old or unneeded chemicals safely. Because gases can leak even from closed containers, this single step could help lower concentrations of organic chemicals in your home. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for safe disposal of the product.
7. Buy limited quantities. Try to buy as much as you need for immediate use. Don’t store chemicals in your home unnecessarily.  
8. Fix any leaky faucets or pipes that will cause the growth of mold and mildew. Once it gets behind walls it takes professionals to clean it correctly.
9. Lower the humidity. By controlling the relative humidity level in a home, the growth of some sources of biologicals can be minimized. This can be achieved through a whole house ventilation system.
10. Carefully consider formaldehyde content before purchasing home furnishings made of melamine or particle board. Smell it before you buy it. If it smells bad in the big store, it will smell bad in your home.

Trust your nose. The sense of smell is one of nature’s best warning systems. If something smells bad or funny, ask yourself why it smells that way. Then consider if you want to live with that smell.

A-1 Basement Solutions gives free basement health inspections to New Jersey homeowners. Contact A-1 Basement Solutions at 908-322-1313, http://A-1Basements.com for a free in-home inspection and detailed quote.

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Tags: E-z breathe ventilation, IAQ, basement, Indoor air quality, indoor air pollution