Sick Building Syndrome: Home air quality and your health.
8 mar 2019
Could air pollution be an issue in your home?
When you hear the phrase ‘air pollution’, you probably think about smoggy and densely populated cities - but what if we told you that your exposure to air pollution could be coming from your home or office?
The CSIRO estimates that poor indoor air quality in Australian homes, offices, buildings and factories could be costing us $12 billion per year due to health problems and lost productivity.
Could air pollution be an issue in your home?
“Sick building syndrome” is a term that’s been around since the 80’s, when we began correlating poor health, headaches, drowsiness and allergies with indoor environments.
With Australians spending an average of 90% of their time inside, indoor air quality should be taken into consideration. In the extremes of summer and winter (with many doors, windows and blinds shut) these environments may be primed for polluted air.
Here’s how to reduce your health risk due to indoor air pollutants.
Humidity
High levels of humidity can be a strong contributor to the air quality in your home.
Especially in the tropical climate of Australia, humid air can enter through doors, windows and cracks and create a moist atmosphere in the nooks and crannies of your home. You may not notice that these humid environments and warm air temperatures have been created in your cupboards, providing the perfect conditions for fungal growth (also known as mould). These fungal spores can cause airway irritation, allergies and a whole host of health issues.
To prevent humidity from impacting the health of your home, use an air conditioner that can detect humidity and automatically restore ideal moisture levels.
VOC’s
You know that “new” furniture or carpet smell? That’s the smell of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's), and we wouldn’t recommend indulging in it too much!
Not all are unhealthy, but some are known to be highly toxic and can be especially detrimental to those with asthma and other issues. They can be released from adhesives, building materials, furniture, paint, carpets and even your shower curtain.
This is why it’s very important to have a well-ventilated home, and to allow new items to “off-gas” before letting them into your home.
One particular VOC to watch out for is formaldehyde-based glue, used in furniture, floorboards and more. It’s a known carcinogen and can cause eye and throat issues, so look for formaldehyde free products when you can.
Cleaning
A clean home leads to clean air, however some cleaning products can do more harm than good.
You want to make sure your home is free of dust mites, microbes and fungi to keep your air pure, however always make sure your home is very well ventilated to encourage air flow. This will help to avoid swapping harmful allergens with harmful chemicals that release gases into the air.
We have great air quality in Australia, so make the most of the free “doctor” and open up those windows to let in fresh air (and avoid unnecessary air fresheners). Natural ventilation is one of the easiest ways to minimise negative health effects due to indoor air quality problems.
If you’d like to Improve indoor air quality and invest in the health of your home with purifying heating and cooling solutions, Panasonic’s HEPA filter's and nanoe-G system can eliminate up to 99% of particle pollution and airborne allergens.
