Leading Causes of Indoor Air Pollution

You may not visualize or realize it, but you may be breathing in various odourless, colourless, and microscopic air pollutants and gases in your office, school, or home. These indoor air pollutants may cause disastrous health consequences if you breathe them for long periods.

There is a wide variety of indoor air pollutants that circulate in our home air. You need to identify the possible indoor air pollution sources in your home and take effective measures to contain them.

This is mandatory so that you and your family breathe in pure air and maintain sound health. There are many studies that show that air quality can affect sleep, it also helps to avoid serious lung and heart diseases.

Gas Stoves 

If you are using natural gas stoves, then you are spreading toxic gases like carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in your home environment. Moreover, the poor ventilation of the centralized heating or air conditioning also releases carbon monoxide.

The content of these gases is even more in winters when the doors and windows are kept closed. These dangerous and unhealthy gases contribute to indoor air pollution in your homes.

Carpet Fumes

Whenever you install a new carpet in your home, it releases harmful chemicals from its vinyl backing and the glue used for holding the carpet to the floor. These chemicals may cause headaches, asthma, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, etc.

Smaller kids are more vulnerable to these harmful carpet fumes as they spend more time closer to the carpets. Those kids with asthma or allergic sensitivity are affected more by these carpet fumes.

These chemicals can release for as long as five years.

Pet Dander

Pets like dogs and cats shed their skin flakes or dander in the air. This dander serves as an allergen for individuals sensitive to allergy. It may cause skin irritation, wheezing, coughing fits, or in severe cases, may lead to anaphylactic shock.

Pet dander is the common indoor air pollutant that exposes you to high risks of allergic or asthmatic reactions.

Paint and VOCs

The paints and VOCs used for painting your household articles contain various volatile organic compounds. It may cause headaches, nausea, wheezing, and other health hazards.

If these compounds are inhaled in high concentrations, they may pose severe health hazards. Some of these VOCs, like methylene chloride and benzene, are carcinogenic and linked with cancer.

While most VOCs are released quickly into the air, some particles may linger around in your home atmosphere. These compounds are dangerous indoor air pollutants.

Toxins in Nonstick Pots and Pans

While you may have been using your non-stick pots and pans for cooking delectable meals since time immemorial, you may not realize these contribute to indoor air pollution in your home.

The non-stick coating is prepared from PFOA material, and it releases toxins if heated at higher temperatures for long durations. These chemicals badly affect the bladder, kidney, prostate, thyroid, and in severe cases, cause ovarian cancers.

Damp Buildings and Mold

The living creatures like mould also serve as indoor air contaminants, especially in damp buildings. These moulds are usually found in high humidity and damp conditions that act as breeding grounds for mould.

The moulds may cause various adverse health effects such as c dizziness, coughing fits, fatigue, fever, and sneezing. These moulds may trigger asthma attacks and cause digestive distress.

Soot and Smoke 

The soot and smoke are natural by-products of burning wood or charcoal. While you may be using it to stay warm, it produces several harmful substances that pollute your indoor atmosphere.

The soot is responsible for causing half of all pneumonia deaths among kids under age five. It may also lead to premature deaths of around 4 million people every year.

Lotions, Deodorants, and Shampoos

The lotions, deodorants, soaps, and shampoos may smell great and provide great personal care. Still, these contribute to indoor air pollution by adding dirt, pollutants, and harmful chemicals to your indoor air.

The fragrance produced by these products poses a wide array of health problems for kids and adults alike.

Secondhand Smoke

Secondhand smoke gives rise to a variety of health problems. It causes respiratory disorders and infections in kids. It increases the severity of asthma attacks and poses great risks of sudden infant death syndrome.

Secondhand smoke exposes adults to the risks associated with brain stroke, heart disease, and lung cancer. If you are used to smoking in your home or office, you contribute to the harmful indoor air pollutants.

Arts and Crafts Products

The arts and crafts products produce unwanted fumes.

These products include markers, paints, glue, etc. If your kids breathe in such fumes, it may result in wheezing, nausea, sneezing, and other health hazards.

Harmful Household Cleaners and Disinfectants

If you are using lots of sanitisers, disinfectants, and cleaners in your home, then these substances interact in the air and form complex VOCs. When you breathe in such VOCs, these cause various health issues such as asthma and other respiratory problems.

The sprays used in glass cleaners, furniture sprays, and air fresheners also contribute to indoor air pollution and cause various health problems.

Chlorine bleach used for sanitization purposes also results in increased incidences of respiratory problems.

Pesticide Pollution

While pesticides work great in controlling pests in our home, some fine pesticide particles mix up in the indoor air. These particles also get collected on various household surfaces. These suspended fine pesticide particles are inhaled in our bodies when we breathe.

Exposure to pesticides carries immense health risks such as throat irritation, eye infection, nerve damage, and increased risk of cancer in severe cases.

Air Fresheners

If you use various air-fresheners like spray, candle, or plugin, you are likely releasing harmful chemicals like phthalates, formaldehyde, etc., in your indoor atmosphere.

The phthalates may cause birth defects in newborn babies, interfere with hormone production, and reduce sperm production. The phthalates are more dangerous for kids.

Formaldehyde Fumes 

Formaldehyde is found in various household products such as wooden furniture, laminate flooring, cabinets, plywood, etc. This organic compound causes irritation in the eyes, throat, nose, and skin. It may also lead to difficulty in breathing.

The furniture releases most of its formaldehyde after two years. It easily circulates in your indoor air and reaches your lungs during breathing.

Faulty Air purifier

If your air purifier is not performing efficiently, it may blow out dirty and polluted air in your home environment. The filters used for cleaning the air get clogged after some time, and these need to be clean or replaced.

If your air purifier is faulty or not cleaned regularly, it may contribute to indoor air pollution.

Isn’t it surprising that the air inside your room is up to 2-5 times more polluted than outside air? There are so many indoor air pollution causes that make indoor air highly toxic compared to the outside air.

This necessitates the use of an air purifier in your home so that you can breathe freely and feel truly at home. It helps with respiratory disorders like shortness of breath or asthma in you or your family members.