5 Ways Poor Indoor Air Quality Is Affecting Your Children's Health
Seeing your children becoming ill or hurting themselves can
be heartbreaking. Most of the time, these problems are out of your control, and
you can’t always prevent accidents such as falls from bikes or illnesses such
as colds. However, poor indoor air quality is equally harmful, something you
need to address to keep your children safe.
Sometimes, the effects of a recent house renovation that fills the air with chemicals, a poor ventilation system, or dust and debris from outside the home can be to blame. Learn about the following five ways poor indoor air quality could be affecting your children's health.
If your kids are constantly having allergic reactions with symptoms such as watery eyes, coughing, or sneezing, you should pay attention. Check whether the symptoms appear when they get home from school or when they enter a specific room. If either one is the case, they could be having anallergic reaction to contaminants in the indoor air such as pollen, dust, or other hazardous chemicals.
Outdoor Chemicals Get Inside Your Home
Even when you make sure your house has an acceptable indoor
air quality level, sometimes the problems may be coming from outside your home.
A nearby construction site could be filling the surrounding air with particles
and chemicals. Perhaps your neighbors spray insecticides to treat the weeds in
their lawns. Once you identify the outdoor culprits, you can take steps to
protect your children from exposure to these elements that could enter your
home.
Home Renovations Can Be Harmful
Any renovations taking place inside your home are likely to
affect your home's indoor air quality. If you’re painting the walls or
replacing the floor, for example, your house may be filled with dust and harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from the fresh
paint. You may need to buy an air purifier and change the air filters upon your
renovation project's completion.
Your House Has Poor Ventilation
If your home seems to be colder in certain areas and warmer
in others, your home may have ventilation problems. Not only do these
problems affect the temperature of the house, but they also impact the humidity
levels. You should improve the indoor air quality in your home by
ensuring that your kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans remove excess moisture and
that your HVAC system is performing efficiently.
Secondhand Smoke Lingers in the Air
Did you know that secondhand cigarette smoke is a major culprit when it comes to poor
indoor air quality? Secondhand smoke has more than 4,000 chemicals and can
cause problems such as asthma, cancer, and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
If you or someone in your home smokes, consider getting help to quit.
All in all, if you’d like to make sure your children stay healthy in your home, you’ll need to pay attention to all unusual signs. Poor indoor air quality is an invisible threat, so instead of waiting until it’s too late, act now.
Sometimes, the effects of a recent house renovation that fills the air with chemicals, a poor ventilation system, or dust and debris from outside the home can be to blame. Learn about the following five ways poor indoor air quality could be affecting your children's health.
Environmental Pollutants Contaminate Indoor Air
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| Image via Flickr by tinafranklindg |
If your kids are constantly having allergic reactions with symptoms such as watery eyes, coughing, or sneezing, you should pay attention. Check whether the symptoms appear when they get home from school or when they enter a specific room. If either one is the case, they could be having anallergic reaction to contaminants in the indoor air such as pollen, dust, or other hazardous chemicals.
Outdoor Chemicals Get Inside Your Home
Even when you make sure your house has an acceptable indoor
air quality level, sometimes the problems may be coming from outside your home.
A nearby construction site could be filling the surrounding air with particles
and chemicals. Perhaps your neighbors spray insecticides to treat the weeds in
their lawns. Once you identify the outdoor culprits, you can take steps to
protect your children from exposure to these elements that could enter your
home.
Home Renovations Can Be Harmful
Any renovations taking place inside your home are likely to
affect your home's indoor air quality. If you’re painting the walls or
replacing the floor, for example, your house may be filled with dust and harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from the fresh
paint. You may need to buy an air purifier and change the air filters upon your
renovation project's completion.
Your House Has Poor Ventilation
If your home seems to be colder in certain areas and warmer
in others, your home may have ventilation problems. Not only do these
problems affect the temperature of the house, but they also impact the humidity
levels. You should improve the indoor air quality in your home by
ensuring that your kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans remove excess moisture and
that your HVAC system is performing efficiently.
Secondhand Smoke Lingers in the Air
Did you know that secondhand cigarette smoke is a major culprit when it comes to poor
indoor air quality? Secondhand smoke has more than 4,000 chemicals and can
cause problems such as asthma, cancer, and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
If you or someone in your home smokes, consider getting help to quit.All in all, if you’d like to make sure your children stay healthy in your home, you’ll need to pay attention to all unusual signs. Poor indoor air quality is an invisible threat, so instead of waiting until it’s too late, act now.
