How is Your Home’s Air Quality?

As we move towards spending more time indoors, air quality is of utmost importance. It is noted by theWorld Health Organization (WHO) and the  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that indoor air quality is often up to five times worse than the air quality outdoor. 

One of the highest contributing factors to the poor quality of air indoor is VOC off-gassing. This can come from a variety of materials including glues used in your cabinetry and from your carpets as well. 

What can you do? Well now you know, you want to always try to find low-VOC options when shopping for materials for your home. Wood is always a healthier choice than concrete. It is also beneficial in that it is lighter, warmer and won’t give off the type of dust that concrete will give off. All of these attributes allow the wood to be a better choice and to have a better effect on the air quality on the interior of your home.

How to Tell if You Have Poor Indoor Air Quality

Do you find yourself getting sick every time you get home? Do you get immediately sick and start having symptoms such as dry eyes, sore throat, headaches, problems sleeping and problems concentrating? These all are symptoms of inhaling air that is poor in quality.

How to Improve Air Quality without Going to the Store

One of the best things you can do to improve the air quality in your home is to let in the fresh air. Open up your windows or any doors if possible so that fresh air can circulate throughout your living space.

Other Things Impacting our Air Quality

With changes in our environment, the way we heat and cool our homes is also changing. We find more people installing more air conditioners in their homes which in turn leads to more global warming. In Vancouver alone, there are air conditioning units in 20% of homes. In Kelowna, you will find 80% of homes are already using air conditioning. With the planet warming up, more people are trying to combat this with the use of air conditioners. This, in turn, increases emissions which ends up contributing to climate change. A situation that looks like it will continue to spiral this way. As more changes in the natural climate take place, the dependence on air conditioners will only increase and the effects this will have on air quality are currently unknown.