Tuesday, March 19, 2013
This blog post is the third in a
three part series that I'm dedicating to the topic of creating a
healthier home environment. In this series I will be covering (1)
Household Hazardous Waste Disposal, (2) Green Cleaning Techniques and
(3) Improving Indoor Air Quality.
My goal is to make my own home a
healthier place to live. In so doing, I would like to share the
information and resources that I come across in the hopes that it
might be of some use to you and your family. By the same token, I'm
sure that many of you reading this will have some knowledge of your
own in these areas. If you have any helpful hints, anecdotal evidence
or words of advice please share!
Here's to creating healthy homes and a healthy environment with healthy and happy people.
Here's to creating healthy homes and a healthy environment with healthy and happy people.
Did you know that
on average Canadians spend approximately 90% of their time indoors
(hc-sc.gc.ca)? Americans are right up there too with an average of
90% or more of their time spent inside (epa.gov).
I was shocked when
I first read this, but when you consider that most people spend a
good seven hours a day in front of a computer or some type of screen
and then another 6 to 8 hours a night sleeping, it all starts to add
up.
All that to say
that indoor air quality is an important topic for us Canadians and
Americans, and one that doesn't get nearly enough attention. We all
know that clean air is essential to our good health but how do we
prevent it from becoming polluted? I doubt whether 100% clean air is
a possibility but there are some steps we can take to ensure better
air quality in our homes.
According
to Health Canada, there are two major sources of indoor air
pollutants: (1) biological and (2) chemical. Biological pollutants
consist of living organisms such as mould. Chemical pollutants are
gases and particles emitted from things like combustion appliances,
tobacco smoke, household products like cleaners and air fresheners,
paints, and personal care products like perfume and hair spray.
The
list below addresses each one of these problem areas and provides a
brief solution for eliminating the potential hazard:
- MouldThe best way to prevent mould is avoid excessive humidity in your home. If you live in a climate where this might be a potential issue then consider a dehumidifier or perhaps some ceiling fans (especially in the bathroom).
- Combustion Appliances (example: furnace)Make sure to have all combustion appliances checked once a year by a specialist. Without proper maintenance combustion appliances are at an increased risk of emitting carbon monoxide and other harmful pollutants. All houses should also be equipped with a working carbon monoxide detector.
- Tobacco SmokeThis one is an easy fix. No smoking inside!
- Household CleanersMany household cleaners give off harmful gases. For some green cleaning ideas that are both safe and effective, check out my earlier post here. If you must use chemical-based cleaners make sure you follow all the instructions on the packaging.
- PaintIt is now possible to buy VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) free paint. It might be a little more expensive but I personally feel that it is worth the extra cost. If you are using regular paint, make sure that you are working in a well ventilated area as many paints and varnishes will give off harmful gases, such as formaldehyde. It is also important to know that many furniture items are finished with varnishes and paints that can off gas even after they're dry. Click here for our selection of low VOC emission bamboo furniture.
- Personal Care ProductsAnything with artificial fragrances or scents in it is a no no. Lately I've been on a mission to rid my beauty regimen of all unnatural products. So far I've made my own body scrub, lip balm and facial cleanser and I'm on the look out for some natural perfumes to try out. Like with grocery shopping, the best way to go about buying personal care products is to read the ingredients list.
What did I miss?
Do you have any tips or recommendations on cleaning up indoor air
quality? If so, please share!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments:
Post a Comment