While the air outside our homes is important, many people underestimate how much of an impact their home’s IAQ (Internal Air Quality) can have on their health and even on the broader environment.
Short Term Effects
Many health problems can stem from bad air quality; while some are mild problems that can go away in a few days, others can develop into life-threatening chronic diseases.
Short-term effects from exposure to bad air quality involve eye irritation, sneezing, coughing, nasal congestion, headaches, dizziness, and even fatigue. People who already suffer from breathing-related problems such as asthma can feel that bad air quality can sometimes aggravate their condition, and they may even experience an unusually severe episode.
Most times, the solution to these problems is simply eliminating exposure to whatever is triggering the problem. If these problems are left unattended, they can develop into more serious and harder-to-treat problems that will only be more uncomfortable to deal with.
Long Term Effects
Some problems from the exposure may not surface immediately. Ailments such as eczema, psoriasis, breathing problems, lung diseases, and even forms of cancer can take months or even years to develop. The initial trigger for many of these problems may be over-exposure to bad-quality air.
Air quality can be compromised by several things. Basic pollutants such as dust can cause problems, and even more complex chemical pollutants such as aerosol can be an issue. The chemical pollutants generally cause more harm, but this damage takes time to surface. The bigger issue is that these long-term effects from exposure to polluted air can lead to serious illnesses, terminal health conditions, or even death.
Therefore, preventing exposure in the first place is very important.
Impact of Exposure
The impact of the same bad-quality air can manifest itself in two people differently. There are several factors at play that influence how a person will be impacted by pollution. Some of the main things include age, existing health issues, lifestyle, amount of exposure, the extent of pollution, and the amount/kind of remedial effects taken after the exposure.
Causes
Several sources can compromise indoor air quality. Some of the most common culprits include:
- Combustion products (such as heaters) that use natural materials such as wood, gas, or coal
- Building materials such as those that include asbestos
- Tobacco products
- Certain home products, such as the vapors from the glue used to install carpets and wallpaper
- Chemicals and pollutants from household cleaning products that contain aerosol
- Chemical vapors and gasses from appliances such as refrigerant gas
- Appliances that are in bad condition cause pollution, such as an AC unit that has a dirty filter
Many people don’t realize the potential risks of having these different products in their homes. Most times, the products, or appliances on their own are safe. The problem is that people don’t maintain these items properly or use the products properly. Eventually, they ruin the air quality in their homes and consequently damage their health.
If you are facing any of these problems or feel that a loved one might suffer due to poor air quality in your home, call Trident Restoration Inc at (765) 295-7780 for immediate help. Restoration experts can help you evaluate the quality of air in your home and locate the root cause of the issue. Until the root cause is addressed, other solutions will not give you permanent relief.