The Quality of Your Indoor Air

Did you know that the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) ranks poor indoor air quality among the top five environmental risks to public health? It’s true! We spend a large amount of our time indoors. Pollution levels inside can be 2-5 times higher than outside. Awareness of the things that cause poor indoor air quality and making some changes around the home may help you reduce your risk of health problems.

Recognizing indoor air pollutants can be difficult. However, if you ask yourself: Does our house smell funny or seem stuffy? Does it have moisture condensation on the walls or windows? Are there any signs of water leaks or mold? If you answer yes to any of these questions and take actions against them, then you are on the path to better air quality.

Here are some tips that will help you improve the indoor air quality of your home.

Begin by removing moisture! Moisture allows mold to grow. Use dehumidifiers where necessary. Keeping humidity below 50% helps prevent growth of molds, spores and dust mites. Always use your bathroom fan when showering and the exhaust fan above your stove when cooking.

Have your appliances checked by a professional, yearly. This includes your water heater, gas range and furnace. Installing a carbon-monoxide detector may help advise you when these systems fail.

Replacing your air filters can help reduce airborne particles inside your home. Vacuuming with filters may also help.

Other culprits of poor indoor air quality can be as simple as cleaning products, personal products or paint. Be sure you open windows when using these products to ventilate your home.

Tobacco smoke and radon are also dangerous indoor pollutants. Tobacco smoke should be taken outside. There is no other solution to reducing this type of pollution. Air filtering systems do not remove tobacco smoke’s gases despite their claim. Radon is a naturally occurring gas and can seep into your home through basement cracks, sewer openings and joints between walls and floors. If you are concerned about radon levels in your home you should have it tested. If you have high radon levels it can be

corrected to a safe level with a radon mitigation system. To have your home tested for radon, call us to schedule an appointment at: 414-530-7773

Indoor air quality is important because we spend so much time inside. Being aware of some of the signs of poor quality air and taking action against them will help reduce risk. As always, if there is any question in regard to the conditions in your home; contact your local professional.

Thomas J. Monaghan
Ridge Line Home Inspection, LLC
414-530-7773