Sick Building Syndrome

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Environmental Issue

7 Simple Solutions to Indoor Air Pollution

Author: Eddie Hudd

Unbelievably, the air within modern homes can be upwards of five times more polluted than outdoor air. When you also consider that we can spend up to ninety percent of our lives indoors, the term sick building syndrome should require little explanation. Outside air, unlike inside, is recycled repeatedly with pollutants such as tobacco smoke, pollen, mold, dust and pet dander all adding towards asthma and allergies.

There are various symptoms associated with so called sick building syndrome including sinus congestion, watery or itchy eyes, headaches, lethargy, lack of concentration and nausea. However, because several of these symptoms are similar to those of a common cold, it is not always easy to ascertain if indoor pollution is the cause or if it is because of some form of virus.

If you find that, the symptoms fade when you outside, you should try to discover inside air sources, which might be possible causes and endeavour to get rid of them. As luck would have it, indoor air pollution is one health hazard that you can do something about.

Here are seven easy measures you can take to improve the air quality in your home.

1. Banish Smoking Inside the Home

Ideally, you should ban smoking anywhere inside the home but if this is not possible, try to confine it to one place. In our case, if friends or family, who are also smokers, visit, they are either banished to the back yard or the kitchen area. If you have an extractor fan installed in the kitchen, make sure that it is turned on and try to have smokers stand reasonably close to the fan so that the fumes are sucked out.

2. Open Your Windows Once In a While

If it is not freezing cold or blowing a gale outside, let some outdoor air in by opening your windows and doors every now and then. Doing so will also remove some of the pollutants that have built up within your house.

3. Chuck out Those Chemical Cleaners

If you have ever taken the time to study the labels on household cleaning products, most of them will include a warning about how harmful the chemicals are for your health or skin. Every time you use that product, fumes from whatever is in the bottle are released into the air for you to inhale. I have quite often started coughing after spraying counter tops with so called anti-bacterial cleaner. Not any longer though, as my natural housecleaning products of choice are now baking soda, washing soda, vinegar and pure lemon juice. These are all non-toxic, environmentally friendly and can tackle the majority of cleaning chores, either separately or combined with one another.

4. Clean and Dust Your Home on a Regular Basis

Although it might seem obvious to some folks, regularly vacuuming your carpets and flooring can go a long way in controlling airborne allergens and dust. It is claimed that some 70% of all household dust is composed of dead skin, which we humans shed day in and day out. Dust mites in turn feed upon the dead skin that falls from our bodies. They then grow and shed their own skin and it is this together with their faeces that cause allergic reactions in people.

5. Pet Dander Triggers Allergies

If you have a family pet, they will shed dander that can trigger allergies and asthma. Something needs to be done if you suspect that either you or another household member is allergic to pet dander. Ideally, it is best to keep pets out of the house altogether although that is seldom possible. As a viable alternative, try to restrict the rooms that the pet is allowed into. One definite area to keep them out of is the bedroom.

6. Reduce Indoors Air Humidity

If the climate where you live is either very humid or just plain damp (as in too much rainfall), you will no doubt be aware of just how much moisture levels within your house can increase. This excessive moisture or humidness is the ideal breeding conditions for mold. For anyone with allergies, mold spores can cause as many health problems as airborne dust. Dehumidifiers can be a godsend in a humid environment since they are capable of removing excess dampness from the surrounding air; thereby keeping mold and the resulting spores at bay.

7. Get an Indoor Air Purifier

Home air purifiers or room air cleaners do as their name suggests and clean the air of pollutants and allergens such as mold spores, pollen, cigarette smoke and pet dander. Besides being used to reduce the concentration of these airborne contaminants, they are especially useful for people who suffer from allergies and asthma attacks. Air purifiers and room air cleaners are quickly increasing in popularity because they make indoor air healthier and cleaner.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/7-simple-solutions-to-indoor-air-pollution-488880.html

About the Author

To learn much more about the different types of Air Purifier for Allergy Relief, visit Home Air Purifier Systems where you will find this and much more including How to Eliminate House Odor with an air purifier

Ozone Free Air Purifiers

Author: EnviroCitizen

Ozone Free Air Purifiers      We all know that ozone is what helps protect the Earth from Ultra Violet rays, but not all of us know that ozone can actually be toxic when it's in the wrong place.

     Air purifiers are often actually ozone machines. These devices are not always safe and effective in controlling indoor air pollution. Health professionals, such as the American Lung Association, http://www.lungusa.org/ have alerted us to the danger. In particular, these devices have not been approved by the federal government for use in constantly occupied spaces.

     Ozone can be harmful when it's used in air purifiers. Its chemical properties make it react with organic materials found in our body, and potentially cause harmful health consequences. When inhaled, ozone can damage the lungs. Healthy people, as well as those with respiratory difficulty, can experience breathing problems when exposed to ozone. Exercise during exposure to ozone causes a greater amount of ozone to be inhaled, and increases the risk of harmful respiratory effects. Recovery from the harmful effects can occur following short-term exposure, but health effects may become more pronounced, and recovery less certain, at higher levels or from longer exposures. Ozone devices often use confusing terms to describe ozone. Terms such as "energized oxygen" or "pure air" suggest that ozone is a healthy kind of oxygen. Ozone is a toxic gas with vastly different chemical and toxicological properties from oxygen. Several federal agencies have established health standards or recommendations to limit human exposure to ozone.

     It is good to know that there are now air purifiers that are safe because they don't generate ozone. Negative ion generators are becoming popular. Interestingly, there is research that suggests that these machines may aid in the prevention of depression. Negative ion generators make hydroxyl ions, which are negatively charged combinations of hydrogen and oxygen. So far they have proven to be a good, safe alternative to ozone producing purifiers. Plants are another good air purifier. NASA has conducted several studies that prove houseplants to be very effective at cleaning the air because they take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. They also cost much less than sophisticated equipment. For those who have allergies or experience "sick building syndrome", it is good to know that there are eco-friendly options out there to clean indoor air.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/science-articles/ozone-free-air-purifiers-3506050.html

About the Author

Envirocitizen.org is a comprehensive ecommerce website that combines robust commerce, content, and community.  We believe that we have created the most comprehensive site to date to make eco-friendly products, services, and information available to individuals who wish to live a green, more eco-friendly lifestyle.  Our site offers a very broad and diverse array of eco-friendly products as well as comprehensive, authoritative information and environmental education.  Additionally, users can enjoy the sense of community created by participating in our Forum.

The Hazards of Indoor Pollution

Author: Green Alice
At least 70% of human time is spent indoors, and the urban residents even spend more than 90% of their time in the indoor environment, especially infants, the elderly and disabled people, who stay in the room for much longer hours. However, the concentration of air pollutants in indoor environment is generally 2 to 5 times more than that in outdoor environment. Since 1970s, the so-called "Sick Building Syndrome" (SBS) has emerged in some developed countries. This is the performance of the potential problems caused by indoor air pollution. Indoor pollution has become the third generation of pollution in the 21st century. The first generation of pollution was the coal smoke pollution caused by the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century. And the second generation of pollution was the photochemical smog pollution caused by the oil and auto industry in the 19th century. With the rapid development of society and economy, people in modern world have become to pursue high-quality life. The rapid development of China's real estate industry has brought the flourishing of the building decoration industry. However, a survey from the World Bank shows that, every year, China suffers a loss of 10.6 billion dollar caused by indoor pollution. Currently, the healthy problems caused by indoor pollution have become a prominent public health problem. According to its nature, indoor air pollution can be divided two categories: non-biological pollution and biological and microbiological pollution. Non-biological pollutants can be further divided into chemical pollutants and physical pollutants. Chemical pollutants are produced by building materials, decorative materials, household chemicals, combustion products, and so on These substances will emit toluene, xylene, vinyl chloride, formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds and ammonia, carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and other inorganic compounds. All of these chemical substances are on harmful on human health. And physical pollution mainly refers to the radioactive pollution generated by building materials, the noise from indoor and outdoor environment, and the magnetic radiation caused by home appliances. In addition, there is also other pollution caused by dust and respirable particulates. Biological and microbiological pollution refers to the pollution caused by garbage, air conditioning, indoor flowers, pets, carpets, furniture, etc, including bacteria, germs, dust mites, and so on. Indoor pollution can cause various kinds of irritating symptoms and allergic reactions, such as "Sick Building Syndrome" (SBS), "Building Related Illness" (BRI) and "Multiple Allergic Disease" (MCS). The main symptoms include respiratory and eye irritation, allergic pneumonia, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and so on. What's more, it will also affect the immune function and the nervous system.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/news-and-society-articles/the-hazards-of-indoor-pollution-3699073.html

About the Author
Green Alice is the freelance writer for e-commerce website in the chemistry. LookChem.com is just a place for you to Look for Chemicals! Our LookChem provide the most convenient conditions for the international buyers and let these leads benefit all the business person.
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