EPA Names Indoor Air Quality as Top Five Environmental Risks
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that Americans on average spend about 90 percent of their time inside. Most of them without realizing that the levels of indoor air pollutants are two to five times greater than those outside – some pollutants are as much as 100 times higher indoors than they are outside.
During winter months, the problems can be even worse as homes and offices are sealed in order to conserve energy. With no fresh air coming into these buildings from the outside, the pollutants on the inside simply accumulate.
Indoor air quality has been linked to several health conditions such as headaches, nasal congestion, chronic respiratory disease, nausea, and even heart disease. Among those who suffer from asthma and/or allergies must be especially wary. The air particles inside the average home host a wide range of culprits including pollen, dust, pet dander, dust mites, and more known for triggering attacks.
This knowledge, combined with a lack of public awareness regarding the problems of indoor air quality, is part of the reason the EPA has decided to identify indoor air quality as one of thetop five environmental risks.
Now that you know how bad the situation is, it’s time to explore a few tools you can use to help remedy the poor air quality in your home in order to make it a safer place for everyone.
Ventilation is the most critical thing you can introduce into your home in order to improve the quality of the air you and your family are breathing. There are several options available to you for accomplishing this.
Whole House Fans
By far, the most effective means of drawing fresh air into your home while expelling foul air from your home at the same time is through a whole house fan. Additionally, whole house fans can save families across the United States a great deal of money on cooling costs as they are much more cost effective for cooling than traditional air conditioners.
Garage Exhaust Fans
The air inside a closed garage can be downright toxic. From auto exhaust to paint fumes from other garage projects you have going on, it’s important to have adequate ventilation in order to keep you safe while working in your garage and your family members safe while they play and, sometimes, congregate inside your garage. Garage exhaust fans, such as the QuietCool GA ES-1500, are designed exactly for that.
Attic Fans
Attic fans, such as the QuietCool AFG ES-1500 attic fan, only serve to draw warm air out of the home when operated during the heat of the day. While not as effective for cooling the home, attic fans do serve an important purpose when it comes to removing super-heated air from the attic in your home. They are best used in conjunction with attic fans in areas where days are warm and nights are cool. (Read about the differences between whole house fans and attic fans in our previous blog post.)
Other Vent Fans
Don’t forget the importance of vent fans in kitchens and bathrooms for removing moisture. Mildew and mold are major contributors to poor indoor air quality and can be quite detrimental to your health as well as the physical structure of your home.
Little additions like these, will pay for themselves in energy savings alone. The benefit they provide for the health of everyone living in your home are beyond measure.
At Whole House Fan, we’re dedicated to helping you improve the ventilation in your home, cool your home home, and improve your indoor air quality. Email us at info@wholehousefan.com, call us at 1.888.229.5757 to learn more about improving the indoor air quality in your home.