Did you know that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) believes that Americans spend as much as 90% of their time inside? And, the really bad part is that indoor air quality can be worse than that of the outdoors!
How can you make your home air safer? There are certain pollutants, both intentional and unintentional, that we need to worry about. The intentional pollutant is obviously cigarette smoke. Not only is smoking bad for you, but it can also harm those around you. Children of smokers statistically have more respiratory tract infections. It is hard to stop smoking, but consider how it can help both you and your family. If you can’t quit (or aren’t quite ready), take the smoking outdoors.
Now for the unintentional pollutants – carbon monoxide and radon gas. About four hundred people die each year of carbon monoxide poisoning. The really scary part is carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, so how do you know if it is in your home? Get a carbon monoxide detector. It works just like your fire alarm to alert you if there is carbon monoxide in your home. Also, if you have fuel burning appliances, have them checked out once a year by a qualified technician to make sure it isn’t leaking the deadly gas. And don’t forget about the garage. Cars emit carbon monoxide, so never leave your car running in the garage.
Radon gas is just as bad as carbon monoxide – it too is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Radon is radioactive and can cause lung cancer. But, the good news is you can purchase a radon test kits to make sure your home is safe from radon.
Now that you know how to rid your home of smoke, carbon monoxide, and radon, what else can you do to improve the quality of air in your home? I will touch on that in tomorrow’s blog!
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