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According to the EPA, our indoor environment is two to five times more toxic than our outdoor
environment and, on average, Americans are spending about 90 percent of their lives indoors!


When we think of the term 'air pollution,' we tend to think of car exhausts or factory fumes
expelling grey smoke. However, there are actually various sources of pollution that have a
negative effect on air quality, many of which are found inside our homes and offices. From
cooking residue to paints, varnishes and fungal spores, the air we breathe indoors is often
more polluted than that outside.

• Radon
• Tobacco smoke
• Mold
• Cooking and Heating
• Household Products
• Furnishings and Paint
• Building Materials
  
  
  

NATURAL SOLUTIONS FOR INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

1. Eliminate the Source
2. Ventilate Regularly
3. Purify Air Naturally
4. Check Your Products
5. Thoughtful Furnishing
6. Helpful Houseplants


It's important to take the necessary precautions to ensure your home is safe from harmful
toxins. Doing what we can to minimize toxins can help us feel better inside and out. Let's take a look at some ways to help us stay on top of things and reduce toxins within our homes.


TEST YOUR HOME FOR RADON
Radon is a colorless, odorless gas linked to lung cancer. It may be trapped under your home
during construction and can leak into your air system over time. Radon testing kits are a quick
and cheap way to determine if radon is an issue in your home. Don't freak out and move if you do discover higher than normal levels. There's an easy and reasonably priced radon mitigation system that you can install and won't even notice.


VENTILATION IMPROVEMENTS
Most home heating and cooling systems, including forced air heating systems, do not
mechanically bring fresh air into the house. Opening windows and doors, operating window or
attic fans, when the weather permits, or running a window air conditioner with the vent control
open increases the outdoor ventilation rate. Local bathroom or kitchen fans that exhaust
outdoors remove contaminants directly from the room where the fan is located and also
increases the outdoor air ventilation rate.

REPLACE AIR FILTERS
The professionals recommend you replace traditional pleated air filters once every 3-6 months. Fiberglass filters should be replaced every 30 days. There are many factors that contribute to the longevity of your air filter, such as home size, household pets, and family allergies or respiratory conditions.

REGULARLY SERVICE FUEL BURNING APPLIANCES
A poorly maintained furnace, space heater, hot water heater, water softener, natural gas heater
or stove and other fuel burning appliances may leak carbon dioxide or nitrogen dioxide. Have
your appliances serviced per the manufacturer’s recommendations to reduce potential indoor
air pollution. You may also need to upgrade your furnace filters. Today, there are more
elaborate filters capable of trapping more particulates. It's also suggested to get a carbon dioxide detector - this can be a simple battery operated one from a home improvement store to a fancy-pants detector from your homes security system (they can even monitor it for you).


REGULARLY CLEAN YOUR AIR CONDITIONER
Your air conditioner may harbor dangerous bacteria. On several occasions, outbreaks of
Legionnaires’ disease have been traced back to contaminated air conditioner units. Most
people don’t even consider that their uncared-for air conditioner might be toxic and zapping their
health. The compressor is typically outside your house, but you should check to see if there's any condensation in the attic or basement.

The pan that sits underneath the handler to collect it is connected to a drain tube. The pan can
get clogged fairly frequently, which creates an extremely friendly environment for harmful
bacteria to grow. The transition from cold to warm weather can also create water condensation
that then sits there, turning stagnant. It may even cause scaly buildup on metal pieces,
indicating the accumulation of a potentially deadly bacteria.

IN HUMID LOCATIONS, USE A DEHUMIDIFIER
Mold grows in damp and humid environments. Use a dehumidifier and air conditioner to keep
the humidity indoors below 50 percent. Make sure to clean both units regularly.

OPEN YOUR WINDOWS
One of the easiest ways to reduce the pollutants in your home is to open your windows.
Opening windows on the opposing sides of your home will effectively create cross ventilation.
Because most newer homes are energy efficient and have little leakage, even opening a
window 15 minutes a day can improve your indoor air quality.

INDOOR POTTED PLANTS
Plants purify air, making them part of what NASA calls "nature’s life support system." Adding
potted plants to a room has been shown to reduce the amount of air particulates (although
plants in bloom may be contributing their own compounds to the air).

Plants absorb some of the particulates from the air at the same time that they take in carbon
dioxide, which is then processed into oxygen through photosynthesis. But that’s not all—
microorganisms associated with the plants are present in the potting soil, and these microbes
are also responsible for much of the cleaning effect.

SALT LAMPS
Himalayan Salt Lamps can help cleanse and purify the air inside your home. A Himalayan salt lamp by its salty nature is able to easily attract water vapor to it. With this water vapor often comes indoor air pollutants, including allergens, mold and bacteria. When the water hits the heated lamp, the salt traps the pollutants but releases the water vapor. This cycle repeats while the lamp is on and warm. By removing pollutants from the air, the salt lamp leaves you with cleaner, healthier air.