Indoor air pollution sounds like a fictitious problem, but the dangers are very real. Even though it affects 96% of Americans on a daily basis, many of us aren’t even aware that it is a problem. Hopefully, these six statistics can help to shed some light on the issue.
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Indoor air can be up to 10x more polluted than outdoor air. Most of us think that outdoor air is more polluted, but this assumption is usually false. In fact, in serious cases, indoor air can be up to one hundred times more polluted than the air outside.
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The EPA rated indoor air pollution as a Top 5 Risk to Public Health. Maybe you aren’t concerned about the quality of your air, but the EPA certainly is. They consider it to be a top five risk to public health.
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Indoor air pollution has been linked to respiratory illness and heart problems. Indoor air pollution has been linked to both short- and long-term health effects. The immediate symptoms are minor and resemble allergies, but the long-term health problems are much more severe and include lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and COPD.
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The WHO estimates that indoor air pollution is responsible for 4 million deaths per year. The aforementioned long-term health effects of indoor air pollution cause more than 4 million deaths per year, according to the World Health Organization.
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Many everyday, seemingly harmless products can contribute to indoor air pollution. Some household products that can cause indoor air pollution include cleaning products, candles, carpets, heating equipment, and, ironically, air fresheners.
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We spend about 90% of our time indoors. If all of these statistics aren’t making you concerned, consider the fact that most people spend about 90% of their day indoors, where they are breathing in this heavily polluted air.
Improving the air quality in your home is no easy task, but it is possible. The air quality experts at Air Treatment Heating & Cooling have been helping homeowners in Virginia breathe cleaner air for more than 50 years. We offer home air purification system installations to Fairfax County and the surrounding areas. Visit our website for more information, or give us a call at (703) 270-0881.