Indoor Air Quality

You're probably exposed to more particles and allergens than you think:

• The EPA ranks indoor air pollution among the top five environmental risks to public health.
• 87% of American homeowners are not aware that pollution may be worse inside their homes than outdoors.
• EPA studies indicate that indoor levels of many pollutants may be 25 times, and occasionally more than 100 times, higher than outdoor levels. In general, indoor air is four to five times more polluted than outdoor air.
• Many ordinary activities such as cooking, cleaning and redecorating can spread indoor pollutants.
• Most homes built after 1979 have tighter insulation wraps that trap smoke, odors and other irritants indoors.   

Exactly what is in the air you breathe at home?

Pollen

• Flowers are a source of pollen, but trees are the main culprits for allergy sufferers. Many trees, such as birch, alder and pine trees, rely on the wind instead of insects to distribute their pollen. Pollen is often carried into your home on clothes, through pets and through the air.
• Pollen allergy (hay fever or allergic rhinitis) affects an estimated 10% or 26 million Americans, not including those with asthma.

Dust Mites

• One of the most common home allergens, dust mites can lurk in bedding, upholstery and almost any other soft material, generating irritating waste particles that can become airborne.
• Home furnishings are great hiding places for dust, smoke and other allergens. They can also release potentially harmful pollutants that come from the processes to manufacture them.
• About 40,000 dust mites, a common cause and trigger of household allergies, can be found in only one ounce of dust.

Pet Dander

• Dander from pets can float in the air and cause reactions in sensitive family members and guests.
• 36.1% of U.S. households have dogs; 31.1% have cats.
• Cat allergen is “sticky” and adheres to clothing and other surfaces.
• In public places (such as schools and commercial buildings) and homes that don’t have pets, dog and cat allergens are found at levels capable of inducing allergic symptoms.

Poor indoor air quality may affect your health:

• Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic disease in the United States, costing the health care system $18 billion annually.
• According to a study by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, indoor air contaminants are responsible for or aggravate half of all illnesses.
• More than 15 million Americans are estimated to have asthma, including one in thirteen school children.
• Asthma in children is the cause of almost 5 million physician visits and more than 200,000 hospitalizations per year.
• Because they breathe faster than adults, children inhale 50% more air per pound of body weight than adults and are especially sensitive to air quality problems.
• Upper respiratory tract infections cause about 65% of all sick days.
• The estimated economic impact of non-influenza-related upper respiratory tract infections is $40 billion annually.
• An estimated 11.8 million lost school days per year are attributed to asthma, making it the leading cause of school absenteeism due to a health condition.
• Approximately 35 million Americans suffer from upper respiratory symptoms that are allergic reactions to airborne allergens.