Absolutely. Air pollution levels can be as much as 100 times greater in a building than outdoors. The American Lung Association found that many people spend 90% of their time in a building, making it critical for homeowners to be knowledgeable about indoor air quality (IAQ) in Calgary.
Many standard household items contribute to inferior indoor air quality, such as:
- Chemicals used in carpet, furniture, upholstery and drapes
- Cleaning products
- Paint
- Personal care cosmetics
The secure construction of today's homes also contributes majorly to bad IAQ. Things like weather stripping and storm doors are designed to lower heating and cooling bills. However, they also stop enough ventilation by keeping indoor air in and exterior air out. The outcome could be an increase of vapors inside your house.
Inferior IAQ can be a direct or indirect source of various health troubles. Medical experts have determined that as many as half of all sicknesses are caused or aggravated by indoor air pollution.
Vapors in your home can cause flu-like sickness such as headaches, nausea and respiratory inflammation. It can also aggravate allergies and asthma.
Proper ventilation also is an important factor in improving indoor air quality, as it reduces the amount of indoor pollutants.