Why should indoor air quality concern me?
What contributes to poor indoor air quality?
What contaminants contribute to poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)?
Does my Home or Office have an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) problem?
What are the primary sources of air pollution?
Why is controlled ventilation essential?
Can ozone be dangerous?
Why is ozone so dangerous for my health?
What does MCS mean?
What does VOC means?
Can houseplants purify your indoor air?

Q: Why should indoor air quality concern me?
A: Today’s modern homes are sealed tight to insulate us from the cold and heat as a result air circulation is kept to a minimum. Our indoor air meanwhile, contains minute particles such as dust, pet dander, pollen and mold spores that can aggravate asthma, allergies and other respiratory problems. In addition, many of today's cleaning products, furniture, carpets and building materials release chemicals, which also end up in the air we breathe. What’s most sobering is that fact that while our bodies have natural defenses against air borne particles, we have no natural defense against airborne chemicals! These, in fact, can go straight into the blood stream! A high efficiency air cleaner can help neutralize airborne particles, chemical and odors. AllerAir

Q: What contributes to poor indoor air quality?
A: Today's homes often are built energy efficient to "hold" air inside - avoiding heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. Of course, what's better for your energy bills isn't necessarily better for indoor air quality. This type of “tight” construction often doesn't allow the home to breathe. The Holmes Group. Inc.

Q: What contaminants contribute to poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)?
A: Household cleansers, laundry detergents, air fresheners, aerosols, insecticides, insects, pet hair, dander, and litter boxes, cigarette smoke, food, dust (dust mites), people (dead skin, hair, perfume, etc.), carpet, construction materials, and anything moist can grow more. Additionally, items such as bedding/linens and furniture, even HVAC systems, can trap and collect contaminants. http://www.CleanAir4Life

Q: Does my Home or Office have an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) problem?
Given the sheer number of potential sources of poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), it is very likely that you have a moderate IAQ problem. Surprisingly, homes or offices built in the last 20 years, are more likely to have a severe IAQ problem. In an effort to increase energy efficiency in our edifices, engineers and builders have sealed the"leaks" that allowed the constant mixing of cleaner outdoor air with our indoors air. http://www.CleanAir4Life

Q: What are the primary sources of air pollution?
A: Tobacco smoke. For years the EPA has reported the link between second-hand smoke and negative health effects.
Pollen comes from trees, flowers and grass, and even opening a door can allow millions of these particles into a home. Some people are particularly sensitive to the presence of certain pollen particles.
People who are allergic to cats and dogs are actually allergic to the dander flakes their pets shed. Dander can remain in a home long after the presence of the host animal.
Mold and mildew, which are typically found in the shower, kitchen or basement, are plant spores that grow any place that's warm and humid.
Dust is a collection of many different types of particles including our own skin cells, dirt tracked in from the outside and other particles from objects in the house. The Holmes Group. Inc.

Q: Why is controlled ventilation essential?
A: Many homeowners are reducing their home’s energy cost by tightening their homes. If homes are not equipped for controlling and removing indoor pollutants, indoor air quality problems may result. Controlled ventilation helps maintain healthy indoor air quality for the occupants and the home itself. AirCycler

Q: Can ozone be dangerous?
A: Yes, but only when occurring in extremely high concentrations - levels that due to the SafeZone™ Technology, a Biozone® Air Purifier is incapable of producing. The Federal Government and other agencies have set safety guidelines, Ozone concentrations of 0.05 - 0.10 ppm. The Biozone® Air Purifier CANNOT produce higher than 0.05 ppm. Reports and studies that raise questions about the safety of ozone deal with ozone levels at or above the recommended concentrations. http://www.CleanAir4Life

Q:Why is ozone so dangerous for my health?
A: EPA's answer: "The same chemical properties that allow high concentrations of ozone to react with organic material outside the body give it the ability to react with similar organic material that makes up the body, and potentially cause harmful health consequences. When inhaled, ozone can damage the lungs. Relatively low amounts can cause chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath, and, throat irritation. Ozone may also worsen chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and compromise the ability of the body to fight respiratory infections." (www.epa.gov - How is ozone harmful)
People vary widely in their susceptibility to ozone. Healthy people, as well as those with respiratory difficulty, can experience breathing problems when exposed to ozone. Exercise during exposure to ozone causes a greater amount of ozone to be inhaled, and increases the risk of harmful respiratory effects. Recovery from the harmful effects can occur following short-term exposure to low levels of ozone, but health effects may become more damaging and recovery less certain at higher levels or from longer exposures (US EPA, 1996a, 1996b). Manufacturers and vendors of ozone devices often use misleading terms to describe ozone. Terms such as "energized oxygen" or "pure air" suggest that ozone is a healthy kind of oxygen. Ozone is a toxic gas with vastly different chemical and toxicological properties from oxygen. Several federal agencies have established health standards or recommendations to limit human exposure to ozone. AllerAir

Q: What does MCS mean?
A: MCS stands for Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. People having MCS feel uncomfortable in the presence of any smell. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is basically a subset of Environmental Illness (EI), which is caused by living in a toxic world. The chemicals that were synthesized after World War II (including, pesticides, synthetic fragrances, cleaning products, detergents, etc.) are mostly "petro-chemicals" (petroleum based) and are quite toxic to humans. There have been virtually no studies done on the majority of these chemicals to see how they affect humans - the industry just placed the chemicals in the environment with the assumption that they are "safe, till proven toxic", instead of the other way around. One of the biggest offenders is PERFUME and other scented products. Did you know that many of the ingredients in your perfume are the exact same ingredients found in GASOLINE??!! I didn't either! The scary thing is that the perfume industry is NOT REGULATED at all - they can put any number of chemicals in fragrance without revealing what those chemicals are - or how they affect humans. AllerAir

Q: What does VOC means?
A: VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compounds, molecular gases such as formaldehyde and ammonia that are extremely dangerous for your health. AllerAir

Q: Can houseplants purify your indoor air?
A: Houseplants can also help purify your indoor air. James Dulley says foliage cleanses the air, but plant roots and surrounding microorganisms can even convert detrimental chemicals into plant food. Chrysanthemum, English Ivy, Aloe Vera, Boston Fern, Philodendron, and Peace Lily are just some of the plants you might consider. Dulley's Update Bulletin No. 586