Absolutely. Air pollution levels can be up to 100 times higher in a building than outdoors. The American Lung Association found that the majority of people spend 90% of their time indoors, making it essential for homeowners to know about indoor air quality (IAQ) in Knoxville.
Many regular household items cause poor indoor air quality, such as:
- Chemicals found in carpet, furniture, upholstery and drapes
- Cleaning chemicals
- Paint
- Personal care products
The tight construction of new homes also contributes significantly to bad IAQ. Fixtures like weather stripping and storm doors are used to save on utility bills. However, they also block enough ventilation by keeping indoor air in and exterior air out. The result could be an increase of vapors within your house.
Inferior IAQ can be a direct or indirect cause of some health issues. Medical experts report that as many as half of all illnesses are linked or worsened by indoor air pollution.
Chemicals within your house can bring on flu-like illness including headaches, nausea and respiratory inflammation. It can also aggravate allergies and asthma.
Enough ventilation also plays an important role in improving indoor air quality, because it decreases the level of indoor pollutants.