Can Making Your Home More Energy Efficient Be Bad for Your Health?

At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be any correlation between energy efficiency in your home and your health. However, indoor air quality may suffer due to the “tighter” homes of today. We take a lot of actions to make our homes energy efficient. Sealing and caulking around doors and windows, triple pane glass, and additional insulation all keep the outside air out, but unfortunately, it also keeps the inside air in. Homes require a mixture of indoor and outdoor air to control pollutant levels. When minimal amounts of outdoor air enter a home, pollutant levels inside can build to dangerous levels. In fact, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) warns that the levels of hazardous pollutants in indoor air have been found to be up to 60 times greater than those found in outdoor air.

 

Besides the fact that the air is not being replaced, we add pollutants to our indoor air every day. Pollen, dander, mold, cigarette & cigar smoke, paints, stains, cleaners, pesticides, etc. And don’t forget about the stove, heaters and fireplaces. Even household items that seem harmless release lots of chemicals into our homes-new carpet, flooring adhesives, furniture-especially pressed wood that releases formaldehyde. We are surrounded by stale, polluted air. And since we spend 90% of our time indoors, that means we are breathing this air almost constantly.

 

So what can you do to lower the level of pollution in your Mishawaka home? Luckily, there are actions you can take to improve the air quality in your home. Air cleaners can remove many of the foreign particles. They come in several different varieties that work in slightly different ways – media cleaners, electronic cleaners, and electrostatic cleaners all make your air more healthy. HEPA filters can help remove pollutants as well. The best can remove particles as small as 0.3 microns or the width of a human hair. Ultra violet lights and duct cleaning can remove dust, mold, mildew, and bacteria. You are not powerless when it comes to improving the air in your home. If you’re not sure which option is best for you, check out our Indoor Air Quality page. Feel free to call and speak to one of our comfort advisors who can help you figure out what’s best for your home.