Absolutely. Exposure to air pollutants can be nearly 100 times worse indoors than outdoors. The American Lung Association estimates that the majority of people spend 90% of their time in a building, making it important for homeowners to know about indoor air quality (IAQ) in Raleigh.
Many regular household things create bad indoor air quality, like:
- Chemicals in parts of carpet, furniture, upholstery and drapes
- Cleaning chemicals
- Paint
- Personal care cosmetics
The tight construction of modern houses also contributes significantly to inferior IAQ. Fixtures like weather stripping and storm doors are used to decrease heating and cooling bills. However, they also prevent adequate ventilation by keeping indoor air in and outdoor air out. The outcome could be an increase of vapors in your home.
Inferior IAQ can be a direct or indirect source of some health problems. Medical groups have found that up to half of all ailments are tied or worsened by indoor air pollution.
Chemicals inside your home can cause flu-like symptoms such as headaches, nausea and respiratory irritation. It can also worsen allergies and asthma.
Enough ventilation also plays an important role in enhancing indoor air quality, because it lowers the level of indoor pollutants.