Why Air Purification is Essential to Your Health

Did you know that air pollution isn’t only caused by discharges from vehicles, power plants or smog? These are examples of outdoor pollution, but the air in your home can also be filled with harmful contaminants. There are certain gases and particles that pollute your indoor air.

In fact, indoor air is far more polluted than outdoor air. According to a study, an estimated 2.2 million deaths are linked to indoor air pollution while half a billion people died due to subjection to outdoor air pollution.

Most Americans spend 90 percent of their time indoors, exposing them to indoor pollutants that are 2-5 times more dangerous than outdoor contaminants.

Because of this, you should take a crucial course of action to improve the quality of your indoor air, and installing an air purification system is a step toward a cleaner, fresher indoor air.

Four Seasons Air Specialists is your preferred HVAC company in Lino Lakes MN that offers some of the best air purification brands in the industry to assist in improving your indoor air, helping your family maintain a better health.

Sources of Indoor Air Pollution

In developed countries like the U.S., the two most common yet hazardous indoor air pollutants are tobacco smoke and radon.

Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, most of which are carcinogens(chemicals that cause cancer). An air purifier equipped with activated carbon can effectively incarcerate and kill these chemical compounds.

Breathing in cigarette smoke can cause a number of health problems that include lung cancer, asthma, emphysema, and heart disease. Even if you are not a smoker, you are still exposed to the same pollutants if you suck in cigarette smoke secondhand.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas, which comes from the natural breakdown (radioactive decay) of uranium. It is usually found in igneous rock and soil, but in some cases, radon may also be present in well water.

Today, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, you have a high likelihood of developing lung cancer and other similar diseases. Certain scientific studies show that children may be more sensitive to radon exposure. This may be due to their higher respiration rate and their rapidly dividing cells, which may be more susceptible to radiation damage.

Source: radon.com

One more source of indoor air pollution is volatile organic compounds (or VOCs). These are compounds that contain carbon released by almost anything you use in your home - paint, plastic, perfume, household cleaners, adhesives, furniture, carpet, paper, among others.

The Importance of Air Purification

The effects of indoor air pollutants range from short-term effects such as eye and throat irritation to long-term effects like respiratory disease and cancer. In certain cases, the exposure to high levels of some pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, can even result in immediate death.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, major signs or symptoms associated with exposure to VOCs may include:

• conjunctival irritation
• nose and throat discomfort
• headache
• allergic skin reaction
• dyspnea
• decline in serum cholinesterase levels
• nausea
• emesis
• epistaxis
• fatigue
• dizziness

How Air Purification Can Help

Air purifiers are an effective way to clean your home’s air. An air purifier works by passing air through filters, which capture small particles and eliminate them from the air in the room.

Air purifiers can help with allergies, awful smells, snoring and more.

They can help you breathe cleaner air that will allow your lungs and other organs to work better, usually leading to better oxygen absorption by your brain.

Certain air purifiers use high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that promise to catch 99.97 percent of airborne particles larger than 0.3 microns. These highly effective filters remove smaller allergens like dust, smoke, chemicals, asbestos, pollen, and pet dander.

Ask the Air Purification Experts

To create a better, safer living space, call Four Seasons Air Specialists. We have the knowledge, equipment, experience, and the right people to satisfy all your home comfort needs. For over 40 years, we have been the leading Lino Lakes heating and air conditioning contractor that consistently provides excellent HVAC products and services.