How to Make Your Home a Healthy Place to Live & Breathe

03/04/2021

Itchy eyes, sneezing, fatigue, headaches, coughing, allergies, respiratory diseases and even heart disease and cancer can all be attributed to indoor air pollution. In fact, The EPA estimates that indoor air can be up to five times more contaminated than outdoor air.

It’s no surprise poor air quality in our homes, schools and workspaces is becoming a major global health concern. Especially considering Americans spend 90 percent of their time indoors — and that was pre-COVID before millions of people began working and learning from home. During the winter months, many of us are spending even more time inside.

It’s time to take a hard look at the health impacts of your indoor environment.

Common Indoor Air Pollutants  

Here are few of the most common contributors to poor indoor air quality:

• VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) from paint, furniture, carpet, cleaning agents, perfumes, etc.
• Pet hair and dander
• Mold, mildew or rot
• Pests (dust mites, mice, cockroaches, etc.)
• Carbon monoxide and other gases from cooking and attached garages
• Pollen from outdoors
• Radon

The Indoor Impact

Unhealthy air inside a home can pose serious health risks. Children, seniors and people with cardiovascular or respiratory diseases are particularly vulnerable. A report from Buildings 2030 linked poor air quality to lower levels of work productivity and absenteeism, as well as lower attention spans in classrooms. Even more alarming, the World Health Organization has found that 3.8 million people a year die prematurely from illnesses attributable to household air pollution such as pneumonia, stroke and heart disease.

Creating a Healthier Home

So, if we know there is a problem with indoor air quality, what can be done about it? First, try to eliminate common air pollutants. Next, take steps to weatherize your home. Adding fiberglass insulation, air sealing, and duct sealing can help alleviate these potential health impacts. Here are four ways to weatherize your home.

1. Energy Audit

   The best way to get started is through an energy audit. An energy audit is conducted by a qualified energy auditor who uses special equipment such as a blower door test, thermal imaging camera, and other health and safety devices. With these tools, home energy auditors can pinpoint any problems that are wasting your energy and making your home unhealthy for your family. Many utility companies, including Duke Energy and ComEd offer these audits for free.

2. Air Sealing

   The results of an energy audit will illustrate where your home needs to be sealed. Small gaps in the attic, basement, crawlspace, or walls shared with garage and living space allow water vapor, dust, allergens and many other pollutants to enter, leading to poor indoor air quality. Using an air sealant in these gaps can keep these pollutants out. Air sealing between the living space and the attic also prevents moisture (from cooking, laundry, showers, etc.) from accumulating in the attic and potentially creating mold and moisture issues.

   Sealing leaky ductwork, both supply and air returns, will make the HVAC system more efficient as well as ensuring unhealthy air is not drawn into the home from the ventilation system.

3. Insulation

   Nine of out 10 homes in the U.S. are under-insulated. A properly insulated home, including attic insulation and basement or crawlspace insulation, is a key aspect of a weatherized home. Fiberglass insulation is the safer option compared to other insulants such as spray foam, because it is made from recycled and renewable materials like glass and sand. It is also a popular and easy DIY project.

   
    

4. Choose GREENGUARD Certified Products

   Choosing products that are non-toxic, made from recycled materials and free from harmful chemicals, ensures that fewer pollutants are cycled through the air. Look for GREENGUARD Certified products, like Knauf Insulation, that have been tested and proven to meet some of the world’s most rigorous chemical emissions standards.

Healthy Savings

Weatherization is good for air quality — and for your wallet. The average U.S. household spends about $2,060 per year on household energy costs. Insulation and air sealing can lower your utility bills, save you money, and boost re-sale value when it comes time to sell.

Good air quality in buildings is vital to our health and well-being. With most of our time spent inside, the quality and comfort of our home environment makes a big difference not only to how we feel, but also to how we perform.