How to Eliminate Air Pollution in Your Home

Domestic air pollution poses a serious health threat to many. In most cases it simply reduces quality of life, but under extreme circumstances it can become lethal. Fortunately, it only takes a little bit of work to fix the problem.

Why It Mattersr
There are two types of air pollution that most homeowners need to worry about: carbon monoxide buildup and general contaminants. What carbon monoxide buildup means is the accumulation of a toxic, odorless, tasteless, and invisible gas. Even a perceived small amount can become lethal, so it's a major threat. General contamination refers to pollen, paint fumes, and other general impurities. They aren't lethal, but they can cause discomfort and even lead to respiratory problems over time.

Preventionr
As the cliché goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Fortunately, preventing air pollution is fairly easy. Start by removing sources of air pollution from your home. Paint, cleaning chemicals, and some faulty machines are among the most common culprits. Candles and other sources of flame can also cause a significant amount of pollution.

If you can't completely eliminate them, you have two options. The first is restricting them to a small part of the home that can be isolated from the rest. That prevents the pollution from spreading, and eliminates most problems as long as you don't visit that area frequently. Alternatively, you ensure that there is enough ventilation to sweep the pollution out of your home as quickly as possible.

The next step is performing regular maintenance on your appliances. Many of them release fumes when they are damaged or have not been cleaned recently. This is especially true of ovens and fireplaces, since they can pollute the air by burning scraps of organic material if they do not receive regular cleaning.

Purificationr
It's impossible to prevent all pollution, so it's important to be able to purify the air in your home. In most cases, good ventilation is enough. Open the windows, set up a portable fan, and get the air flowing. Mechanical purifiers can also be useful, but there is a simpler and cheaper alternative. A study by NASA found that many plants can act as natural air purifiers. Simply place a few of them in your home and they can help keep the pollution level under control.

Conclusionr
Air pollution is a serious problem, but it's fairly easy to fix. Simply removing the major sources of pollution and letting your home ventilate will take care of most of the trouble, while a few plants or an air purifier will fix the rest. Since the medical consequences of air pollution can be severe, there's no reason not to step in and make your home a pollution-free zone.