There’s nothing like walking outside and taking a deep breath of fresh, clean air after a thunderstorm. Wouldn’t you like to be able to step back inside and enjoy that same fresh air all the time?
Living can be pretty risky sometimes. We all face a variety of threats to our safety as we move about, attend work, play games, live life. Some risks are unavoidable and some we choose to accept as they are. But sometimes, how risky a situation is depends on the actions that we take. Indoor air pollution is a risk we can do something about.
With more office-based jobs and at-home recreation choices, we are all spending an increasing amount of time indoors. People living in industrialized regions like the U.S. and Europe and now with increasing GDP, India; spend up to 90 percent of their time indoors. It makes sense to us that indoor air quality should be better than outdoor air quality. But as it turns out, that is not the case. Indoor air pollution is a real threat that presents real dangers.
Indoor air pollution comes from a variety of sources. By themselves, each individual indoor air pollution source may not be that dangerous. But the individual pollutants can add up to a significant cumulative risk. The risk of health damage from indoor air pollution also increases over time, as we are exposed to this pollutant cocktail day after day. People at greatest risk are those who spend the most time indoors–young children, the elderly, and people suffering from chronic diseases.
Indoor air pollution is a clear and present danger. Fortunately, it is possible to fight back. Most people can take steps to cut or eliminate existing sources of indoor air pollution, as well as preventing the introduction of new pollutant sources into their home or office.
The most outstanding way to reduce indoor air pollution is to get rid of each pollution source, or at least lower their emissions. Sources that contribute to indoor air pollution should be removed if possible. If not, they should be sealed or somehow enclosed. Other sources, like gas stoves, can usually be adjusted to reduce emissions. Reducing indoor air pollution by attacking the sources is cheaper than increasing ventilation or air exchange with the outside. Increased ventilation usually increases energy costs.
That said, increasing ventilation will help lower indoor air pollution concentrations. You cannot count on central air systems to bring in enough outside air. If local weather or climate will enable, you can open windows & doors, or use ceiling and attic fans. Bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans can also help reduce indoor air pollution by removing contaminants directly and by increasing the outdoor air exchange rate.
With a variety of air purifiers available, it is now more easier than earlier to prevent indoor air pollution. Asian paints has now come up with a special type of paint “Atmos”, that has inbuilt air purifying technology! “Royale Atmos is a first of its kind paint that not only looks beautiful, but also cleans the air making it purer than before. It’s Activated Carbon technology reduces harmful pollutants from the air. Additionally, Royale Atmos also absorbs select household foul smells to make the air fresher.”
Effective reduction of indoor air pollution will most likely be achieved with a combination of the methods above. But the most effective is the first method described: controlling or removing the sources of indoor air pollution.