Air Purification
 Pollution Sources

Sources of Indoor Air Pollution

Allergens and pollutants in my house? Where on earth did they come from? Here is a list of some of the common sources of indoor air pollution:

People

So much for simply removing the sources of pollution to control allergies! The fact is, people shed more skin than just about any other animal. About 80% of what you see floating in a ray of sunshine entering your home is dead human skin, and we can only see about 10% of the airborne pollutants. The rest are too small to see, but not too small to inhale! And as the primary food source for dust mites (yes, dust mites are alive!), each flake of skin hosts a multitude of them.

Dust

Inside your home, about 40 pounds of dust is generated per 1,500 square feet per year. Each speck of dust serves as a means of locomotion - meaning a way to get into your lungs - for about 40,000 dust mites and illness-causing bacteria, germs, and viruses.

Carpet, Plywood and Other Construction Materials

The "new" smell associated with new carpet, newly painted walls, new home, remodeled room, etc. is actually the out gassing of the chemical solutions used to treat or produce these products.

Mattresses and Furnishings

Treated with fire retardants and other chemicals, which add to the chemical vapors we breathe inside, these items are necessities that actually damage our health. Additionally, mattresses and pillows are known havens for dust mites and a main allergic trigger for most sufferers.

Pillows and Blankets

Dust mites comprise over 50% of the weight of the average pillow.

HVAC Systems

HVAC (heating, ventilation, and cooling) systems create a truly artificial environment, by stripping the air of the same natural elements that make the air in the mountains so invigorating and healthy. HVAC systems don't just take out the good elements, but they also add harmful elements to the air. Air ducts serve as a prime breeding ground for mold spores, and few people ever clean them. Read about our In-duct Air Purifiers to see how these units keep your HVAC ductwork clean and purify your whole house.

Household Cleaners, Aerosols, Insecticides, Pesticides and Personal Care Products

We literally poison the air we breathe with chemical fumes and toxins when we use these products - and that's just in a normal home. Imagine what the air's like in a hotel or motel that's doused with industrial-strength cleaners every single day! Out of the more than 600 active ingredients in these products, the EPA has reviewed only 4 for safety.

Moist Things or Humid Environments

Mold spores, bacteria, and mildew thrive in dampened towels, wash cloths, and moist or humid areas.

Pets

Airborne animal dander (dried spit from the animal that breaks off the end of their hair and floats in air since they are so small) is a common trigger for allergies and asthma. Plus, the feces from your pet emit added - and very unpleasant - contaminants into the air.  

Insects & Other Bugs

Insects and bugs leave feces throughout the home, which ultimately end up in the air we breathe. In a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, more than half the homes tested in the study had high numbers of cockroaches. Children living in these homes were more than three times as likely to be hospitalized for asthma.

Food

Food, whether inside the refrigerator or on the counter, serves as a breeding ground for bacteria and mold spores, which end up floating in the air we breathe. Even our kitchen trash can contributes a huge volume of illness-causing bacteria and unpleasant odor to our indoor air.

Smoking

Smoking in a home, office, place of business, or vehicle leaves the air dense with cancer-causing toxins. Even by smoking outside, toxins from the 3600 chemicals emitted as a result of tobacco smoke cling to the clothing. Many of these toxins release themselves into the air once inside.

Studies have shown that "second-hand smoke" is up to four times more carcinogenic than smoke inhaled directly from a cigarette. This is because the smoker is breathing it through a filter - and those around him are not.

Vehicles

Recent studies show that most people face their worst exposure to polluted air while inside their vehicle. Pollen builds up in your vehicle's a/c system. Think your a/c unit cleans the air before it cools it and pumps it into your car? Nope. Exhaust and gasoline fumes from the cars in front of you in traffic come right in virtually unfiltered. This can cause drowsiness, nausea, dizziness, headaches, and behavior problems.  

Miscellaneous Sources

Other sources include perfumes, topical creams and medications, wood-burning stoves, fireplaces, odors, chemicals from hobbies like photography and model building, ceramic glazes, oil paints, dusty closets, plastic shades, synthetic toys, moldy/dusty wallpaper, cosmetics, nail care products, scented candles, etc.