Today is Clean Air Day in Canada, all part of Environment Week, which puts focus on improving and protecting our environment.
Did you know poor indoor air quality can have a detrimental affect on your health? Poor indoor air quality has been shown to make people feel tired, and has even been shown to contribute to allergies and asthma. There are many factors that can contribute to indoor air quality, but here’s some ways you can improve it.
- Check your flooring: check with manufacturers and choose flooring materials that minimize chemical release, some flooring like carpet and vinyls can contribute to this.
- Bring plants indoors: the presence of plants and greenery indoors is proven to improve indoor air quality by pumping oxygen into the air.
- Open the windows: let the presence of fresh air flow through your home (especially this time of year) to help release VOCs that may be released during home projects, from certain paints, etc.
- Check paints: if you’re planning a home upgrade, building a deck or painting, go with low VOC paints, stains and finishes.
- Evaluate your bedroom: you may not realize it, but many toxins are released in your bedroom every day. This can be a result of linens, carpeting, furniture, mattresses, etc. It’s a good idea to evaluate all the elements of your bedroom.
Buy new! Thanks to modern construction practices, brand new homes give you a clean fresh air, comfortable moisture levels and overall the best possible indoor environments.
- Construction and design: great indoor air quality starts with solid construction that ensures the prevention of moisture leaks and incorporates energy-efficient windows. With high building standards and the fact that new homes have never been lived in, you can be sure the construction is at the utmost quality.
- Ventilation: proper ventilation systems are built into every new home, using fans to dispose of stale or excess moisture in the air, caused by everyday living.
- Heating and cooling: the heating and cooling systems installed in brand new homes ensure the comfort level of the air for the homeowners, and can draw fresh air in while bringing stale air out.
- Building materials: by using the highest quality building materials, homebuilders can eliminate the introduction of toxins and pollutants into the home during the construction process.
- Finishings: by using non-toxic cleaning products and eco-friendly finishings, homebuilders can eliminate any extra toxins in the air.
