February is Care About Your Indoor Air Month.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Americans spend up to 90 percent of their time indoors. But, indoor air can be as much as five times more polluted than outdoor air.
Have you noticed stale or musty odors in your home?
Have you noticed more mold and mildew?
Have you noticed more dust around your home?
If so, the indoor air in your home could be polluted.
Indoor air pollutants include biological particulates such as pollen and pet dander, mold and mildew, dust, gases such as carbon monoxide and radon, and volatile organic compounds that are found in materials such as adhesives, air fresheners, chemical cleansers, paints, pressed woods and solvents. These pollutants can manifest in a variety of ways, and they can create or worsen a myriad of environmental issues and health concerns including allergies, asthma and migraines.
While indoor air pollution is common, you can prevent or resolve this issue with simple steps.
Change your home's air filters regularly.
Ensure that gas-burning appliances such as stoves and water heaters are properly vented.
Maintain your home's relative humidity at 30 to 50 percent.
Eliminate the sources of indoor air pollution by cleaning your home regularly with biobased cleansers.
Repair water leaks promptly, and report water leaks in your United States Army Reserve facility to facility management.
Reduce your use of chemicals and materials that contain volatile organic compounds such as formaldehyde, benzene and acetone.
Find more information about indoor air pollution and additional steps to improve your indoor air quality in our Care About Your Indoor Air Month Resource Guide at sustainableusar.com/iaq.
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Related Links:
Soldiers for Sustainability: The Blog of Army Reserve Sustainability Programs
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