Over the winter months, most Calgarians spend nearly all of their time indoors. In the past, people used to work and spend much more time outside, but today, many of us spend just a few seconds going from house to car. Because of this, the quality of our indoor air has become more and more important. Moulds, asbestos, dust, smoke (or vapour), perfumes, toxins from building materials, and more can all collect and float invisible in our air, these particles can irritate eyes, cause headaches, and bother the immune system.
Indoor Air Quality Goes Down Quickly.
With climate change on many people’s minds, Canadians are sharply aware of outdoor air quality and environmental concerns. But air quality indoors is often much worse than it is outside. This is because all the walls and windows trap pollutants. Bad indoor air is often twice as contaminated as poor outdoor air, in the worst circumstances it can be five or even ten times worse. And with diseases like asthma and autism linked to poor air quality, it’s even more important to make sure spaces with children and pregnant women have clean, fresh air.
Mould Spores exist everywhere.
Outside and indoors. However, while a small amount of moult spores are to be expected even in the cleanest, country air, too many spores begin to cause problems. Many moulds trigger allergies in people of all ages, but in children and seniors, the symptoms are worse. Respiratory illness and infection is common, and some researchers believe that excess mould is a trigger for childhood asthma.
Long Term Exposure resulting in health problems like asthma can haunt a person for a lifetime. But other risk factor exist as well. Individuals who experience long term exposure to poor air quality are at an increased risk for heart disease and are more susceptibility to some cancers. The best way to protect yourself from these health concerns is to be proactive. Testing air quality is easy and fairly inexpensive. Try to test your home every couple years, and encourage your children’s schools and your workplace to do the same.
Air quality is an important part of living a healthy life. When people are exposed to poor air quality for too long, they often suffer from allergies and aren’t able to function at their best. Don’t allow mould and other air contaminants to lower your quality of life; test the air in your home regularly.
Think that mould spores may be contributing to bad air quality in your home? The experts at Amity Environmental are here to help! We can test the air in your home and give you a full report of our recommendations. Often, it’s as easy as changing your furnace’s filter every three months, but it’s good to know that nothing more serious is at play. Phone us today to book your appointment.
