With all the air pollution outside, we like to think that our homes are safe and contain clean, fresh air.  Since we view our homes as our havens, the last thing we want to think about is that the air in our homes might be causing us to be sick.  This could, in fact, be just what makes us ill. 

Studies show that things like mold, pet dander and pollen can get into our homes then be blown around by our heating and cooling systems, causing our indoor air to become polluted more than the air outside.  Indoor air pollution can cause problems such as allergies, sinus infections and asthma in some people and if you encounter the toxic mold and it gets into your lungs, you could even die.  All that from your sanctuary.

While it looks bleak, indoor air pollution doesn’t have to be that big of a problem for you.  Most of it can be treated or prevented and the rest can be filtered, but you need to know what kind of indoor air pollution you’re dealing with before you attempt to fix it.

• Your first step in dealing with indoor air pollution should be to call in an expert who can help you to identify sources such as mold and pollens.  Many of these people can also treat sources of allergies such as mold infestations by pulling out the moldy parts of your home and replacing it with fresh, new materials that are less likely to become moldy again.
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  You’ll also want to have your heating ducts cleaned well.  You should do this about every 6 months to a year, depending on your sensitivity to things like pollen and pet dander.  This will not only help you to breathe better, but will help your heating and cooling system to run more efficiently.  Change your filters every 30 days or so, and you should find you’re breathing better.  For those of you who are extremely sensitive to indoor air pollution, it might be worth it to get an in system filtration system which will help to clean all the air you breathe, but you should be aware that if your heat or air is off, the filter isn’t working.
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  Vacuum and clean your home frequently, but try not to use toxic chemicals in your cleaning.  The fumes from many cleaning chemicals can linger for a very long time, which can aggravate allergies and asthma.  Consider some more eco, and people friendly cleaning supplies, which have less toxic scents but are just as effective.  Choose a new vacuum that deep cleans your carpeting and use something like an electric broom for your hard floors.

With these tips, you should find that you’re having an easier time dealing with your indoor air pollution, and your asthma or allergies.  You can take the steps like vacuuming first and if that doesn’t work, call an expert.  Sometimes, all it takes to reduce your indoor air pollution dramatically is to give your pet a bath and clean your home.  This can have amazing results for allergy sufferers and reduce your indoor air pollution.