Air pollution in the home
We are all familiar with outdoor air pollution. We also know that it has consequences for our health.
Less well known, however, is the importance of good indoor air quality. After all, we spend a large part of our time indoors: at home, at the office, at school, in shops, at restaurants, etc. The quality of the air you breathe is therefore very important for your health.
Causes of pollution
There are many causes of air pollution in the home: heating appliances, fireplaces, building materials, furniture, cleaning products, cooling systems. Cooking and some hobbies can also pollute the air in your home. And don't forget: the pollution that comes in from outside.
The effect on health depends on the nature and concentration of the pollutant, and on the frequency and duration of exposure.
What you can do to limit the risk varies depending on the source of pollution.
A poorly adjusted or poorly maintained air conditioning can cause complaints.
Health risks
An air conditioner that is set too loudly causes dehydration of the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat. This causes irritation such as stinging eyes, itchy nose and a dry mouth. Dry mucous membranes also make you more susceptible to infections.
Sometimes existing viruses and bacteria are spread more easily by air conditioning. They can cause all kinds of infections, usually of the upper respiratory tract.
How to prevent?
- Moderate the use of air conditioning.
- Make sure your air conditioning is properly adjusted. Air conditioning that is too loud is disturbing and causes many health problems.
- Change the water regularly if you have water-based air conditioning.
- Maintain the device regularly and replace the filters correctly.
The soil where you live can also give rise to pollutants such as radon . This is a radioactive gas that is released as a breakdown product of uranium and radium, two substances found in stony subsurfaces.
In the open air , radon dilutes quickly so that it does not pose a danger . However, if radon from the soil enters buildings, high concentrations can arise indoors that are dangerous .
Radon does not occur equally everywhere. In Flanders, too much radon indoors is rather rare . It occurs more frequently in Wallonia, because of the rocky subsoil.
Health risks
Radon particles that occur in high concentrations indoors are inhaled and pose an increased risk of lung cancer. This risk increases if you smoke . Both smoking and radon increase the risk of lung cancer, but the risk increases significantly when both pollutants are present together .
What can you do?
- Have your indoor air checked for radon in a risk area. You can request a measurement from the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC). And in some Walloon provinces you can request a measuring device to record the radon concentration for three months.
- Seek professional advice if too much radon is present.
- Stop smoking in the home if radon is also present.
Building materials such as cement, plastic, roofing, floor coverings, insulation materials, plywood, covering materials or textiles release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) . A well-known example is formaldehyde that can be released from fiberboard.
Health risks
Exposure to volatile organic compounds for several hours to months can lead to:
- irritation of the nose, throat and eyes;
- headache;
- dizziness;
- nausea;
- fatigue;
- palpitations;
- difficulty breathing;
- increase in asthma symptoms.
Regular, long-term exposure to high concentrations of these fumes can cause permanent damage to the brain. They can also cause lung cancer or cancer in the nose/throat area.
Some older building materials contain asbestos . Asbestos fibers can be released during the decomposition of asbestos-containing materials. When inhaled, the fibers end up in the alveoli and cause an inflammatory reaction that leads to scar nodules (asbestosis). This hinders proper oxygen exchange, causing shortness of breath, chest pain and dry cough. Asbestos can also cause lung cancer. Since 1998, new building materials may no longer contain asbestos.
Some building materials contain synthetic glass fibers (e.g. glass wool, rock wool and slag wool). These fibers are released when materials wear out, during water damage or when they are processed (sanding, chopping, cutting). Released glass fibers cause irritation of the nose and throat. They have no proven long-term effects.
What can you do?
- Ventilate your home well during renovation work. Even when you bring new furniture into your home, extra ventilation is necessary.
- Never break down non-bonded asbestos materials used in your home yourself . For renovations, have it removed by professionals . You can take asbestos materials to the container park without breaking them.
- Also leave materials containing synthetic glass fibers undisturbed . If you do remove them, wear a mask and protective clothing .
Cleaning products, air fresheners, perfumes, paints, glues, varnishes and pesticides release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. They may also contain other toxic substances .
Health risks
Exposure to volatile organic compounds for several hours to months can lead to:
- irritation of the nose, throat and eyes;
- headache;
- dizziness;
- nausea;
- fatigue ;
- palpitations;
- difficulty breathing;
- increase in asthma symptoms.
Regular, long-term exposure to high concentrations of these fumes can cause permanent damage to the brain. Regular or prolonged exposure can also lead to lung cancer or cancer in the nose/throat area.
What can you do?
- Be careful with chemical contaminants. Always read the instructions for use and follow the instructions before you start using a particular product.
- Use chemicals outdoors as much as possible.
- Ventilate the room well during and after you use chemicals.
- Carefully remove surpluses of used chemicals and take them to the container park .
- Don't use air fresheners : they are unnecessary and increase your exposure to volatile organic compounds.
- Use cleaning products in moderation and as many products as possible that do not irritate. Avoid sprays. And you don't need bleach when cleaning.
- If possible, use natural paint (recognizable by the nature-plus label) or non-synthetic paint based on environmentally friendly raw materials. They cause less odor nuisance in your home. The leftovers are biodegradable and meet the highest international environmental and health requirements.
- Choose building material with a label .
Pets such as cats, dogs and birds spread allergens . These can also occur in plants and flowers.
Health risks
Allergens from pets, plants and flowers can cause allergic reactions such as itchy watery eyes, an itchy, runny nose, a cough, attacks of asthma and atopic eczema.
What can you do?
Remove plants or flowers to which you are allergic if allergic reactions occur.
If you have an allergy to animal dander, it is sometimes necessary to get rid of the pet. Unfortunately, the dander can remain in the house for a long period of time. Be careful with pets in children with a predisposition to allergies, as they may develop an allergy to the animal.
Mattresses, pillows, bed linen, curtains, fabric seats, carpets and upholstered furniture can contain dust mites. Dust mites are tiny animals that prefer to nest in warm, moist and dark places.
Health risks
The droppings of dust mites can cause an allergic reaction with itchy, watery eyes, an itchy runny nose, a cough, attacks of asthma and atopic eczema.
What can you do?
- Wash your bed linen weekly at 60 °C.
- Vacuum both sides of your mattress regularly.
- Because dust mites do not like light, cold and wind :
- leave the shutters and curtains open during the day;
- use your heating as little as possible (a temperature of 15 °C to 18 °C is sufficient);
- ventilate your bedroom sufficiently;
- reduce humidity ;
- leave your bed open during the day;
- brush weekly with water .
- Wash fabric curtains regularly.
- Preferably do not lay carpets .
People in the home reduce the oxygen content in the air, increase the CO 2 content and make the air more humid. People can also spread viruses and bacteria into the air by breathing, talking, sneezing and coughing.
Health risks
A lot of CO 2 and little oxygen in the indoor air can cause headaches, concentration problems and fatigue. Viruses and bacteria in the air can cause all kinds of infections, usually of the upper respiratory tract.
What can you do?
- Provide extra ventilation if there are a lot of people in the house.
- Ventilate the bedroom extra if several people sleep in it.
- Go outside regularly, for example for walking or cycling.
Smoking cigarettes, cigars or a pipe spreads polluting tobacco smoke in the home. Tobacco smoke contains harmful substances such as nicotine and tar . A smoker not only damages his own health, but also that of non-smokers in the area .
Health risks
- Increased irritation of the nose and throat. You are more likely to cough regularly.
- Symptoms of asthma and chronic lung disease (COPD) can worsen .
- Decreased lung function.
- Poorer oxygen absorption and blood flow, which can cause cardiovascular disease.
- Increased risk of cancer . Cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals, at least forty of which are carcinogenic.
Inhaling tobacco smoke in the indoor air ( passive smoking ) can also cause a number of lung diseases such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and lung cancer.
What can you do?
- Do not smoke in your home . And don't allow others to do this either.
- Never smoke in the presence of children .
- Quit smoking permanently.
Mold thrives in damp places such as bathrooms and basements. They produce spores that spread into the surrounding air.
Health risks
Mold can cause an allergic reaction such as itchy watery eyes, an itchy, runny nose, a cough, attacks of asthma and atopic eczema.
Mold can cause nose and throat irritation and shortness of breath or worsen existing asthma symptoms. Some types of mold can be very dangerous, especially for people with a weakened immune system .
What can you do?
- Mold problems are often related to a structural problem in the home. Consult an architect, contractor or professional for this. Rising ground moisture, cold bridges or moisture seepage are the main culprits.
- Remove mold with an all-purpose cleaner . Rinse the treated surface with water. Only in case of persistent mold, consider disinfecting afterwards with a chlorine solution (1/10) such as bleach (do not use ammonia). Don't overdo it with bleach because that is also polluting. And be careful because bleach is a dangerous product for your respiratory tract, eyes and clothes. Allow the surface to dry completely afterwards.
Only healthy people should remove mold. Persons with respiratory complaints and pregnant women should not do this for health reasons. If in doubt, consult your doctor. - Do not cover damp areas in your home. In any case, preferably place furniture ten centimeters from the wall.
- Take out your organic waste and remove all food scraps from the kitchen very regularly.
Gas stoves, gas geysers, heaters without smoke vents, stoves and candles release small polluting particles of dust into the air, polluting gases (e.g. carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides) and sulfur oxide in the home.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless and odorless gas that can be released by incomplete combustion when the room is insufficiently ventilated and there is too little oxygen present. You can see this, among other things, when the flame of your gas or oil heating appliance turns yellow .
Health risks
- Contaminating dust particles and polluting gases can lead to increased irritation of the nose and throat. You are more likely to cough.
- Complaints of asthma and chronic pulmonary disease (COPD) may increase, and lung function may decline.
- CO poisoning can be fatal .
What can you do?
- Limit the use of heating appliances without smoke vents. Do not use portable heating appliances based on gas, petroleum or oil for longer than one hour . Definitely don't use them when you sleep .
- Always ensure a fresh air supply in the room and good exhaust of combustion gases , especially with a gas geyser or a heating appliance without a smoke exhaust.
- Pay attention to indications of incomplete combustion : a yellow flame, soot deposits around the appliance or high humidity.
- Be alert for signs of CO in a room :
- changed behavior of pets;
- the same symptoms (e.g. headache, nausea, vomiting, visual disturbances, feeling of weakness, palpitations) in different participants;
- symptoms that occur repeatedly with the same activity (e.g. showering).
- Have your heating device regularly checked by a certified professional .
- Use the extractor hood above gas stoves.
- Do not place a heater that is too large in a space that is too small.
- Only burn dry and untreated wood in your fireplace.
- Have your chimney and other drain pipes cleaned annually .
High humidity and moisture damage provide the ideal environment for mold and dust mites.
Health risks
Dust mites and mold can cause allergic reactions such as itchy watery eyes, an itchy, runny nose, a cough, attacks of asthma and atopic eczema.
Mold can cause nose and throat irritation and shortness of breath or worsen existing asthma symptoms. Some types of mold can be very dangerous, especially for people with a weakened immune system .
What can you do?
- Reduce the humidity of your home. You do this by good ventilation. You can measure the humidity level with a hygrometer. An ideal humidity level is between 30% and 80% in summer, and between 30% and 55% in winter.
- When cooking, always put lids on your pots and turn on your extractor hood . Leave the extractor hood on for another fifteen minutes after cooking. Open the window if you don't have a good extractor hood.
- Ventilate well after bathing, showering or if you let the laundry dry indoors.
- Heat your home sufficiently.
- Avoid leaks and water damage.
Risk persons
The greater the pollution, the more people will experience complaints. But it is difficult to predict who will be more affected. However, some risk groups are more susceptible to the consequences of polluted air.
- Children , because their immune system is not yet fully developed. This makes them more sensitive to air pollution - especially the tobacco smoke they breathe indoors - and more susceptible to asthma and bronchitis.
- Persons with a lung condition such as asthma or chronic bronchitis.
- Patients with a serious illness who spend a lot of time indoors.
- People with an allergy to dust mites or pets.
- Pregnant women and their unborn baby.
- Women , because they usually suffer from dry eyes and a dry throat more quickly.
Health consequences
Poor air quality in your home can cause many complaints .
- Respiratory complaints such as:
- irritation of nose and throat;
- to sneeze;
- cough;
- lung diseases such as asthma and chronic pulmonary disease (COPD);
- lung cancer;
- Allergic reactions such as:
- itchy, watery eyes;
- a runny or stuffy nose;
- to sneeze;
- cough;
- itch;
- atopic eczema;
- complaints of asthma.
Polluted air can also affect other parts of the body.
Furthermore, the consequences may differ depending on the cause of the pollution.
How can you prevent indoor air pollution?
Ventilation and ventilation are the most important things to combat the effects of air pollution.
Ventilation
Ventilation is the constant renewal of the air in the home, replacing the polluted indoor air with fresh, oxygen-rich outdoor air.
- Ventilation must be done continuously . Too good insulation without regular ventilation prevents the polluted indoor air from escaping and being diluted. Even if you live in an area where the outside air is highly polluted, permanent ventilation is recommended.
- Ventilation can be done via simple ventilation grilles in windows, windows and walls. Fresh air enters the house through these grilles. The air spreads in the house through grilles in interior doors or walls or moves through cracks and crevices.
- There are also mechanical ventilation systems based on fans for air supply and exhaust. Air supply takes place in dry rooms, air is extracted in damp rooms such as kitchen, bathroom and toilet.
- Does your home not have a ventilation system or grilles ? Then ventilate by opening your windows or leaving them ajar with a window stop. In cold or windy weather, a crack is often sufficient. Although some energy is always lost, ventilation is necessary for your health.
Relief
Ventilation is an intensive form of ventilation in which you open windows or doors for a short period of time .
- Ventilation is necessary at times when ventilation is insufficient . For example, if many people are present in the home, if you place new furniture in the house and certainly if it has been painted or glued, or if smoking occurs indoors.
- To minimize the effect of polluted outside air, better ventilate through windows or doors at the rear of your home and outside peak hours . There is no general rule about how long to ventilate for. This depends, among other things, on the size of your windows, how far they are open, the wind direction and the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures.
- Ventilation cannot replace ventilation. The effect of ventilation is over after twenty minutes. In addition, you lose a lot of heat and therefore energy by opening your windows wide. Windows that are left ajar also cause a lot of heat loss.
Specific tips
In addition to ventilation and ventilation, you can also take precautions against specific causes.
Source: Doctor Elise Rummens, prevention doctor CM, in collaboration with the intermutualistic working group 'Environment and health'.