How To Improve Indoor Air Quality
So how is the air quality in your home?
What you can do:
Improving Indoor Air Quality
Canadians spend much of their time inside their homes. Good air quality is your home can help prevent breathing problems and other health concerns:
Second-hand smoke is especially dangerous to children because their lungs are still growing and developing. Second-hand smoke can even pass through a pregnant woman’s placenta. Infants and children exposed to second-hand some are more likely to suffer from Asthma and other Respiratory problems such as coughs, Pneumonia, Bronchitis and Croup, as well as Ear Infections. Babies who breathe in second-hand smoke have higher risk of dying from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or crib death.
1. Avoid Second Hand Smoke.Â
Make your home and car smoke-free by smoking outside, or not smoking at all. Second-hand smoke spreads from one room to another even if the door of the smoking area is closed. In addition, potentially harmful chemicals can cling to rugs, curtains, clothes, food, furniture, toys, and pretty much other materials and can remain in a room or car long after someone has smoked.
- What are the health effects?
Second-hand smoke hurts everyone and contains the same 4,000+ chemicals that are inhaled by a smoker. At least 50 of the chemicals found in second-hand smoke are known to cause cancer. these chemicals contribute directly to diseases like Asthma, Heart Disease and Emphysema – for smokers and non-smokers alike.
- How do I know if I have a problem?
If anyone is smoking in your car or home, you and your family are being exposed to second-hand smoke.
What can I do?
Protect your family from the health effects of second-hand some by making your home and car 100% smoke-free.
- No level of ventilation will eliminate the harmful effect of second-hand smoke. Opening a car or room window may cause the smoke to be blown directly back inside.
- Air fresheners only do not reduce the harm in any way. Even air filters (air purifiers)cannot remove all of the cancer-causing agents.
Health Canada advised against using air purifiers that intentionally release ozone to clean the air.
Ozone is a gas that can irritate your eyes, nose, throat, and lungs and is itself a major air pollutant known to cause cancer in the long term.
2. Keep Carbon Monoxide out of your home
- What are the health effects?
- How do I know if I have a problem?
3. Test your home for radon
- What are the health effects?
- How do I know if I have a problem?