Scratchy throat, runny nose, slight cough... if these ‘under the weather’ symptoms are becoming a constant in your home, then its time to investigate the quality of recirculated indoor air.
Air is often taken for granted by us. In a time when most of us are health conscious, shifting to healthier food ingredients and taking care of our fitness, we tend to forget that the air we breathe is equally important and has a huge impact on our health.
The issue of poor indoor air gets all the more serious in desert countries where residents, during summer, tend to spend about 90 per cent of their time indoors – where the air is two to five times more polluted than the outdoor air, says Tuna Gulenc, Vice President - Sales, Daikin MEA. In addition to the pollutants that come in from outside, such as sand, dust, cigarette smoke, and car exhaust, indoor air contains human hair and skin cells, animal fur and dander, CO2, lead particles, building materials, mold, mildew, viruses, and bacteria. These can trigger allergies and respiratory infections with symptoms such as congestion, sneezing, coughing, watery eyes, and sore throat.
In addition to respiratory illness and irritation, poor indoor air quality has been associated with lung complications, heart disease, asthma, some cancers, skin irritations, headache, and fatigue. Air quality also impacts our brain health, productivity, and cognitive function. It’s even a risk factor for premature death.
Here’s what you can do ensure the quality of air you and your family is breathing is of the best quality:
Use a high-quality air purifying system
Air purifiers refresh air by eliminating several types of harmful indoor air pollutants. Leading air purifiers, which are used in homes, offices, shops, classrooms, and doctor’s clinics, help purify indoor air through a combination of a high-performance technology. These purifiers virtually eliminate dust particles, allergens, odours and bacteria from the air inside your home.
‘A high-quality air purifier could be a game-changer in your home, dramatically reducing the time you spend dealing with allergies and illness,’ says Tuna.
Maintain your air conditioning system
Air conditioning systems work overtime in the UAE – we literally can’t live without them. While cooling the air, they also collect dirt, dust, and grime. To keep this dust, dirt and grime from being pumped back into the air you breathe, make sure you clean and change your AC filters every few months and invest in a full cleaning every year.
Ventilate what you can
Ensure you use a cooking vent, and open windows as you’re able to. There is no substitute for fresh outdoor air. Adding a fresh air inlet to a heating or cooling system also helps us achieve good indoor air quality as it dilutes poor indoor air.
Minimise humidity
Moisture causes harmful mold and bacteria to fester. Don’t allow water to stand in drains, sinks, or on countertops, dry laundry outdoors or near a window if you can and ensure your air conditioning system has a “dry” function. When you’re not using your air conditioning system, consider using a dehumidifier to minimize excess moisture in the air.
Buy house plants
House plants are no substitute for a forest, but some research suggests that certain house plants can contribute to better air quality indoors. Plants are like the lungs of an ecosystem – they use photosynthesis to capture carbon dioxide and release oxygen.
These simple steps will go a long way in not only improving the quality of air you and your loved ones breathe but with will prevent frequent bouts of allergies and other common ailments.
