(Family Features) – Maintaining a healthy home means promoting a healthy lifestyle. But Americans aren’t aware of the important role indoor air plays in creating a healthy home. In fact, nearly half of Americans (49 percent) believe indoor air quality has little to no impact on overall health, according to an online 2010 Indoor Air Quality Consumer Survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Dow Building Solutions.
The truth is that improved indoor air quality can lead to a healthier lifestyle for you and your family. The good news is that there are steps you can take to improve the air quality in your home and overall your quality of life. If you are remodeling or building your home, there are several changes that can minimize contaminants and improve the air you breathe inside your home.
“Americans spend an estimated 90 percent of their lives indoors. Dow wants to be a part of the movement to make that environment as healthy as possible,” said Theresa Binder, Dow Environmental Health & Safety Specialist. “There are many ways Americans can be proactive about keeping their families healthy indoors. Education is the first step.”
According to the study, Americans are more likely to improve air quality by making temporary changes-such as cleaning carpets, using cleaning products that promise to reduce pollutants and cleaning and/or disinfecting ducts. However, there are things that can have a longer lasting affect such as:
- Keeping your house mold-free. Mold spores produce allergens that can trigger asthma attacks and cause sneezing, runny nose and red eyes.
- Using safer building materials such as stainless steel, tile, adobe and insulation without added formaldehydes, such as SAFETOUCH™ Fiberglass-Free Insulation.
- Keeping your home free of radon. The colorless, odorless gas can cause lung cancer. Ensure your home is properly insulated to prevent leaks.
To learn more about how indoor air quality affects overall health, visitors to www.imaginehomehealth.com can review tips on how to improve air quality in their homes and learn more about the impact poor air quality has on health. In addition, consumers have a chance to enter the “What Makes Your Home Healthy?” video sweepstakes, with a grand prize room makeover package worth more than $8,500.
SOURCE:
Dow Building Solution
