Indoor air quality and your health

What causes indoor air pollution?

Common causes of indoor air pollution include the following.

• Poor ventilation. Keeping all the windows and doors closed to keep heat in can cause poor ventilation (movement of air). This can lead to damp, mould, and condensation, which can impact our health.
• Damp and mould. Drying wet clothes on indoor airers, cooking, and washing can cause moisture to form in the air, contributing to damp and mould. Damp can also happen if you only heat rooms occasionally or aren’t able to keep all rooms at a similar temperature.
• Cooking. The appliances you use for cooking can also have an impact on indoor air quality. Gas cookers can increase levels of a substance called nitrogen dioxide, which can make asthma worse and cause other health problems.
• Open fires. Open fuel fires that burn wood or coal cause a build-up of particles and smoke in the air. These can cause health problems, especially when there isn’t enough ventilation to remove the polluted air.
• Smoke. Being exposed to tobacco smoke from cigarettes, pipes, cigars, or shisha pipes (hookah) puts your health, and the health of your loved ones, at risk.
• Chemicals. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are substances that come from paint, cleaning sprays, and air fresheners. VOCs such as formaldehyde can sometimes be found in carpets, flooring, and furniture.

What are the effects of indoor air pollution on our health?

exposed to indoor air pollution can affect everyone. But some people are more at risk of health problems because of poor indoor air quality. These include:

• people with asthma or allergies
• those with a lung condition called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• people with cardiovascular disease (conditions that affect your heart and circulation)
• pregnant people (the risk also affects unborn babies)
• pre-school children
• older people
• people who are exposed to tobacco smoke at home

How can I improve indoor air quality?

You can improve the quality of the air in your home by following these six steps.

• Ventilate your home. Letting fresh air in and stale air out is key to improving the air quality in your home and protecting your health. You can do this by opening your windows. You don’t need to have them open all the time. Open them for up to 10 minutes a few times every day, especially when you’re cooking or having a shower or bath. This can also help to reduce the spread of the flu virus and COVID-19.
• Keep indoors smoke-free. Don’t smoke inside, and ask others not to smoke in your house. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health.
• Remove or limit excess moisture in the air. Dry your wet clothes in a tumble drier or outside if you can. If you’re unable to, dry them in a ventilated room. Use extraction fans in your kitchen and bathroom, if you have them, to remove any excess moisture in the air.
• Use your cooking and heating appliances with care. When using a gas cooker, use the extraction fan and open a window to release the polluted air. And make sure to have your gas appliances serviced each year.
• Avoid using products containing harmful VOCs. Limit your exposure to VOCs by opting for fragrance free cleaning products. You could also try using more natural products to clean like baking soda and vinegar. If you’re decorating, open windows and read the product label carefully. There is a labelling scheme in the UK which will tell you the VOC level. Choose a low one, but still air the rooms well.
• Keep your home clean and at a stable temperature. Keep the temperature of your home to at least 18 degrees in winter. Vacuum regularly and wipe surfaces with a clean cloth rather than a feather duster to help reduce dust levels in the air.

Do house plants improve indoor air quality?

There’s some evidence to suggest that indoor plants can reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide indoors, although more research is needed. But taking the other actions mentioned in this article can help you to improve the air quality in your home and help to look after your health.