What if you could be merry and healthy this holiday season? That may not seem feasible (especially if you have a penchant for rum cakes and sugar cookies), but healthy habits don’t necessarily involve diet and exercise. In fact, you can indirectly improve your physical health by improving aspects of your environment, such as indoor air quality.
For many people, the holidays have a distinct smell: roasted foods and baked sweets, spice-scented candles, an open fireplace, fir trees. These smells may be rife with nostalgia, but they’re also the bearers of dangerous air pollutants. Most people don’t realize that in terms of indoor air quality, the holidays can be the most toxic time of the year.
The good news is that they don’t have to be. Avoiding certain seasonal products and running a high-quality air purifier can go a long way in creating a healthy holiday environment for you and your family. Keep reading to learn about common sources of indoor air pollution and tips for better air quality this season.
As you reflect on your New Year’s resolutions, why not add improving your home’s indoor air quality to the list? When you run an air purifier from Air Oasis, you’re giving everyone in the house the gift of cleaner air. Visit us online for more info, or give us a call at (806) 373-7788.
Sources of Indoor Air Pollution
Even in the summer, indoor air can be more seriously polluted than outdoor air for two primary reasons: lack of ventilation and the ubiquitous chemicals from consumer products. While outdoor air pollution is dispersed by the wind and blown away, indoor air pollution often has nowhere to go and can grow highly concentrated.
If you’re thinking there are no pollutants in your home’s air, think again. Whenever someone opens the door, contaminants can travel in through the open air or the visitor’s person, becoming trapped in your home. Additionally, many household products contain toxic chemicals called volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can harm health. Here are some common sources of indoor air pollution:
- Mold and mildew
- Allergens, including dust and pollens
- Smoke, from tobacco products or fireplaces
- Pet dander and hair
- Viruses and bacteria
- VOCs from gas-fueled cooking appliances, cleaning products, aerosol sprays, scented products, paints, carpets, building materials, craft materials and more
In reality, all homes contain air pollutants. Luckily, there are ways to address them. One of the best ways to mitigate the health risks associated with poor indoor air quality is to run a high-quality air purifier. Air Oasis provides the best air purifiers for VOCs, mold, allergens, smoke, pet dander and viruses for both residential and commercial spaces.
Holidays Worsen Indoor Air Quality
You may be wondering, “What does poor indoor air quality have to do with the holidays?” The answer is (unfortunately) a lot. Not only do the holidays coincide with a time of year that is generally too cold for natural ventilation, but they also bring more visitors and chemical-laden products into your home. That means your home’s air is exposed to more viruses, more allergens and more toxins than other times of the year.
Tips for Cleaner Indoor Air
Holidays are as much about tradition as anything else, and luckily, you don’t have to do away with them entirely to improve your indoor air quality. However, you might want to consider making a few adjustments.
Skip the Scented Candles
There’s something about the fragrance of cloves, cardamom, orange, cinnamon and ginger that just brings a festive ambience to any holiday gathering. But don’t stock up on holiday candles just yet — scented products like candles, air fresheners and aerosol sprays contain a host of VOCs that can harm your health. For a healthier alternative, try creating a simmer pot of your favorite holiday spices to fill the whole house with a pleasant aroma, or use a natural reed diffuser with your favorite essential oils.
Ventilate Your Kitchen
Hosting family for the holidays generally means that the kitchen is in a constant state of overdrive. The good news is that all that cooking will probably result in a delicious feast; the bad news is that it will definitely result in poorer air quality.
Gas appliances can release carbon monoxide and formaldehyde during the cooking process, both of which are dangerous to breathe. This is especially true for people with asthma or weakened immune systems. Additionally, cooking oils heated by any type of appliance can also release toxic chemicals into the air. One way to mitigate the associated health risks is to ensure your kitchen has proper ventilation.
Reconsider the Fireplace
A crackling fireplace adds light and warmth to your home and can create some truly special moments around the holidays. Unfortunately, exposure to wood-burning smoke can also trigger asthma attacks and aggravate heart and lung disease. Fireplace smoke also releases fine particulate matter, microscopic particles that can enter your body and become lodged in your lungs. If you’re unwilling to part with this particular holiday tradition, you can mitigate the adverse health risks by running an air purifier for smoke.
Air Purifiers for Healthy Holidays
Part of the holiday season is enjoying the many trappings and traditions that accompany it. However, some traditions, especially the ones that can harm your health, are worth modifying. Luckily, you don’t have to modify too much when you choose to improve your indoor air with a high-quality purifier from Air Oasis.
Air Oasis air purifiers aren’t like other air cleaners. Whereas many air cleaners utilize just one purification technology, our air purifiers harness the power of HEPA filtration, activated carbon filtration, UV light and two types of ionizers. Each of our air purifiers undergoes rigorous testing at third-party labs, the results of which are available on our website.
Ready to embrace healthy habits this holiday season? Enjoy cleaner indoor air with a high-quality air purifier from Air Oasis. Questions? Feel free to contact us online for more info, or give us a call at (806) 373-7788.
