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[A739]Asthma And Air Pollution
by Ben Anton, Ben
Indoor air quality is growing in importance as more and more people spend time working, playing and living indoors. It is estimated that indoor air pollutants are up to five times higher than outdoor pollution in some areas. The air quality in a home can therefore have a drastic effect on the health of a family. Not only will children or parents with asthma feel the effects of poor air in the home, but family members may start to suffer from allergies because of the particles in the air. It is estimated that an increase in perennial allergic rhinitis, or year-long allergies, can be attributed in part to the increased amount of dust mites and mold that people breathe in every day.

Dust mites, pet dander and mold are all major contributors to air pollutants in the home. For the 30 million people who suffer from asthma, any actions taken to reduce pollutant levels in a home or office can greatly improve their quality of life.

One of the easiest steps to take in improving indoor air quality is to change the filter in the home heating and ventilation system regularly. It is recommended that a new filter be put in every three months. If possible, install a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. These filters capture 99.9% of the dust mites, mold spores and other pollutants that go through the home air circulation system.

Keeping mold from growing in a home is vital to maintaining good indoor air quality as well. The mold created in high moisture areas like the bathroom will grow and release spores into the air, making breathing difficult for asthma sufferers. It is recommended that a home's humidity level stay between 35% and 50% in order to keep mold from growing. An inexpensive hygrometer available at most hardware stores can measure humidity levels to help home owners determine if they need to purchase a humidifier (to add moisture to the air) or a dehumidifier (to reduce air moisture).

Approximate 85% of asthma cases are caused by the dust mites and waste that reside in mattresses and bedding. Tightly woven micro-fiber encasements create impermeable barriers against dust mites, reducing the amount of allergens that settle into our beds. These encasements can be purchased for pillows, mattresses, box springs, duvet covers and cribs to shield our bedding from microscopic organisms that can make our breathing air polluted.

Homes with dogs or cats are much more likely to have high levels of air pollutants because of the hair and skin pets shed daily. To reduce pet allergens at home, regularly bathe pets using a hypo-allergenic shampoo that controls their dander and softens their skin.

Maintaining good indoor air quality requires simple home cleaning. Families should wash their bedding and linens in 120 to 140 degree hot water regularly. Carpets and rugs should be vacuumed once a week and the contents of the vacuum bag should be removed from the house immediately. Dust and clean using non-allergenic cleaning agents whenever possible.

Asthma sufferers do not need to feel that the quality of the air they breathe is completely out of their control. By taking some time to improve the environment in the home and workplace, families may find that they can breathe a big sigh of relief in knowing they have done their part to improve their lives.

~Ben Anton, 2008

Do you suffer from asthma? Then you well know the symptoms associated with this medical condition. Narrowing airways, gasping for air, shortness of breath, tight chest, puffing and coughing are all symptoms experienced by asthma sufferers. Cold air, air pollutants, exercise and emotional stress all seem related to bringing on asthma. In youngsters asthma attacks are often related to illnesses caused by viruses.

Asthma has become all too common a medical struggle for a growing number of the population. Recent documentation indicates asthma cases have increased by more than 100% over the past 20 years. Along with this emergency room visits related to asthma are also increasing at a brisk rate. Of even more concern is that statistics show that deaths related to asthma are also on the increase.

It is now recognized that the increasing poor quality of air is related to the increased numbers of asthma cases. Poor quality air is not only found in the environment, due to automobile and factory emissions, it is also noted that polluted air within the living spaces of individual homes is also a contributing factor.

Air within a home can be purified with air purifiers. There are a lot of air purifiers on the market which is growing very competitive.

These machines purify the air and some have been labeled as an asthma air purifier, although they are not necessarily exclusively for asthma sufferers. There are some factors to be considered when you are shopping for an air purifier. They include such things as noise level, appearance, and the type of filter used in filtering the pollutants.

Most people who are shopping for an asthma air purifier consider it's aesthetic appeal to be very important. Since asthma sufferers will benefit the most from the purifying effects of the asthma air purifier when it is operating on a constant basis, appearance is a factor. It will be very visible in your household as it is used continuously to draw in and capture pollutants and circulate clean air back into your home.

So even though the real role of the machine is to purify air it would be inappropriate for it to detract from the decor of your home. Thus a machine that looks great is almost as important as one that works great.

A second big concern in your selection of an asthma air purifier is the noise level created by the air purifier. Your waking hours will be less stressful if your air purifier has low noise level and your sleep will not be disturbed if the noise level is low. This makes the selection of an asthma air purifier with low operational noise levels that still does a good job of purifying air an important consideration.

Finally what types of filters are used? Another factor to consider before your purchase is that of filters. There are some air purifiers that do not use filters but if you choose one that uses filters it is best to get one that uses HEPA filters. HEPA filters are the most effective. They are required to filter out 99.97% of pollutants as one of the standards of the Department of Energy for HEPA filters. An asthma filter with this type of filter will do a great job of returning circulated air that is of the highest quality.

Article Source : Pg. 67

About Author
Both Ben Anton & Jerry Cahill are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Ben Anton has sinced written about articles on various topics from Software, Home and Writing. Protect your family from by visiting the CleanRest website to view the full line of quality. Ben Anton's top article generates over 1220000 views. to your Favourites.

Jerry Cahill has sinced written about articles on various topics from Food and Drink, Air Filters and Health. Jerry Cahill is an author/researcher who is dedicated to helping people find the resources, books, news and information on health. Learn more at
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