The rate of lung disease has risen among people in recent years. Many would like to blame this on smoking, but the truth is fewer people are smoking than ever. Poor air quality is at least partly to blame for this situation.
When you think about poor air quality, you are likely to attribute it to smog, pollution, and other outdoor factors. When is the last time you considered that the culprit may be the air in your home?
If you could see what is actually in your indoor air, you would probably be flabbergasted! Millions of particles of dirt, dust, bacteria, viruses, and more can be seen under a microscope in the air in your house. This is a good reason for a homeowner to consider purchasing an air purifier to help improve the quality of air in their home and the overall health of its inhabitants.
If you are concerned that the air quality in your Los Angeles residence may not be up to par, you may not know what to look for. The following are some of the effects that unhealthy air can have on a person’s short-term and long-term health.
Heart Health
Unhealthy air can have a disastrous effect on your hearth health if it is not addressed in your home. After all, the heart is responsible for delivering oxygen throughout the body. When the air is bad, your heart has to work harder to get oxygen throughout the body, causing damage over time.
Those with cardiovascular issues should do everything they can to avoid poor air quality, as polluted air is known to increase the rate of heart attacks and other heart issues. Do not make your heart work any harder than it has to.
Asthma
Asthma is a respiratory issue that millions of people deal with to some degree. Twenty-five million people in the United States alone suffer from this condition. Those who have asthma should especially be aware of the air quality in their home, as it can be greatly agitated by particulate in the air, even causing asthma attacks in some. The issues are caused when the particulates in the air inflame the already narrowed airways in a person’s body.
Did you know that unhealthy air can cause asthma too? This is because, over time, the particulates in the air continuously cause the airways to swell or become irritated, which becomes chronic. The situation can become serious if it is not addressed. It is true that those who are more susceptible to asthma are going to be affected by this to a greater degree.
COPD
COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder, is an irreversible respiratory problem commonly found in the older population. COPD is the most common respiratory problem found worldwide because of its morbidity rate. Common symptoms of this disease are shortness of breath and limited air.
How Is COPD Caused?
Several studies have shown that COPD can be caused by the poor air quality in the home or outside if it is not addressed. More commonly, poor air quality can irritate and exacerbate the symptoms of COPD, causing individuals to be hospitalized in many cases. The pollutants in the air can also cause the immune system to weaken in other areas of the body in many COPD patients.
Bronchitis
Bronchitis is an infection of the bronchi, the tubes that carry air from the esophagus into the lungs. If you have poor air quality, you could be susceptible to developing chronic bronchitis, which in some cases could cause permanent deterioration of aspects of the pulmonary system. The threat of chronic bronchitis is a good enough reason alone to clean the air in your home.
Poor air quality causes chronic bronchitis in some people and makes it worse in others because of the bacteria found on the particles in the air. As these are constantly inhaled, they wreak havoc on the pulmonary system. There is a reason that chronic bronchitis is found more frequently in areas with high air pollution, so it only serves logically to say that poor in-home air quality will have the same effect.
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is something you are probably already familiar with, as it is one of the most common kinds of cancer. Did you know that 85% of lung cancer cases are caused by long-term smoking? The tar and other pollutants in cigarettes are the driving forces behind what causes lung cancer, not the tobacco itself.
Just like cigarettes, bad air carries microscopic materials that are damaging to the lungs. Multiple studies have shown that continued exposure to unhealthy air can lead to lung cancer, especially if the person is already a cigarette smoker. Cleaning the air in your house or workplace can go a long way toward reducing your risk of lung cancer.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection in one or both sides of the lungs in the air sac. It causes fluid to build up in the lungs, which can cause an extremely painful cough. Pneumonia can be dangerous, and even fatal, in at-risk individuals like children, the elderly, or people with other chronic respiratory conditions.
The pathogens that spread pneumonia in people are much more likely to be spread when they are carried on particulate in the air like dust and dirt. It is known that short-term exposure to poor air can increase the likelihood of pneumonia, so imagine what long-term exposure can do in your home!
Consider taking the following steps to improve the air quality in your home or business.
Consider Getting an Air Purifier
If you are concerned with the overall air quality in your house, consider purchasing a portable air purifier. There are multiple versions of air purifiers designed to clean the air in rooms of different sizes. Each purifier has a rating regarding the size of the room it works in and how quickly it will purify it. In some cases, you can purchase a purifier that will clean a large room in just an hour.
Clean Your Air Filters
Your HVAC system is your main line of defense against dirty air, and its filters are the most important component in that fight. If your filters are already clogged with dirt, they are not going to do a good job of cleaning the air being circulated in your home or circulating it in general. Proper air circulation is one of the best ways to keep your air clean. In some cases, it is a better idea to just completely replace your house’s air filters.
Have Your HVAC System Inspected
If you are unsure about your home’s air quality, contact an HVAC professional to inspect its quality. This is something a responsible homeowner does on an annual basis. Call JW Plumbing, Heating and Air in Los Angeles today to inspect your HVAC system to see what you can do to improve the air quality in your house. Our team can also help you with cooling repairs and installation, heating services, and plumbing work.
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