Is Indoor Air Quality on your Spring Cleaning List?

After the long winter, many biological and a-biological activities begin sprouting in nature. During the spring cleaning season, it has been observed that these activities maximize their propensity to grow before entering into summer. In the month of February, winter starts slowing down and spring starts knocking with an increased growth of dormant life in the tropics. The month of February is also known as “National Care About your Indoor Air Month”. Monitoring air quality is important because even the slightest degradation can have a negative impact on our well-being. Therefore, it is essential to know and understand the different airborne contaminants.

Besides obnoxious gases and other abiogenic substances, a number of biological entities contaminate the ambient air. Some of the important airborne biological constituents include, but are not limited to, viruses, mycoplasma, bacteria, fungi, pollen grains, mites, insects & their particulates, plant trichomes and many other plant and animal-borne materials. A group of chemicals including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can also be commonly found in indoor air and has a variety of sources including, but not limited to, perfumes/colognes, furniture, pesticides, cleaning solutions, scented candles, air fresheners and paints.

Pollen grains are identified as one of the most common allergenic substances throughout the spring cleaning season because it’s the peak time for flowering in many plant species. Health related issues such as headaches, nosebleeds, nausea, fatigue, trouble concentrating, asthma attacks, allergies, and others are common due to increased pollen counts in the air during the spring season. To avoid allergenic symptoms and other health based conditions due to pollens, it is essential to study the behavior of pollen grains perpetuating in the surrounding environment.  Pollen counts tend to be higher during these months and can disperse widely especially on a breezy day. Chances of these allergenic particles infiltrating indoors is high due to various factors.

You can improve your air quality during the spring cleaning season by incorporating a few, simple steps in your day-to-day life. This can include improving ventilation, filtration and avoiding trips during the pollen release period (mostly late morning between 9 am to 11 am). Simple Do-It-Yourself (DIY) indoor test kits are helpful in identifying the common constituents of indoor environments that may be a source of indoor pollution. Maintaining the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system (HVAC) and controlling the moisture, relative humidity and temperature are also identified as some key elements in preventing the common indoor pollutants. It is highly encouraged to put Indoor Air Quality on your spring cleaning list in order to enjoy life during these months with an enhanced quality of living.

For more information on pollen, allergen triggers and IAQ testing please contact EDLab at 1-800-422-7873 or via this contact form.