5 Tips for Talking to Your Kids About MS 6 Ways to Boost Women's Health A Fascinating Look Inside Your Body Quitting Sugar Saved My Thyroid: Sarah Wilson's Story Test Your Flu IQ Carpets keep a home warm and cozy, but they can also harbor allergens, dust, bacteria, and other pollutants that can affect indoor air quality and cause health problems. Sign Up for Our Healthy Living Newsletter You're diligent about changing your air filters to improve the quality of your indoor air and keep air pollutants out of your home, and you vacuum your carpets regularly to keep them clean, too. Still, that lush pile carpeting may actually be a source of air pollutants that are negatively affecting your indoor air quality. Carpets and Indoor Air Quality Few carpets are made from natural products, and the processes that are used to create them are even less natural — they’re often made with chemicals that can cause health problems when released into the air in your home.

Carpeting, padding, and the adhesive glue used to lay carpets can release irritating, potentially harmful chemicals. It's not uncommon for people to experiencing strange health effects after new carpets have been installed in their homes. And older carpets can pose health risks as well. Dust, dirt, dander, bacteria, mold, and mildew (especially if the carpeting has water damage or is frequently damp) can settle in and get buried down deep, making it difficult to get them out. Chemicals used around the home, from cleaning products and pesticides to actual carpet cleaners, can also nestle in deep, release harmful substances into the air, and worsen your indoor air quality. Health Problems Caused by Carpets Many different pollutants call carpets home before they make it into the air and into your lungs. Unfortunately, there are a number of health problems associated with these pollutants: Persistent cough or sore throat Irritation of the nose and throat If dust and allergens are deeply embedded in your carpets — or circulating in the air throughout your home — allergy symptoms can become worse.

Sneezing, stuffy or runny nose, and itchy eyes may occur, depending on the specific pollutants. Of course, frequent vacuuming and deep cleaning of your carpets will help to limit and remove many potential contaminants, leaving less to circulate in your air. air cleaner thermal vacuum switchAn air purifier and good ventilation can also help improve indoor air quality.is air purifier for allergies If you're having new carpets installed in your home and are concerned about the potentially harmful chemicals that may be released, consider these suggestions:best air filtration system for woodworking Air out the carpet before it's installed. Have it unrolled outside or in a well-ventilated room. Research the VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions of particular brands and types of carpets before you buy;

choose low-emission or "green" carpets and padding for fewer health effects. Ask that the installers use low-emission adhesives to install the carpet or, instead of using adhesives, consider just tacking down the carpeting without glue. Make sure carpets are installed according to the proper standards. Don't stay in your home during and right after installation. Keep the room with the new carpeting well ventilated — open windows, and use fans or an air conditioner for two to three days after installation to circulate the air pollutants and chemicals right out of your home. Follow instructions for caring for and cleaning your carpets to remove allergens and contaminants. You might not think that contaminants in your flooring can contribute to pollution of the air you breathe at home, but carpets can play a big role in indoor air quality — or the lack of it. Whether they're new or old, take care to keep carpets clean and as free of chemicals and other irritants as possible.

Find more information in the Healthy Home Center. The Power of LoveAir pollution is one of the most serious problems in the world. It refers to the contamination of the atmosphere by harmful chemicals or biological materials. According to the World's Worst Polluted Places by Blacksmith Institute in 2008, two of the worst pollution problems in the world are urban air quality and indoor air pollution. To solve the problem of air pollution, it's necessary to understand the issues and look for ways to counter it.In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) collects air pollution statistics. It's important to study these statistics because they show how polluted the air has become in various places around the country. Generally, the statistics reflect the levels of six pollutants, namely, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead, and particulate matter. There are maximum allowable limits for each pollutant.Air pollution can cause long-term and short-term health effects.

It's found that the elderly and young children are more affected by air pollution. Short-term health effects include eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, allergic reactions, and upper respiratory infections. Some long-term health effects are lung cancer, brain damage, liver damage, kidney damage, heart disease, and respiratory disease.Air pollution causes damage to crops, animals, forests, and bodies of water. It also contributes to the depletion of the ozone layer, which protects the Earth from the sun's UV rays. Another negative effect of air pollution is the formation of acid rain, which harms trees, soils, rivers, and wildlife. Some of the other environmental effects of air pollution are haze, eutrophication, and global climate change.Human activities have been highlighted as the major causes of air pollution, especially in the cities. To support a larger population, there's a need for energy production, transportation, and industries, resulting in the emission of harmful chemicals into the atmosphere.

A list of the human causes of air pollution includes vehicles, domestic smoke and heating, aircraft pollution, outdoor fires, and incineration of waste. To reduce the problems of air pollution, people should be more aware of their actions in these areas.Other than human actions, air pollution is also caused by natural events. Biological decay and volcanoes release natural sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides, affecting air quality in negative ways. Most of the ozone around the ground level is formed when chemical reactions occur in the sunlight but there's also about 10 to 15 percent transported from the stratosphere. Other natural causes of air pollution are natural sources of particulate matters like volcanoes and dust storms, volatile organic compounds, pollen, forest fires, oceans, and forest fires.The air quality around and within buildings and structures is known as indoor air quality. Indoor air quality has a direct effect on the comfort and health of occupants, whether it's the home, office or other buildings.

Some of the common pollutants of indoor air include radon, molds, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, asbestos fibers, carbon dioxide, ozone, and the burning of biomass. Proper ventilation, filtration, and the control of pollutant sources are some of the primary ways to improve indoor air quality.There are some things you can do to help keep the air cleaner. Generally, it's important to conserve energy because sources of energy like electricity, diesel, gasoline, and wood would contribute to air pollution. Rather than driving a car or riding a motorcycle, you can ride a bicycle or walk to perform errands. Try to reduce trips and use public transportation. Gas-powered garden equipment should be avoided as well as the burning of trash, leaves, and other materials. It's also a good idea to perform regular car maintenance and engine tune ups, making a point to replace the car's air filter and oil on a regular basis. If everybody does the small things to reduce air pollution, the environment would benefit collectively.