IAQ has emerged as a topic of concern in recent years due to the ongoing pandemic, but it has always made a crucial impact in our everyday lives, whether we’ve realized it or not. Below is a very quick review of what IAQ is, according to the EPA, and how it directly correlates with our health and wellness.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. Understanding and controlling common pollutants indoors can help reduce your risk of indoor health concerns.
Health effects from indoor air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years later. Some of the effects are noticed immediately following exposure, including:
- The irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue.
- The symptoms of some diseases such as asthma may show up, be aggravated, or may worsen.
- Some people can become sensitized to biological or chemical pollutants after repeated or high-level exposures.
- Exposure to colds or other viral diseases.
Long-term effects could be the following:
- Respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer, which can be severely debilitating or fatal.
- Cognitive deficits, cognitive functioning, cognitive impairment
- Mental health effects such as depression, ADHD, stress
In turn, the positive effects of good IAQ are correlated to improving cognitive function and productivity. Noting all this data, it is important to assess your current indoor environment. Take AeroClean’s CTA or connect directly with an AeroClean team member to make the necessary improvements to your IAQ.
Contributors: AeroClean
