Did you know that air pollution levels inside the modern home can be two to five times higher than the levels outside. Combine that with the fact that the typical person can spend up to ninety percent of their time inside, it will come as no suprise that the term Sick Building Syndrome has become a new adage in the English language.

Inside pollutants such as dust, pet dander, tobacco smoke, mold spores and pollen tend to be continually recycled which ultimately means that folks who suffer from asthma attacks are making their condition worse by being indoors.

There are several symptoms associated with so called sick building syndrome including sinus congestion, watery or itchy eyes, headaches, lethargy, lack of concentration and sickness.  Certain immediate effects are similar to those from common colds or other viral diseases, so it is frequently hard to determine if the symptoms are a result of exposure to indoor air pollution.

If you discover that the symptoms subside or even vanish when you are outside, it is a strong possibility that poor air quality inside your home is to blame. If that is the case, there are various things that you can do to all but eliminate the potential causes and breathe a little easier.

Here are several easy steps you can take to improve the air quality in your house.

No Smoking Inside

Ideally, you should ban smoking anywhere within the house but if this is not possible, try to confine it to one place. In our case, any friends or family that visit are limited to the kitchen area or the back garden if they want to smoke. In the kitchen, an extractor fan pushes the smoky air outside as it does with cooking smells.

Ventilate On A Regular Basis

Weather permitting, you should open windows and doors in order to reduce the concentrations of inside pollutants while letting outdoor air to come in. If you have bathroom or kitchen extractor fans, make use of them regularly. You should also routinely clean the venthole in the extractors and make sure they operate correctly.

Get Rid of Those Chemical Cleaners

Take any one of those so called miracle kitchen cleaners from your cupboard and somewhere on the label will be a warning as to how dangerous they are to your health. Moreover, look at what they are made of and see if you can recognise the names of any of the substances in that bottle. As A Matter Of Fact, I doubt you will even be able to pronounce the name, not to mention know what it is. Every time you use that product, fumes from whatever is in the bottle get released into the air for you to breathe in. I have quite often started coughing after spraying counter tops with so called anti-bacterial cleaner. Not anymore though, as my natural housecleaning products of choice are baking soda, washing soda, vinegar and pure lemon juice. These are all non toxic, environmentally friendly and can undertake most housecleaning jobs, either individually or combined with one another.

Keep you House Clean and free of dust

Even though it may appear obvious to some folks, regularly vacuuming your carpets and floors can go a long way in controlling airborne allergens and dust. It is claimed (although I have no proof) that some 70% of all household dust consists of dead skin, which we humans molt all the time. Dust mites like to feed on this dead skin which in turn makes them grow. They then shed their own skin and that, combined with their faecal matter is what causes allergic reactions in people.

Pet Dander Triggers Allergic Reactions

For those folks with a cat, dog or other pet, allergies like asthma attacks can be set off by their dander, which they molt all the time. Something needs to be done if you suspect that either you or another household member are allergic to pet dander. The ideal solution is to keep pets out of the house completely. If that is not a viable option, you should restrict the number of rooms that the pets are permitted to go into and definitely keep them out of the bedroom.

Reduce Inside Air Humidity

If the clime where you live is either very muggy or just plain wet (as in too much rainfall), you will no doubt be aware of just how much moisture levels inside your home can increase. This excessive moisture or humidity is the perfect breeding conditions for mold. For anybody with allergies, mold spores can cause as many health problems as airborne dust. For that reason, a home dehumidifier can be essential. An air purifier dehumidifier will draw dampness from the air and into a water tank which you can then remove and pour away.

Get an Indoor Air Purifier

An allergy relief air purifier is a unit that cleans indoor air of allergens, such as mold spores, pollen and pet dander.  They are particularly useful if you or a family member suffers from allergies or asthma since they can reduce airborne contaminants by a considerable amount.  Air purifiers and room air cleaners are rapidly increasing in popularity because they make indoor air healthier and cleaner. However, there are different types of air purifier, some of which can in reality make allergies worse instead of better.