Indoor Air Quality Can Affect Health. How to Keep Your Indoor Air Clean.

 Indoor Air Quality: Protect Your Home From the Unseen

from inlandvalleynews.com

(StatePoint) With so many people now optimizing their living spaces for energy efficiency, the risk for indoor air pollution in homes can actually increase, say experts, as pollutants can get trapped indoors as a result.

Clean air inside your home is vital. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), exposure to air pollutants can cause health problems, including respiratory disease, heart disease and cancer.

Here are steps you can take to protect your family from these risks:

Prevent

Many sources of air pollution are preventable. Start by ensuring no one smokes inside, as secondhand smoke contains nicotine, toxic chemicals and carcinogenic agents.

Take care of water leaks immediately to prevent mold and mildew from forming around your home. Also, take steps to reduce indoor humidity. The EPA and the Department of Energy are offering tips on how to do so at www.EnergyStar.gov.

If your home was built between 1930 and 1950, it was likely insulated with asbestos. Make sure these materials are in good condition, as damaged asbestos could release harmful fibers into your home. Hire a professional to seal, cover or remove damaged material.

Emissions from gas stoves can worsen asthma. If anyone in your household suffers from asthma, consider replacing your gas stove with an electric one.

Choose safe household cleaners that don’t contain harsh chemicals. Organic and non-toxic products can do the same job as traditional products, without irritating your eyes, nose and throat.

Ventilate

No matter how many steps you take to prevent indoor air pollution, your home is subject to inevitable sources of pollutants. Proper mechanical ventilation is your best defense.

“Continuous ventilation at a low speed not only takes minimal wattage to run, but it also significantly improves the indoor air quality of your entire home by exhausting hidden pollution, such as allergens, mildew, mold and more,” says Anita So, Marketing Manager at Panasonic Eco Solutions North America.

Although most consumers are aware of the need for ventilation in areas prone to high-humidity like bathrooms, an entire air-tight home can benefit from eliminating mold, mildew, moisture, volatile organic compounds and other invisible vapors.

First, check to see if your ventilation fans are working properly. If the bathroom mirror steams up after a hot shower or bath, it is time to replace or install a ventilation fan.

Click to read the original article.

RainSoft Has Indoor Air Quality Solutions  

RainSoft air purification systems treat the entire home, not just one room. Our systems mount directly into the ductwork of your home, providing cleaner, fresher air throughout the entire house. With advanced UV light and ozone lamp technology, the AirMaster Ultra system eliminates airborne contaminants in your home.

RainSoft of Newport News

11712 Jefferson Ave
Ste C432
Newport News, VA 23606

(757) 806-4754

www.rainsoftofnewportnews.com

Or locate a RainSoft Dealer near you.

Soft and hard water behave differently, from cleaning power to corrosion potential

Apparently, all tap water is not created equal.

Some water is deemed "hard," and other is considered to be "soft." And here's the confusing part: Hard water isn't better than soft in all situations, and soft isn't always preferable.

Confused yet? We explain the ins and outs of each below.

The basics

Hard water: Contains relatively high amounts of calcium and magnesium. This happens when the water comes in contact with rocks or soil. In the United States, 85 percent of the water is hard, according to aU.S. Geological Survey.

Soft water: Contains few or no extra elements. It can be naturally occurring, or produced with water treatment devices that remove hardness elements, such as calcium and magnesium.

Cleaning

Hard water: Certain minerals in the hard water interact with the soap or detergent, which keep it from interacting with soils, stains and dirty dishes.

Soft water: Softened water reduces the need for detergent by more than 50 percent because it doesn't contain the minerals that interact with the cleaning products. Washing in the cold water setting instead of the hot water setting achieves the same or better stain removal compared to results in hard water, according to a 2011 study conducted by the Scientific Services S/D Inc, a New York-based laboratory focused on testing laundry detergents.

Showering   Read more..