Keeping good air quality and reducing air pollution in your home is very important, especially for those suffering from severe COPD/emphysema. Air pollution consists of chemicals or particles that can harm you, your pets, and plants. Outdoor pollutants or inside irritants can cause indoor air pollution.
Air pollution can cause short or long-term health effects. Here are the different types of indoor air pollutants:1
Allergens
Common allergens include animal dander, dust, mites, and pollen. Allergens can also be brought from outside of the home.
Building materials and furnishings
Some building materials and furniture contain chemicals, glues, or other elements such as formaldehyde that may trigger respiratory irritation.
Combustion pollutants
Gases and particles get released from the burning of fuels. Fuel-burning appliances that are either improperly vented or not vented at all may be a source of combustion pollutants in your home. This can include wood-burning or gas stoves, fireplaces, dryers, water heaters, or space heaters.
Mold
Mold is a living organism that contains spores that float easily through the air. They search for damp surfaces on which to land. Inhaling or touching these spores can cause irritating symptoms or trigger asthma attacks.
Radon
This radioactive, cancer-causing gas can seep into your home through tiny cracks in floors/walls. You cannot see, smell, or taste it. Long-term exposure to this gas may cause serious health issues. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.
Secondhand smoke
Consists of gases and particles emitted from burning tobacco products. It’s especially dangerous for children. Secondhand smoke can cause or worsen breathing problems and can increase the risk of ear infections and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Found in things like paint, lacquer, paint stripper, and cleaning supplies. Irritating to the eyes, nose, and throat, VOCs can cause breathing problems, headaches, and nausea. Long-term exposure can lead to kidney, liver, and central nervous system damage.
This strain along with inflammation and age can increase the risk of heart disease and heart failure in patients with COPD. The COPD Foundation reports that “people who have COPD are at two to three times the risk of having cardiovascular disease.”3 COPD and heart failure also share some symptoms, including shortness of breath after exertion and fatigue.
Hypoxemia in COPD patients is often treated using oxygen therapy, where a person is given supplemental oxygen to keep their blood oxygen levels at a healthy amount. This treatment can also reduce shortness of breath.
The Danger of Air Pollution with COPD
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, more commonly referred to as COPD, is an umbrella term for a group of diseases that impact lung health and breathing. Any type of air pollution can worsen COPD symptoms and trigger exacerbations.
If you’re suffering from COPD, it’s important that you’re aware of the different air pollutants in and outside of your home, and how to protect yourself from them.
It’s especially important to keep the air quality in your home at a good level. That’s because if you’re suffering from COPD, you’re more likely spending lots of time in your home.
How to Reduce Sources of Indoor Air Pollution1
If you want to improve the quality of air in your home, you should reduce ― if not eliminate ― the following sources of air pollution in your home:
Allergens
Keeping your home clean and reducing clutter can help manage allergens. Use mild cleaners, like vinegar and water, to reduce allergens without irritating your lungs with harsh cleaning chemicals. Keep anything that you are personally allergic to out of your home as best you can.
Building materials and furnishings
Be aware of what items you bring into your home and look for materials constructed with VOCs. If you find products with warnings about formaldehyde or any other fumes/gases, avoid them as much as possible. If work is being done on your home, make sure everything is well-ventilated and avoid being home while the work is being done.
Combustion pollution
If your home has fuel-burning appliances, make sure they are properly installed, used, and maintained at all times.
Mold
The best way to control mold is to control moisture. Regularly inspect your home for mold and water leaks. Clean any existing mold with detergent, bleach, or vinegar and hot water. Repair any leaks found in your home as soon as possible. Allow any areas exposed to water/moisture to dry completely.
Radon
Take one long-term or the average of two short-term radon tests. If the level is or exceeds 4pCi/L , hire a contractor who specializes in radon reduction to fix it.
Secondhand smoke
Eliminate smoking in all indoor areas.
In addition to reducing/eliminating the pollutants above, you should:1
Avoid carpet
Carpets hold onto animal dander, dust, dirt, mold, and pollen. Consider hard-surface flooring where possible and clean carpets regularly.
Change your air filters
Replace air filters in your furnace and cooling system regularly to help minimize indoor air pollution. Change them more frequently during fire and allergy seasons.
Do not cover up odors
Things such as air fresheners, candles, and incense that are marketed to mask odors also trigger lung irritation. Avoid them. If you must use candles, get soy candles because they produce fewer irritants when burned.
Open a window
If the outdoor air quality is good and the pollen count in not high, opening a window and letting fresh air into your home can help improve the indoor air quality.
Use an air purifier
Helps improve the quality of air by sanitizing the air of pollutants, allergens, and toxins.
Outdoor Air Pollution
It’s a lot easier to control the air pollution inside your house than controlling it outside. Make sure the air in your house is safe. If you go outside, take these steps to do it in the safest way possible.
- Monitor the air quality (pollution levels) in your area. If the quality of air is bad, try your best to stay indoors. Or wear a mask when you go out.2
- Don’t exercise outside when pollution levels are high. If you need to exercise outside, do it in the morning when pollution levels are lower and away from high-traffic areas.2
- Keep windows closed when pollution levels are high.3
References:
- Leader, Deborah. “Tips for Reducing Indoor Air Pollution.” Inogen, 7 June 2021, www.inogen.com/blog/practical-tips-for-reducing-indoor-air-pollution/.
- “10 Tips to Protect Yourself from Unhealthy Air.” American Lung Association, 2020, www.lung.org/clean-air/outdoors/10-tips-to-protect-yourself.
- Leader, Deborah. “How Poor Air Quality and Pollution Cause Lung Disease.” Verywell Health, 25 Oct. 2020, www.verywellhealth.com/the-effects-of-pollution-on-copd-914743.
US-EN-1175-v1
If you do not see an email from “Val at Zephyr Valve” in your inbox within 15 minutes of signing up, go to your “Spam” folder within Gmail. (You may have to click "More" to see the Spam folder.) Select the email from "Val at Zephyr Valve."
There will be a gray box at the top that says “Why is this message in spam?” Click the “Report Not Spam” button. This will move the email to your inbox.
Go back to your inbox and open the email. Click on the icon next to “Val at Zephyr Valve”, you’ll see a person icon with a “+”. Click that, and you can add Val to your Contacts list. If you don’t receive a second email from us in a few days, please check your Spam folder again.
