Indoor Air Quality

Did you know that the air in your home could be more polluted than the air outdoors? Also, your basic household items like pesticides, paint and air fresheners can significantly reduce the quality of air in your home? The fact is that the air quality in our homes can have serious impact on our health and especially our children's health. About one in five children in Singapore suffer from asthma, the fourth highest rate of childhood asthma in the world (Straits Times, Aug 12, 2000). Children are also susceptible to common ailments such as allergic rhinitis, wheezing and other respiratory disorders.

Scientific evidence has shown that indoor air pollution can have even more adverse effects than outdoor air in industrialized cities. With most people spending about 90% of their time indoors, it is important to take steps to reduce this silent health risk induced by poor air quality.

Fortunately, improving air quality in your home is not difficult, all it takes is awareness and a little effort. You will find easy to follow tips in this site. Let's take the first step towards having healthier homes.

Indoor air pollution can originate from a range of innocuous sources in any home. These include:

• Biological contaminants eg. bacteria., pet fur, plant pollen, dust mites, and cockroachcs.
• Environmental tobacco Smoke through passive smoking.
• Combustion sources eg. oil, wood, tobacco products.
• Building materials and furnishings eg, wet carpet, furniture made from certain types of wood, and lead based paint.
• Household items e.g., cleaning solvents, personal care product and pesticides.
• Outdoor sources eg. plan pollen and haze resulted from regional forest burning.

While all these sources may individually emit insignificant amounts of pollution, cumulatively, they may reach hazardous levels. Poor ventilation of the home too can increase pollutant levels.

Have you ever experienced an unexplained bout of dizziness or sneezing fit? You may be suffering from the silent effects of indoor air pollution. Health effects from indoor air pollutants may be experienced immediately or years after exposure. Immediate effects are usually displayed after a single or repeated exposures. These could be:

• Irritation of eyes, nose and throat
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Asthma
• Allergies such as skin rashes and sinus congestion

Different people react very differently to pollutants with variants including age, pre existing medical conditions, individual sensitivity. Some of these immediate reactions are very similar to viral and bacterial infections such as the common cold, so it is often difficult to determine if the symptoms are due to exposure to air pollutants. One simple test is to check if the symptoms fade whenever the person is away from the home. Other health effects may appear only after long periods of exposure. These could be more serious results such as respiratory diseases, heart disease and cancer.

Due to the wide variation in reactions to air pollutants, studies on direct links between specific health problems and concentrations or periods of exposure are still on going. While you should not be unduly alarmed, it is sensible to take some basic steps to improving the air quality of your home to safeguard yours and your children's health.

Solutions to air quality problems in homes involve eliminating or controlling the sources of pollution, increasing ventilation, and installing air cleaning devices. In this section, we will give you some practical tips on how to reduce air pollutants for some of the more common sources, as well as some basic methods you can adopt to improve the general air quality in your home.

Formaldehyde is a pungent smelling chemical widely used in building materials and numerous household products. In homes, formaldehyde is most likely to be present in pressed wood products. These include particleboard, hardwood, plywood panelling and medium density fibreboard, materials commonly used for a wide range of furnishings such as flooring, shelving, cabinets and decorative wall coverings. In addition, it is also commonly used to add permanent press qualities to clothing and draperies, as a component of glues and adhesives, and as a preservative in some paints and coating products.

The rate of formaldehyde release from products like pressed wood or textiles can change. Generally, new products coupled with high indoor temperatures or humidity have higher emissions. At elevated levels (above 0.1 parts per million), exposure to formaldehyde may cause watering and burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea, and breathing difficulty in some individuals. High concentrations may trigger breathing difficulty in people with asthma and prolonged exposure may cause cancer in humans.

• Ventilate your home well, especially after bringing home new sources of formaldehyde.
• Try to select furniture made of solid hardwood and not particleboard.
• Use air-conditioning and dehumidifiers to maintain moderate temperature and reduce humidity levels.
• By using Aroma Biotechnology Diffuser, it can significantly improve the air quality by reducing the presence of Formaldehyde in air.

Paints, varnishes and wax all contain organic solvents as do many cleaning, disinfecting and even cosmetic products. These solvents can release Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) while you use them and even when they are stored. Depending on the level and length of exposure, many VOCs are cancer causing and can cause irritation to eyes and respiratory tract, visual disorders and memory impairment.

• Use these chemicals in a well ventilated place.
• Read label instructions carefully and follow all warning signs.
• Try not to stock up such chemicals and throw away old or unneeded containers safely, to prevent gas leakage.
• Minimise exposure to aerosol spray paints and adhesive removers, paint supplies, secondhand smoke and car emissions.
• Wear a chemical respirator while dealing with these chemicals in an enclosed area. Follow manufacturer's instructions when using such chemical respirators.
• One of Aroma Biotechnology major function is to eliminate bacteria, odor, etc. Thus freshing up the air and free from Household Chemicals..

Pesticides used in and around the home include products to control insects (insecticides), termites (termiticides), rodents (rodenticides), fungi (fungicides) and microbes (disinfectants).

They are sold as sprays, liquids, sticks, powders, crystals, balls and foggers. It is important to remember that these products are toxic and can be dangerous if misused.

• Read labels carefully and dispose of half used or empty containers safely.
• Before applying a pesticide, remove children, pets, toys and food from the area.
• Ventilate the area well after use.
• Wear a chemical respirator while dealing with these chemicals in an enclosed area. Follow manufacturer's instructions when using such chemical respirators.
• If you need to engage a pest control company, evaluate the company based on track records and customer satisfaction.
• Burn Aroma Biotechnology Diffuser for half an hour after the use of pesticide.

If you've heard it once, you've heard it countless times. Smoking is hazardous not only for the smoker but also for those around the smoker. The smoke from a cigarette, pipe or cigar contains cancer causing compounds. Infants and young children whose parents smoke in their presence increase their risk of contracting pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma (in susceptible individuals) and other respiratory diseases.

• If you can't cut the habit, do not smoke at home or allow others to smoke around children.
• If smoking indoors cannot be avoided, increase ventilation in the smoking area.
• Use electronic air cleaners and air conditioner filters to rid this airborne allergen.
• Keep your home free of smoke and breath in fresh air with the use of Aroma Biotechnology Diffuser

Mold can be found almost anywhere; it grows on virtually any substance when moisture is present or accumulated, including wood, paper, carpet and food. Asthma episodes may be triggered in individuals with an allergic reaction to mold.

• Absorbent materials, such as ceiling tiles, washing sponges and carpet, may have to be replaced if they are contaminated with mold
• Fix leaky plumbing or other sources of water.
• Keep drip pans in your air conditioner, refrigerator, and dehumidifier clean
• Use exhaust fans or open windows in kitchens and bathrooms when showering, cooking, or using the dishwasher
• Vent clothes dryers to the outside.
• Maintain low indoor humidity, ideally below 70% relative humidity.
• Use air conditioner filters or electronic air cleaners to rid these airborne allergens.
• Aroma Biotechnology have proven tests that it can greatly reduce the growth of Mold.

Proteins in the dander, urine, or saliva of warm blooded animals (e.g., cats, dogs, mice, rats, gerbils, birds, etc.) may cause allergic reactions or trigger asthma in individuals sensitive to animal allergens.

• Absorbent materials, such as ceiling tiles, washing sponges and carpet, may have to be replaced if they are contaminated with mold
• If pets are one of your asthma triggers, try to avoid keeping one at home.
• Minimise pet access to carpeted areas and bedrooms.
• Try to keep your pet outdoors and one at bathe it regularly (at least once a week).
• Different essential oils when diffused, they have a great capacity of keeping you away from any allergy that you may have from pets or any other particle.

Dust mites are found everywhere, on carpets, upholstery, curtains, mattresses, stuffed toys and fabric. They multiply quickly in damp, warm environments. Body parts and faeces of dust mites can aggravate asthma and child eczema.

• Wash bedding (such as sheets, bedcovers, and blankets) once a week in hot water (at least 60°C)
• Avoid all stuffed toys. Plastic toys that do not accumulate house dust mites are preferable.
• Cover mattresses and pillows in dust proof (allergen impermeable) zippered covers.
• Aroma Biotechnology can get rid of any dust mites to a great extent that can be harmful to our health.

Droppings or body parts of cockroaches can be asthma triggers. Cockroaches are commonly found in populated cities such as Singapore. Certain proteins, called allergens, are found in cockroach faeces and saliva and may cause allergic reactions or trigger asthma symptoms in some individuals.

• Do not leave food or garbage out in the open.
• Store food in airtight containers.
• Clean all food crumbs or spilled liquids right away.
• Wash dishes as soon as you have finished using them.
• Keep counters, sinks, tables and floors clean and clear of clutter.
• Fix plumbing leaks and other moisture problems.
• Remove boxes, newspaper, and other items where cockroaches may hide.
• Make sure trash in your home is properly stored in bin with secure lids and remove trash daily.
• * Try using poison baits, boric acid or traps before resorting to pesticidal sprays.
• Aroma Biotechnology repel cockroaches, but still healthy for human body.

Dust particulates are airborne particles (less than 1 micron) that are invisible to the naked eye. When they pass through the human body's natural defenses and enter the lungs, they can become potential asthma triggers and cause breathing discomfort and respiratory diseases. Outdoor dust particulates originate from ambient outdoor air, building exhaust, vehicular sources, commercial and manufacturing sources, and regional haze due to forest burning. These contaminants usually find their way inside homes through windows and doors, openings or other pathways.

• Aroma Biotechnology can effectively remove any source of outdoor dust particulates in the air and keeping indoor air clean, fresh and healthy.