Indoor Air Quality

In Indian conditions, at our homes, primary source of pollutants that cause IAQ problem -

• Smoking
• VOCs from paints
• Vehicular pollution that gets trapped in our house
• Hair from pets
• Dust accumulated on the curtains, furniture, bed
• Fungus formation/growth in utility room and bathrooms
• Pesticides used for mosquitos, cockroaches
• CO from cooking is also a bit of concern
• VOCs from aerosols such as air-fresheners and body deodorants
• VOCs from household cleaners

What we can do to address this -

• Clean, clean, clean (we often ignore the drapery and curtains)
• Get fresh air (but unfortunately, fresh air contains lot of pollutants from vehicles etc...)
• Add plants/trees around the house (these will also filter the aerosol pollutants)
• Add as much indoor plants (such as money plant) as possible
• Use low/no VoC paints, cleaners, fresheners, deodorants
• Use mosquito nets and take proper care during evenings so that you don't have to use pesticides

While constructing your home -

• design for passive air-circulation --- very important
• proper design to take care of mosquitos, insects from entering your house
• proper construct property so that radon won't enter through flooring/walls
• avoid carpet
• Use cleanable drapery
• Add internal courtyard
• Add plants, plants, and plants...