When we think about pollution or toxic air, we generally think about exhaust from cars, factories, construction, etc. We rarely think about the pollutions that are right inside our own homes. It gets scary when you realize that most people spend about 90% of their time indoors. Here are just a few sources that can degrade the freshness of the air we breathe:

• candles
• househould cleaners
• nail polish remover
• paint
• VOC or volatile organic compounds that come from fibers in matresses, carpets and other components found in the home. Some materials in new furniture can actually give off VOC’s for up to 5 years.

Other factors that can affect our air quality is high humidity in the air. Having high humidity in your home can lead to dust mites, bacterial and mold. Radon gas is another hidden threat to our health. Radon is found everywhere as part of the air we breath. It is also the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. This colorless, odorless and tasteless radioactive gas that enters buildings through cracks, drains and other small openings in the foundation of homes and buildings. Here is a scary number: it kills nearly 60 people every single day in the United States.

So what can be done about this toxic air in our homes?

Don’t let toxic air endanger your family. The first step is to optimize your ventilation systems in your home. Keeping the air from getting to stale in your home is one key to ridding your home of toxic air. Second, test your home for contaminants that can cause asthma, allergies and other respiratory problems. Radon gas can also quickly be tested for, and every home in Utah should be tested for radon. The EPA has levels of radon that are considered low risk and a radon mitigation system can affordably be installed if needed to bring down the levels of radon in your home. Request a free test today by filling out the form on this page or by calling the specialists at Utah Radon Services.