With most of us spending up to 95% of our time indoors, mostly in our homes, it's no wonder there has been a sharp increase in respiratory illnesses in recent years. It's obvious that a big reason for this increase is indoor air pollution.

Indoor pollution sources release gases or particles into the air and are the primary cause of indoor air quality problems in homes. Inadequate ventilation, especially during the Winter, can increase indoor pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the home.

Pollutant Sources
There are many sources of indoor air pollution in any home. These include combustion sources such as gas, kerosene, coal, wood, and tobacco products; building materials and furnishings as diverse as deteriorated, asbestos-containing insulation, wet or damp carpet, and cabinetry or furniture made of certain pressed wood products.

Products for household cleaning and maintenance, personal care, or hobbies and outdoor sources such as radon, pesticides, and outdoor air pollution can all contribute to the problem.

Some sources, such as building materials, furnishings, and household products like air fresheners, release pollutants more or less continuously. Other sources, related to activities carried out in the home, release pollutants intermittently.

Indoor Air Pollution and Health
Health effects from indoor air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years later. Immediate effects include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Symptoms of some diseases, including asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and humidifier fever, may also show up soon after exposure to some indoor air pollutants.

Other health effects may show up either years after exposure has occurred or only after long or repeated periods of exposure. These effects, which include some respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer, can be severely debilitating or fatal. It really is a good idea to try to improve the indoor air quality in your home even if symptoms are not noticeable.

At Farm & Home Oil Company, we know that a healthy home that's comfortable, safe and inviting begins with high air quality, so we offer you the Air Advice Diagnostic Report - a comprehensive evaluation and report of your home's air quality.

Producing the report begins with The Air Advice Monitor. This safe monitor is placed in your home by one of our trained technicians. It continuously monitors your air quality for an entire week, all the while transmitting vital data to our IAQ computer for analysis. Once analyzed, we will give you a complete report on the quality of your indoor air.

To learn more about how you can get the Air Advice Diagnostic Report, call us at 215-257-0131 or click here to go directly to the Air Quality section of this web site.