With the increasingly worrying reports regarding the quality of the air we are breathing in our towns and cities, and the long list of its detrimental effects on our health there has never been a better time to think about ways to improve air quality in the home. There are many ways to help purify the air circulating within the home, some high tech and others that rely on simple straightforward common sense. Nowadays when we are all more conscious about our health it seems evident that improving the quality of the air we breathe in the environment where we spend most of our time should be a top priority.
Simple ways to purify air at home
Making sure there is a good air flow through the home is obligatory, and part of legislation covering building regulations. Every habitable room in the home must be provided with some ventilation. If living in an urban area or in a place where the outside air quality is polluted then a trickle ventilator which filters incoming air is an option.
Cleanliness is another important consideration. If the home is air conditioned the manufacturer instructions regarding cleaning of air filters should be strictly followed. However keeping household surfaces, bed linen and other soft furnishings clean also ensures fewer dust and other particles in the air. Even the choice of cleaning products can have an impact on air quality.
Activated charcoal which is sometimes used for kitchen ventilation when no external extract is available, can also be harnessed in the home to purify the air. It should be used in vacuum cleaners and air conditioning filters.
Plants are also an age old but nevertheless effective method of introducing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide. Some research is required however as some plants are much more effective in this capacity than others, bamboo and ivy are excellent options.
Using technology to improve air quality
Among the best ways to clean air in the home is with specialised surfaces such as Krion™ a resin material, similar to stone, that has no pores and is anti-bacterial. Unlike commercial paints and varnishes which actually contribute to air borne pollution in the home KRION™ actively purifies the air based on the principle of photocatalysis by neutralising nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide and volatile organic compounds through exposure to sunlight. Requiring minimal maintenance the surface can be used in numerous ways; as a cladding material, for kitchen worktops, to make furniture or to form bathroom installations.
Off the shelf products for improving air quality at home
Next year the Swedish flat-pack furniture company Ikea will be launching a soft furnishing product GUNRID designed to improve air quality. The curtains like Krion™ also work on the principle of photocatalysis, through exposure to sunlight air borne contaminants are destroyed using a patented coating.
The renowned manufacturer of vacuum cleaners Dyson has also launched a number of products aimed at filtering out gasses, odours, pollen and allergens in the air. The air purifiers pull in air from all angles before passing it through a high tech carbon coated filter and re-circulating the air within the room.
