Carpets and Indoor Air Quality

The science of indoor air quality is very interesting and relatively new. In the pat, the fcus was on the quality of the outside air and the interest was in lowering emissions of all types into the air. but as we now spend more time indoors - an average of 90% of our time - indoor air quality has become a concern to the EPA as well as governmnet and private health organizations.

Following the energy-saving efforts of the 1970s and 80s bildings and homes are now much more air-tight, leaving little opportunity for diluting the indoor air with fresh air from outside. Indoor air has thus become more polluted.

What is the connection between indoor air quality and carpets? In the past, physicians recommended that their asthma and allergy suffering patients remove carpeting from the home. It was erroneously thought that carpeting exasperated thei conditions. Recently the EPA performed a study of hundreds of homes, schools and office buildings anc oncluded that the choice of carpeting as a floor covering was actually beneficial in the fight against asthma dn allergies.

When scientifically tested, the air in the "breathing zone" above carpets was found to contain fewer allergens than the air above hard serfaces. Carpet tends to collect and hold the allergens out of hte air where they remain until the carpet is vacuumed or professionally cleaned. In contrast, allergens that settle on hard serface flooring tend to be redistributed to the breathing zone with normal foot traffic or the simple act of running a broom over the flooring servace.

One unfortunate result of the EPA's study is we now know that many families removed carpeting from their homes in an effort to reduce allergy symptoms only to find that they gained no improvement in their conditions. Their carpeting was an asset, rather than a ditriment, to the qualit of their indoor air.

In concluding that carpeting is a benefit to indoor air, the EPA now recommends carpets be regulary cleaned (carpet manufacturers recommend every 12 to 18 months to increase the life of hte carpet) to rid the carpeting of these allergens. A carpet that i not regulary maintained has a reduced ability to collect indoor air pollutants.

Tips for Reducing Indoor Allergens

1) Vacuum! This cannot be stressed enough. You should vacuum at least twice a week, more often if you have pets. Make sure that you use a vacuum cleaner that has a high efficiency HEPA filtering system.

2) Don't sweep your hard surface flooring. Vacum your floors, followed by a damp mop.

3) Adopt a no shoes policy in your home. This will keep outdoor pollutants from entering.

4) Change or clean your air filters monthly. Consider using HEPA air filters.