Screens & Benefits of Fresh Air

With the COVID-19 pandemic and recent wildfires, there has been a lot more thought given to air quality and how the particles in the air can affect our overall health. As we go about our days, we wear masks to help prevent inhaling droplets that may carry the coronavirus, and breath a sign of relief when we slip back into our own car or we walk through our own front door. However, what about the air that we are exposed to within our home. Just because we are the only ones breathing it, is it actually healthy?

How to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality is something important to consider all year round but with cooler days here to stay, it can make clearing indoor air pollution even easier. How so? By opening your windows and doors. The EPA states that, “ Another approach to lowering the concentrations of indoor air pollutants in your home [besides getting rid of the source of pollution] is to increase the amount of outdoor air coming indoors.” Though eliminating the sources of pollutants or mitigating their effects and proper cleaning are essential for clearing pollutants, opening windows and doors is a necessary step for helping to clear pollutants and for your home to feel like a breath of fresh air.

How Can Window Screens & Screen Doors Help?

Opening your windows and doors immediately becomes less attractive if you don’t have window screens and screen doors: flies, leaves, and maybe even some other critters might make their way into your home. Even if you don’t mind a few flies buzzing around your house for a few days, they and other bugs can easily spread disease and create more allergens in your home. For this reason, it is essential to make sure all windows and doors have screens.

Benefits of Fresh Air

Most of us would probably agree that indoor air quality can make a significant difference for how our home smells and feels. However, improving indoor air quality can have some serious implications on our health that we may not have even considered.

Reduce the Risk of Spreading Viruses

As the COVID-19 pandemic still is very much a part of our lives and with flu season around the corner, it is important to consider how the air quality of our homes can affect our susceptibility to viruses. In an article by the CDC, it states that “to prevent the spread of the virus in restaurants, we recommend increasing the distance between tables and improving ventilation.” This concept can also be applied to our homes as air transmission is a key factor to consider when trying to stay healthy during this time. 

Decrease the Risk of Serious Health Conditions

The CDC also discusses that poor air quality and pollution can be linked to heart disease and stroke, making these deadly conditions more likely. Poor indoor air quality can also affect those with asthma and COPD, and it can have an effect on children’s respiratory health. By doing what you can to clear your home of allergens and pollutants with proper hygiene and regular exposure to fresh air, you can decrease risk for serious health conditions.

Mitigate Indoor Air Pollution

Most of us have grown up learning about pollution, what causes it, and also how it is affecting our planet. However, it’s easy to forget about what could be affecting our health right here in our homes. Indoor air pollutants can be categorized into two groups: chemical and biological pollutants.

Chemical pollutants are those that are derived from appliance exhaust (depending on the type of appliance), cleaners, some air fresheners, radon, second-hand smoke, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide (CO), asbestos, lead, arsenic, and others. Though there are many ways to mitigate these types of pollutants such as removal, updating appliances, proper home maintenance, and using cleaning products as directed, fresh air can help to clear harmful particles in your indoor air supply.

Biological pollutants are those that come from organic sources such as plants, pets, bugs, and mold. Plant pollen; pet dander, urine, feces, saliva, and hair; cockroach droppings and parts, dust mites; and mold varieties can all pollute the air of your home. Regular cleaning and washing, mitigation, along with regular exposure to fresh air can help to clear these irritants that can cause allergies and decrease our health and well-being.

Lessen Indoor Allergens

Allergies aren’t just an annoyance, but they can also affect our health — with extreme allergies causing fatigue and feverish symptoms. By cleaning your home regularly and becoming educated about how to prevent those elements that cause allergies, you can enjoy less respiratory discomfort, have more energy, and have peace of mind about the state of your home.

Increase Health & Well-Being

Though it can be hard to objectively measure well-being, it is easy to see how feelings of well-being could increase due to improved air-quality. When you begin to feel better physically, it is easy to feel better mentally. Also, fresh air has been said to help increase physical and mental energy, enhance focus, and help those indoors feel more relaxed, and promote positivity. Multiple health experts suggest a healthy dose of fresh air can do our bodies and our minds good not just by getting a dose of it through a walk or other exercise outside, but also through bringing it into our homes.

To start enjoying the effects of improved air quality in your home, order window screens and screen doors from Metro Screenworks. We offer a variety of traditional and specialty window screens and sliding screen doors. Want options? Try retractable window screens and retractable screen doors. Learn more about all of our products and easily buy online on our website!