If you answered the question with “My air is safe”, to avoid being sold something, then maybe you should have your air checked. Today we are too busy to stop and think about the things we cannot see. The air in our homes can be as much as 5 times more pollutant than the air outside. Have you ever wondered why people get sick so often. Here are some questions to think about.

1) How many people own pets? 3 out 5 households in the U.S have pets. Most mammals, like cats and dogs shed dead skin cells, which are called dander and can trigger an allergy. People can also be allergic to the proteins that are present in pet saliva, urine and feces. Pet dander and other pet allergens may linger in the air for a longer time than other allergens. Most pets go in and out of the home on a regular basis, and they also bring in what is outside. These microscopic particulates stick to furniture, bedding, fabrics, and carpets.

2) How about Kids? Most families average 1 to 2 kids per home. There are 10 common childhood Illnesses that are usually transferred from the school they go to. These 10 common illnesses are the Common Cold, Ear Infections, Influenza, Bronchitis, RSV, Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, Conjunctivitis, Gastroenteritis, Sinusitis, and Strep Throat.

3) Odors? There are all sorts of smells that are found in your home from numerous sources, including appliances, cooking, furniture, carpets, fabrics or issues like mold or mildew. These odors will continue to make you spend money on chemicals to sanitize your kitchen, bathroom and living area surfaces.

4) Are there any smokers in the home? You may already know secondhand smoke is dangerous for anyone, but did you know that smoke can stay in a home for a long time after smoking has been stopped. After smoke has been in the air, it settles on surfaces in rooms throughout the home. This smoke can be ingested by children, making them sick with ear infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, and even SIDS. The smoke can be inhaled by children or ingested when kids put items in their mouths. It is important to understand that turning on your furnace or air conditioning, opening a window or using ventilation will not eliminate secondhand smoke exposure.

5) Are you a fan of Smell Goods? Common household products contain fragrances include laundry detergents, fabric softeners, dryer sheets, air fresheners, cleaning supplies, perfumes, lotions, had soaps, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, perfumes, colognes, body care products, and scented candles. When you smell a fragrance, such as those in air fresheners, you are essentially breathing in chemicals, which are easily absorbed by the lungs. Some of the more common chemical compounds in fragrance include phthalates, alkylphenols, volatile organic compounds, limonene, pinene, ethanol, andacetone. Some of these chemical compounds react with ozone in the air to form formaldehyde.

6) Dust? Do you know what lives on a single dust particle? It is said to have as many as 19k dust mites on a single dust particle that cannot be seen. So, when you decide to dust, that’s millions of dust particles. I want you to let that sink in for a second! On that one small dust particle with 19,000 dust mites, imagine how many dust mite feces exist.

I wanted to bring these common questions to you, for you to understand the importance of indoor air quality. Anymore our homes are becoming tighter and tighter and our furnace air filter alone cannot get the job done. We are recycling the air in our homes over and over. Nothing is removing the particulates in our air, so we are getting sicker more often. It’s like a revolving door, we get sick and go to the doctors. The doctors prescribe medicine, we get better. Then eventually we do it all again. We are not addressing the root cause, which is in the air quality in our homes. The air in our homes can be treated, and there are many products out there that can keep your air clean.