"Home Sweet Home" Perhaps Not So "Sweet"...

For a lot of people, heading home after a long day is all that one can day dream about. For many, home is like a sanctuary - a safe place we can depend on to feel protected from harm.  These are thoughts I have definitely related to.  However, after reading up on 6 Surprising Sources of Home Air Pollution, I have to admit I was surprised, and my view of home as a "safe place" a bit shaken.  

Outdoor pollution is a well-known subject.  Many are familiar with the sight of smog overhead in their city or the grayish puffs emitted from a passing car's tailpipes.  Also well-known is smoking as source of pollution, both outdoors and indoors.  Some indoor air pollutants perhaps not so well known?  Try air purifiers (some may utilize ozone, a major ingredient in smog and enemy to your lungs); paint (ever noticed peeling paint inside old homes? the dust released from that could contain harmful lead - heavy metal poisoning is not something to be taken lightly); carpets (besides the usual dust and dirt, chemicals used to make some carpets can end up being "off gassed" into the room's environment); cleaning products (some are made up of chlorine, which mixed with cleaners like ammonia could produce chlorine gas- definitely avoid if you would like to maintain happy lungs); cabinets and furniture (made from pressed wood? yeah, that could contain formaldehyde, which could also potentially "off gas" into the air of your home); and the kitchen stove (cooking on gas stoves can release nitrogen dioxide into the air, which can contribute to or worsen breathing problems).  

In my opinion, the real shockers were air purifiers (so ironic!), carpets, furniture made from pressed wood, and gas stoves.  As described in the article, some carpets and pressed wood could end up introducing formaldehyde (can cause headaches and irritate the respiratory system) into the air of your sanctuary.  Next time I walk into a furniture store I will definitely look at customizable bookshelves and area rugs in a different light.  The alarming thing is these are fixtures we have grown comfortable with having at home.  They do not seem threatening to indoor air quality, especially the stove.  From stoves comes food, and food is GOOOOD!  How can something that churns out delicious, crispy shredded beef tacos simultaneously release something completely un-delicious?  If these are all hidden little sources of air pollution, now it makes sense why the Environmental Protection Agency worries pollution indoors can be greater than outdoors.  So much for a safe place away from all harm...

For those like myself who were completely thrown to learn about the stove's secret identity as an air pollutant, check out this 2013 article from The New York Times for some insight!