Cold And Flu Season: How To Improve Indoor Air Quality

Poor indoor air quality has become a big issue in this world. It is caused by many reasons like outside air pollution (toxic gas emissions from cars and industries, deforestation, and many more.). Lower indoor maintenance also affects indoor air quality significantly. During cold and flu season, indoor air quality plays a very important role in individuals' health. If the quality of air is poor during this season then people may face many health and respiratory problems. Following some precautions can effectively improve indoor air quality which will provide lots of benefits.

The season of cold and flu starts in early October and from December to February it's on peak. This health-affecting season can stay up to May which is a long duration. At this time, homeowners should check their indoor air quality to ensure that they can prevent viruses like influenza which is the main reason for flu. The readers will get all the information about colds flu and indoor air quality in this blog. After learning everything the readers can effectively prevent health issues during cold and flu season.

What Is Cold And Flue?

Understanding cold and flu is important to know how they can be prevented. The cold is a type of upper respiratory condition that is contagious (can spread from one person to another). This problem affects the throat, nose, windpipe, and other respiratory organs of the human body. According to research, there are more than 200 varieties of viruses that can cause colds to anyone. The rhinovirus is one of the most common cold viruses. The symptoms of cold can be sneezing, sore throat, runny nose, etc.

The flu is a type of illness which is caused by a virus called influenza. An infected person with this virus shows the same symptoms as a cold such as sore throat, runny nose, etc. but these signs will be more severe than a cold. In cold and flu season, around 20 to 40 million people get infected by the virus influenza. If flu is not treated well then it can cause serious health problems like asthma or other types of lung diseases.

Role Of Indoor Air Quality

The indoor air quality is a very important thing to promote good health and lifestyle. A healthy body’s condition depends on the environment where it breathes. Many people don’t know how important air quality is inside their homes. So by learning the key role of high indoor air quality during cold and flu season, people will try to improve the condition of air in their homes. Here are some of the main advantages of good indoor air quality:

1. Improves Respiratory Health

Respiratory health is very important and during cold winter and flu season, indoor air quality plays a significant role. When the air is clean and free of viruses like influenza and rhinovirus people get a healthy indoor environment to breathe. This helps their body to utilize oxygen properly as a result their respiratory health improves and works efficiently.

2. Increase Sleep Quality

A good indoor environment is essential to promote better sleep quality. Indoor air quality is the main thing that enhances the indoor environment. Better indoor air quality helps to increase the sleep quality of individuals because it is free of airborne particles like dust, dirt, pollen, etc. When these particles are not present in the air, the individuals inside homes get a comfortable environment that enhances sleep quality.

3. Protects From Pathogens

High indoor air quality is important to protect individuals from pathogens. The pathogens are microorganisms that can go airborne and infect people. Individuals who have clean indoor air can effectively be prevented from getting infected by pathogens. So it is very important to have an environment that is full of pure air.

4. Improves Lifespan

According to many studies, clean indoor air helps to increase the lifespan of an individual. This happens because the human body becomes more efficient at consuming oxygen from air which helps internal organs to work properly. The health of the heart, lungs, and brain improves as a result people can expect longer life.

How Poor Indoor Air Quality Affects Health

Poor indoor air quality affects health significantly and during the cold and flu season, this problem can worsen existing health issues also. By learning about the negative effects of poor indoor air quality people become aware of its risks. Here are some of the main health effects caused by poor indoor air quality:

  • Worsen Respiratory Conditions: People who have respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) must know that poor indoor air quality can worsen their conditions. In cold and flu season, individuals face difficulty breathing and this issue can become worse if the indoor air is filled with pollutants like dust, pollen, pet dander, etc.
  • Triggers Allergy Symptoms: Allergies are very common things and some individuals show very mild allergic symptoms like sneezing, coughing, and runny nose. Poor indoor air quality is filled with airborne allergens like mold spores, pet dander, dust, etc. Exposure to these allergens for a long time can trigger allergic symptoms or may increase the existing allergy.
  • Decrease Brain Health: Most people don’t know that poor indoor air quality can decrease brain health. According to NIH (National Institute Of Health), if individuals are exposed to poor air quality then that negatively impacts the brain’s functioning and makes it slow. This issue can lead to problems like depression, neurological disorders, and anxiety.
  • Interrupts Sleep Cycle: Poor indoor air quality can interrupt the sleep cycle and this can lead to problems. These problems affect mental and physical health. Airborne irritants like dust mites, pollen, mold spores, etc. when inhaled then they irritate the breathing system as a result sleep gets disrupted. If this happens for a long time then individuals can notice they stay restless and tired.

How To Improve Indoor Air Quality During Cold And Flu Season

Improving indoor air quality during cold and flu season is very important. This will help to protect individuals from getting infected by viruses like rhinovirus and influenza. By following some tips people can easily increase the quality of air in their homes and stay healthy. So here are some of the important things that anyone can do to improve indoor air quality:

1. Use Air Purifiers And HVAC Filters

Using air purifiers and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioner) air filters is one of the best ways to improve indoor air quality. An air purifier is a device that pulls all of the polluted air from the indoor environment and then the air passes through layers of different filters. In this process, all of the airborne contaminants like viruses and bacteria are removed. This helps to create an indoor environment filled with clean air. On the other hand, HVAC filters are placed inside the filter slot of an HVAC system. When the system pulls air the air passes through the filter and the air gets purified.

2. Improve Ventilation

Proper ventilation is important because it helps to provide fresh air inside a home. Poor ventilation increases the risk of getting respiratory infections like cold and flu. The bacteria and viruses inside a house move to the outside if ventilation is efficient. To improve ventilation naturally, individuals can open their windows from time to time so fresh air can get inside their houses. People can set their mechanical ventilation to 100% capacity to make sure that their home is filled with fresh air.

3. Frequently Clean Indoor Space

Many people forget to clean their indoor space on a regular basis. This leads to the accumulation of bacteria and viruses in their indoor environment. During cold and flu season it is very important to keep a clean indoor space to prevent any health problems. Individuals should clean their homes at least once a week and by doing this the number of contaminants will decrease as a result this will help to prevent colds and flu and promote good health.

4. Use Humidifier

Using a humidifier to add moisture to the house helps to prevent viruses and bacteria during cold and flu season. This device increases the level of moisture in indoor environments which are airborne viruses heavy as a result they can’t float on air. Infected people can also get relief because a humid environment helps to lose mucus which is caused by cold or flu. Individuals should follow the instructions that come with their humidifier. This will help to use this device effectively.

5. Control Indoor Temperature

During the winter season, the immunity of the human body decreases because of the temperature drop. This is the reason the winter season is also known as cold and flu season. People can get respiratory infections easily during this season. So it is important to control indoor environment temperature to prevent getting infected from viruses like influenza. A high indoor temperature during winter helps to provide a comfortable living space as well as protects against illnesses.

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Conclusion

The cold and flu season is one of those things that everyone faces their whole life. At this time the body's immunity starts declining because of a fall in temperature. Due to this, the chance of getting an infection increases a lot. Indoor air quality plays a crucial role in this situation. Prior indoor air quality can cause problems like respiratory issues, decreased brain health, interrupted sleep cycle, and many more. High indoor air quality helps to improve respiratory health, increases sleep quality, improves lifespan, etc. This helps to keep the immune system strong as the possibility of getting illness during winter decreases.

There are many things that individuals can follow to improve their indoor air quality. Using an air purifier or HVAC filter, improving ventilation, and controlling indoor temperature are some of the main things that anyone can do to improve indoor air quality. HVAC air filters can help improve the quality of indoor air efficiently. If you are looking for an air filter for your HVAC system then Custom Filters Direct is the best place for you. We are known for providing customized air filters to our clients that satisfy their air filtration needs. For more information call us at (877) 556-2862.

Frequently Asked Questions

How To Know My Indoor Air Quality Is Good For Me?
You can identify whether your indoor air quality is good or not by checking some important factors. The temperature and humidity level of your home are comfortable which means the air quality is good. If your home has proper ventilation and less airborne pollutants then this also means your indoor air quality is good.
What Are The Main Reasons For Poor Indoor Air Quality?
One of the main reasons for poor indoor air quality is insufficient ventilation. Due to this, contaminants stay inside the house and decrease the quality of indoor air. Not cleaning indoor spaces regularly is also a major factor that negatively affects indoor air quality.
What Is The Difference Between Cold And Flu?
The cold and flu have similar symptoms like headache, sore throat, runny nose, etc. In colds, individuals have mild symptoms and that doesn’t affect their body that much. On the other hand, symptoms of flu are more severe than cold and it affects health a lot. Flu can cause problems like pneumonia if it is not treated properly.
How Does An Air Filter Help Me Relieve My Cold?
An air filter is very efficient at removing airborne pollutants and pathogens that can cause problems like cold. A high-quality air filter can easily capture viruses and bacteria that can affect health. Due to this, the quality of indoor air also increases which improves overall health.
Is It Possible That I Have Allergy But It Showing Symptoms Like Cold?
Yes, allergies can show symptoms similar to cold such as runny nose and sneezing. Skin itching and irritation in the eyes are other symptoms of allergies but this kind of symptom isn’t shown by cold. Allergies last until a person stays in contact with allergen but cold can last up to 5 to 10 days.
How Good Indoor Air Quality Protects Me From Respiratory Disease?
Good indoor air quality protects you from respiratory diseases by reducing the amount of contaminants. Viruses like rhinovirus and influenza are harmful to the respiratory system if someone gets infected by them and left untreated.
What Will Help Me To Improve Indoor Air Quality Efficiently?
An air filter and purifier are the best way to improve indoor air quality. These two things are very efficient at removing airborne particles like dust, pollen, dust mites, etc. that decrease indoor air quality. By removing these particles the air filter and air purifier provide a clean environment.

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