Air quality is of paramount importance. Often underestimated, poor air quality affects everyone, without warning, without mercy. People of all ages are faced with various problems that could often be avoided with adequate prevention. From respiratory diseases to lung cancer and even premature deaths, the health effects of exposure to air pollutants are well-documented and deeply concerning for public health.
How important is the quality of the air you breathe to you?
Considering that we must breathe to live,
That we breathe about fifteen times a minute,
And that the equivalent of 0.5 liters of air is inhaled with each breath…
Let us suggest that you give it well deserved consideration!
It is said that wisdom is gained from pain or experience…
It is also said that the intelligent one makes decisions based on personal experience and that the most intelligent one makes decisions based on the experiences of others…
Let’s hope that no one will need to suffer the health impacts of having breathed air contaminants or traffic-related air pollution to fully appreciate the importance of clean air. Promoting air quality standards and striving for environmental protection must remain a shared priority, especially in the face of ongoing climate change!
1. Smog, environment and climate change?
Stepping outside for a breath of fresh, clean air is sadly no longer a guarantee of good health these days. It’s barely synonymous with well-being anymore! Everyone is aware of the record levels of air pollutants caused largely by human activity, including vehicle fumes, crop burning, and household air pollution. Poor air quality is a major concern among the scientific community, Health Canada, and environmental protection advocates. Alerts such as smog warnings, once a rarity, are now routinely pushed to our smartphones, a clear sign of worsening climate change…
The following table shows the pollution episodes significant enough to trigger an air pollution advisory in 2021, based on data gathered from air monitoring and monitoring stations.
Everyone has heard about the major causes of air pollution and their harmful health impacts on humans. Cases of people suffering from cardiovascular diseases, respiratory illness, and lung diseases are steadily on the rise. The continued reliance on fossil fuels may be tightly intertwined with economic growth… yet they are responsible for releasing fine particulate matter, greenhouse gases, and pollutant substances that every air quality forum and healthy air campaign warns against.
Did you know that smog is composed of ground-level ozone, the result of a photochemical reaction between volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), as well as primary particles (like pollen and desert dust) and secondary particles such as sulfur dioxide, ammonia, and additional volatile organic compounds?
Today, the air quality index (AQI) is just as critical as the weather forecast when it comes to planning outdoor activities. Whether it’s wood smoke, vehicle fumes, or air toxics, taking precautions is vital.
Take cover! because climate change isn’t the future… it’s already in the air we breathe.
2. What about the indoor air quality?
We find strange comfort in being back inside after getting a smog alert. But how safe are we really?
Most people are unaware that good indoor air quality in our homes, businesses, and establishments is far from guaranteed. In fact, airborne gases, air toxics, and pollutant substances can accumulate indoors through home appliances, building materials, and even daily activities, contributing to respiratory problems and long-term health outcomes. And yet, the damaging health effects of foul air on public health often seem hard to believe, almost abstract…
Bare with us, we’ll show you concrete!
You think that because it’s new, it doesn’t need cleaning? Think again!
2.1 Did you know this fact about renovations and new constructions ?
Every new construction owner, whether it is residential or commercial, should make it a priority to clean their ducts and ventilation/air conditioning/heating systems as soon as the construction work is completed.
Indeed, the materials used during construction contain chemical substances that remain in the ducts and contaminate the ambient air.
Furthermore…
Sick Building Syndrome: What is it ?
Have you heard of the Sick Building Syndrome?
Although this condition has now been recognized by the World Health Organization since the 70’s, it is not sufficiently publicly displayed as potentially harmful to our health. If this were the case, the proper maintenance of ventilation ducts and systems, as well as heating and air conditioning systems, would be carried out in a much more rigorous manner.
The prevalence of this syndrome appears to be increasing
In the early 2000s, in wealthy, industrialized countries, approximately 50% of employees worked in office buildings, and 20-30% of this group of workers reported symptoms that would suggest the prevalence of sick building syndrome.
Living or surviving…
Poor air quality can cause symptoms that reach far beyond respiratory problems.
2.2 Sick Building Syndrome, can cause the following symptoms
Mucous membrane irritation such as:
- Sore throat
- Redness of the eyes
- Watery eyes
- Nasal congestion
- Nosebleed
- Coughing
- Respiratory tract damage
Skin irritation such as:
- Dry skin
- Dermatitis
General symptoms such as:
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Drowsiness
- Problems with mental concentration and memory
- Nausea
- Dizziness
There may be multiple causes for the presence or aggravation of those symptoms, such as:
- Poor air supply
- Excessively dry air
- Excessively humid air
- Mold
- Biological contamination
- Sustained presence of chemical contaminants consisting of cleaning agents, formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (solvents and others, released by synthetic materials in carpets, curtains and drapes, furniture, photocopier, laser printer, etc.).
Live or die…
If the cause of these symptoms remains unresolved or that said symptoms stay untreated, they can lead to the following diseases:
Diseases of an allergic nature:
- Asthma
- Rhinitis
Diseases of infectious nature:
- Tuberculosis
- SARS
- Influenza
- Measles
- Any other disease transmitted through the ventilation system
Chemical illnesses:
- Carbon monoxide poisoning, from a poorly ventilated parking lot
- Any other poisoning caused by the presence of chemicals. (even low concentrations are harmful…)
Diseases of a physical nature:
- Diseases caused by mineral or glass fibers
Diseases of a chronic nature :
- Cancer
Please note that these are no longer non-specific ailments, but diagnosed diseases!
Hope for possible treatments?
Although today’s medicine offers various treatments that can alleviate the symptoms of the medical conditions listed above, we must admit that the results will be limited, that their effects will be short-lived and that a cure will be potentially unattainable until the patient’s air quality is restored.
Source: Le Manuel Merck, Version pour le grand public, 2020
Let’s not neglect the importance of maintaining our heating and ventilation systems to limit our degree of exposure to contaminants and their harmful effects on our health.
By all means, please refer to a professional!
3. Why should you contact a professional ?
DuraClim offers maintenance of heating, air conditioning and ventilation equipment, ducts included (For Residential or Commercial systems; Let’s keep the office’s air clean!!!)
Prevention is, and ALWAYS will be, better than cure!
Filter and system maintenance varies from facility to facility. You may also do part of the work yourself in some cases.
Nevertheless, all systems require professional cleaning at regular intervals.
Please note that it is normal to experience a temporary increase in the amount of particulate matter in the air up to a few hours after cleaning the ducts and/or heating systems. It is important to take this into account!
*For particularly sensitive individuals, it is preferable to avoid the premises while the particles settle and to clean the surfaces before re-entering the area.
Neglecting the maintenance of your wall or central heat pump will have direct effects on your health and that of the people you love! Make sure to book your annual cleaning.
Our professionals will offer you the best!
DuraClim’s specialized teams will make sure you get the peace of mind you deserve.
We treat our clients like family, and family deserves the best!
Also read: Duraclim wins the Consumer Choice Award for air conditioning and heating
Duraclim wins the Consumer Choice Award for air conditioning and heating
