Household air pollution sources

Common items found around our home can reduce air quality.

Many common items found around our homes can reduce our air quality. While some sources, like oven cleaner, are obvious, others aren't.

How many of the following are on your shopping list?

• cleaners, disinfectants and detergents including drain cleaners, anti-mould preparations and window cleaners
• air fresheners
• many cosmetics including hair dyes, hair spray, nail polish, perfumes and aftershaves, deodorants and antiperspirants    
• fly spray and other pesticides
• glue/adhesives
• paints, stains, waxes, polishes and varnish
• cigarettes

Common items found around our home can reduce air quality.

Many common items found around our homes can reduce our air quality. While some sources, like oven cleaner, are obvious, others aren't.

How many of the following are on your shopping list?

• cleaners, disinfectants and detergents including drain cleaners, anti-mould preparations and window cleaners
• air fresheners
• many cosmetics including hair dyes, hair spray, nail polish, perfumes and aftershaves, deodorants and antiperspirants    
• fly spray and other pesticides
• glue/adhesives
• paints, stains, waxes, polishes and varnish
• cigarettes

Wood heaters, stoves and fireplaces can be quite harmful to your health and the environment.
Image courtesy of Rosie Nicolai

Wood heaters, stoves and fireplaces can be quite harmful to your health and the environment. The way they're used and the type of wood burned affects how much wood smoke (a toxic mix of chemicals and particles) is created.

All gas and kerosene heaters and stoves produce waste gases and fine particles. Unflued appliances don't have an exhaust to direct these outside so they can build up to dangerous levels in closed, confined areas like homes. This can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea and breathing problems – especially for children, the elderly, asthmatics and people with heart disease.

Water vapour is also produced which can create humid conditions and encourage mould and dust mites.

Wood heaters, stoves and fireplaces can be quite harmful to your health and the environment.
Image courtesy of Rosie Nicolai

Wood heaters, stoves and fireplaces can be quite harmful to your health and the environment. The way they're used and the type of wood burned affects how much wood smoke (a toxic mix of chemicals and particles) is created.

All gas and kerosene heaters and stoves produce waste gases and fine particles. Unflued appliances don't have an exhaust to direct these outside so they can build up to dangerous levels in closed, confined areas like homes. This can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea and breathing problems – especially for children, the elderly, asthmatics and people with heart disease.

Water vapour is also produced which can create humid conditions and encourage mould and dust mites.

New furnishings can give off emissions.
Image courtesy of Rosie Nicolai

Floor coverings and new furnishings can give off emissions which pollute the air inside your home. This includes:

• carpets and underlay
• treated timber
• polyurethane foam products
• insulation
• fabrics treated with flame retardants, stain guards and insecticides,
• plastics including PVC and some electronics.

Emissions will lessen over time provided there's good ventilation but do pose a problem in the short to medium term.

As a general rule, trust your nose. If the new furnishings you buy have a strong chemical smell air them by leaving them outside under cover until the smell reduces or regularly air the room they are in.

New cars and caravans also give off high levels of emissions inside due to all the treated plastic, rubber and upholstery used. It's more commonly known as that 'new car smell'. Caravans often have a lot of wood panelling and reconstituted wood products (chipboard, particle board, hardboard etc) which are held in place or together using adhesives which give off toxic fumes.

New furnishings can give off emissions.
Image courtesy of Rosie Nicolai

Floor coverings and new furnishings can give off emissions which pollute the air inside your home. This includes:

• carpets and underlay
• treated timber
• polyurethane foam products
• insulation
• fabrics treated with flame retardants, stain guards and insecticides,
• plastics including PVC and some electronics.

Emissions will lessen over time provided there's good ventilation but do pose a problem in the short to medium term.

As a general rule, trust your nose. If the new furnishings you buy have a strong chemical smell air them by leaving them outside under cover until the smell reduces or regularly air the room they are in.

New cars and caravans also give off high levels of emissions inside due to all the treated plastic, rubber and upholstery used. It's more commonly known as that 'new car smell'. Caravans often have a lot of wood panelling and reconstituted wood products (chipboard, particle board, hardboard etc) which are held in place or together using adhesives which give off toxic fumes.

Anyone who has built or renovated their home knows how much dust there can be. What's less obvious is the amount of chemicals that come with building and renovating. Both can reduce your home's air quality.

Building materials can give off emissions which pollute the air inside your home.
Image courtesy of the Total Environment Centre

Building materials can give off emissions which pollute the air inside your home. Sanding, sawing, stripping etc, can also create airborne hazards. In extreme cases, this can include asbestos fibres from fibro and copper chrome arsenate from treated timber.

Up to 70 per cent of the building materials used in and around the home contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds). That includes oil-based paints and composite wood products. A recent CSIRO study of 27 Melbourne homes found that VOC levels in newly constructed or renovated homes were 200 times higher than outdoor levels. In older homes, they were about eight times higher.

Most houses built before 1970 contain lead paint. Renovating these houses can release large amounts of lead contaminated paint dust.

Being aware of the hazards and risks involved will assist renovators to minimise or eliminate any impact.

Anyone who has built or renovated their home knows how much dust there can be. What's less obvious is the amount of chemicals that come with building and renovating. Both can reduce your home's air quality.

Building materials can give off emissions which pollute the air inside your home.
Image courtesy of the Total Environment Centre

Building materials can give off emissions which pollute the air inside your home. Sanding, sawing, stripping etc, can also create airborne hazards. In extreme cases, this can include asbestos fibres from fibro and copper chrome arsenate from treated timber.

Up to 70 per cent of the building materials used in and around the home contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds). That includes oil-based paints and composite wood products. A recent CSIRO study of 27 Melbourne homes found that VOC levels in newly constructed or renovated homes were 200 times higher than outdoor levels. In older homes, they were about eight times higher.

Most houses built before 1970 contain lead paint. Renovating these houses can release large amounts of lead contaminated paint dust.

Being aware of the hazards and risks involved will assist renovators to minimise or eliminate any impact.

Petrol vapour or car exhaust can enter a building from an attached garage or through open windows and doors if located near a busy road or petrol station. These can result in high benzene, carbon monoxide and VOC levels inside your home.

There are also natural sources of air pollution. For example, the soil or rock which your home is built on emits radon, a gas produced in the decay process. As it decays, it emits alpha particles which can then enter your home. Radon levels in Australian buildings are generally within safe limits but may be of concern in homes with cellars or basements and sometimes in high-rise buildings.

Also, since your indoor air quality will generally only be as good as the air quality outside, if you live in an area prone to ground level ozone or particle pollution, chances are this outside air will end up in your home.

These are all important factors when you're looking at renting or buying a home.

Petrol vapour or car exhaust can enter a building from an attached garage or through open windows and doors if located near a busy road or petrol station. These can result in high benzene, carbon monoxide and VOC levels inside your home.

There are also natural sources of air pollution. For example, the soil or rock which your home is built on emits radon, a gas produced in the decay process. As it decays, it emits alpha particles which can then enter your home. Radon levels in Australian buildings are generally within safe limits but may be of concern in homes with cellars or basements and sometimes in high-rise buildings.

Also, since your indoor air quality will generally only be as good as the air quality outside, if you live in an area prone to ground level ozone or particle pollution, chances are this outside air will end up in your home.

These are all important factors when you're looking at renting or buying a home.