Unexpected Indoor Contaminants
When we think of indoor air contaminates, we probably would not be surprised to see pet dander, dust, mould, and bacteria turn up on the list, but according to recent studies, home cooking plays a huge role in air contamination.
According to the Canada Free Press, a recent study out of China reports that “80% of all air pollution involving soot that spreads from China over large areas of East Asia — impacting human health and fostering global warming — comes from city traffic and other forms of fossil-fuel combustion, such as home cooking.”
This is a staggering figure, and somewhat ironic when one considers that dining at home sounds like one of the safest and most prosaic ways that one can spend an evening. To think that home cooking can be on one of the largest contributors to air contamination is surprising, to say the least.
At the beginning of September, research scientist Jennifer Logue spoke out the United-States-based radio program “All Things Considered” on this very issue:
“You spend 70 percent of your time in your home,” says Logue. “And what you do in your home has a huge impact on what you’re exposed to.” Cooking on a gas stove releases some of the same pollutants that you find outdoors in smog. Logue looked at homes in Southern California that cook at least once a week, and found more than half of them were above the outdoor health limit for a pollutant called nitrogen dioxide. (NPR)
Among other suggestions, Logue went on to make recommendations for homeowners regarding how to purchase and maintain vent hoods that will mitigate the damage.
That’s a good first step, but given the statistics, it’s also important to maintain not only your kitchen vent hoods, but also all other air ducts and vents in order to ensure that they are functioning correctly.
That’s why Breathewell offers an air duct cleaning package that includes unlimited vents.
If you have questions or concerns regarding your indoor air quality, please feel free to contact us. We look forward to serving you.