Poor indoor air quality affects your health more than you think

How many of us are guilty of simply settling for poor indoor air quality?

Poor indoor air quality is one of the hidden threats that greatly affect our health - yet it’s something that’s often overlooked.

So what are indoor air pollutants? Typically generated inside homes or office buildings, indoor air pollution stems from allergens like dust mites, pollen, mold, and more.

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are actually common breeding grounds for germs and bacteria due to moisture and dust accumulation.

As these systems circulate, they also circulate particles, including bacteria, viruses, and mold spores. If not regularly and poorly maintained, these harmful particles can multiply and get dispersed through the air.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), indoor air pollution is actually responsible for the deaths of 3.8 million people every year.

One way to minimise the risk of allergies is to have air purifiers - but how do they really work?

“Air purifiers work by filtering out allergens from the air such as dust, pollen, pet dander, mold spores, and more,” said Sterra co-founder, Chris Lim.

“Poor air indoor quality affects our productivity and cognitive function. Hence, maintaining healthy indoor air is essential,” he added.

Are air purifiers actually effective in filtering outdoor air that enters the home or building?

“They are primarily designed to filter indoor air, but they can also help clean outdoor air, provided it passes through the air purifier,” he said.

However, Sterra’s air purifier is different in a way that it uses a medical grade 3-in-1 HEPA filter. This filter supposedly eliminates up to 99.7 per cent of all airborne pollutants, ensuring the highest level of air purification attainable for your home.

By improving breathing and enhancing blood circulation, air purifiers aid in regulating body temperature more efficiently. Particularly during hot weather, when breathing becomes more laborious and energy-consuming an air purifier can promote better health and a cooler experience.

So how do you make the most out of your air purifier to ensure it improves the air quality inside your home or office?

Firstly, Lim said consumers should consider factors such as the size of the space they want to purify, the type of pollutants they want to filter out, the use of HEPA filter, energy efficiency, and the cost of replacement filters.

“It’s also best to include regular filter changes every six months, depending on usage and environment, keeping the exterior of the unit clean, and ensuring that the air purifier is positioned in a place where it can effectively circulate air,” he said.