Vacuuming, cooking, and burning and extinguishing candles: these everyday activities are bad for you. This is apparent from research by the Longfonds into residents of 749 homes, their activities and the effects of this on the amount of particulate matter in the air.
The Lung Fund conducted this research with the help of sensors that were placed in the homes. Not only could the residents see which activities influence the concentration of particulate matter in the air in the home, the researchers could also watch via a WiFi connection.
Indoor air quality is something that many people do not think about: nine out of ten Dutch people have never looked into it. And that while the concentration of particulate matter becomes dangerously high during everyday activities. In one in seven homes, the air quality is insufficient for most of the day.
Dangerous Activities
It has been known for some time that wood-burning stoves and fireplaces provide a higher concentration of particulate matter. The Lung Fund research added a number of other activities to this list. Vacuuming, but especially cooking, baking and wok cooking immediately raise the concentration of particulate matter to dangerously high values. An extractor alone does not help enough against this; it is important to provide fresh air in the house, for example by setting up windows or doors.
Burning candles also produces more particulate matter than originally thought. Even the extinguishing of candles provides a significant increase.
Particulate matter enters the bloodstream and brain via the lungs. It then increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and dementia. The harmful effects of particulate matter were already known to the Long Fund and it was also suspected that the air quality in homes is insufficient. The research has confirmed this suspicion and should make the Dutch more aware of this.
Awareness
The sensor placed in the homes for the measurements can help people change their behaviour. People see the importance of good ventilation and regular cleaning. With a price of around 250 euros, such a sensor is not a cheap device, but it contributes to a healthy living environment.
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