With remote work now a lasting part of modern life, it’s more important than ever to consider the quality of the air you’re breathing at home.
Working from home comes with plenty of advantages—from reduced business overhead to employees gaining valuable time by eliminating commutes. What began as a temporary response to the pandemic has evolved into a permanent shift for many workplaces.
At the start of 2021, reports indicated that 42% of U.S. workers were remote—nearly double the number from early 2020. While that surge was driven by necessity, many companies have since adopted hybrid or fully remote models for the long term.
“The trend toward working from home has been slowly increasing over the past decade. But those numbers have shifted dramatically in 2020 due to the widespread changes caused by COVID-19,” said Dr. Goodarzi, Canada Research Chair for Radiation Exposure Disease. “We are currently analyzing the impact of this sudden change.”
Like any major lifestyle change, remote work has both benefits and challenges. One of those challenges is maintaining a healthy indoor environment. By understanding the potential risks and taking simple, preventative steps, you can ensure that your home office supports both your productivity and your well-being.
7 Common Indoor Air Pollutants that can have Significant Health Risks:
- Mold
- Pollen and Allergens
- Low Ventilation Rates and Carbon Dioxide Concentrations
- Carbon Monoxide
- Asbestos and Lead-based Paint
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s)
- Radon Gas Exposure
These hazardous pollutants and gases can be prevented or mitigated. With the correct tools, tips, and preventive measures you can create safe breathing air in your own home. The American Lung Association has shared some additional tips to know if your air is unhealthy. Establishing healthy indoor air quality at home is important to your overall health, especially for those of us working remotely.
10 tips to improve indoor air quality for a healthier home office environment:
- Thoroughly vacuum and clean your home once a week.
Regular vacuuming (especially with a HEPA filter vacuum) reduces dust, pet dander, pollen, and other allergens. Focus on carpets, rugs, furniture, and corners where debris accumulates. Use microfiber cloths for dusting and mop hard floors to capture particles that vacuums might miss. - Never smoke indoors.
Tobacco smoke contains harmful chemicals that cling to surfaces and linger in the air, severely degrading indoor air quality. Designate outdoor smoking areas and ensure guests follow this rule to protect everyone in the household. - Replace your furnace and air filter every 6 to 12 months.
Dirty filters reduce airflow and allow dust, pollen, and other contaminants to circulate. Check filters monthly and change them more frequently if you have pets or allergies. Consider using high-efficiency filters rated MERV 11 or higher for better air purification. - Use an air purifier.
Choose purifiers with HEPA filters and activated carbon to remove fine particulates and odors. Place them in commonly used rooms like bedrooms or offices. Ensure the unit is rated for the room’s size for maximum effectiveness. - Invest in house plants for your workspace.
Certain indoor plants like spider plants, peace lilies, and snake plants help purify the air by absorbing pollutants and increasing humidity. Be mindful of plant care needs and potential allergies. Rotate plants to different rooms for balanced air quality. - Keep humidity levels under 50 percent to avoid mold growth.
High humidity fosters mold, mildew, and dust mites. Use a hygrometer to monitor levels and a dehumidifier in damp areas like basements. In bathrooms, run exhaust fans during and after showers to control moisture buildup. - Open your windows when the weather is nice to create ventilation.
Letting fresh air in helps dilute indoor pollutants and refresh stale air. Create cross-ventilation by opening windows on opposite sides of the home. This is especially important when cooking or using cleaning products. - Test for asbestos.
Homes built before the 1980s may contain asbestos in insulation, floor tiles, or ceiling materials. Disturbed asbestos can release dangerous fibers. If you suspect its presence, contact certified professionals for testing and safe removal—never attempt to handle it yourself. - Invest in a Carbon Monoxide detector.
CO is a colorless, odorless gas that can be fatal. Install detectors near sleeping areas and on every floor. Test them monthly and replace the batteries at least once a year. Ensure appliances like furnaces, fireplaces, and gas stoves are properly ventilated. - Test your home for radon gas.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can seep into homes from the ground and is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Purchase a radon test kit or hire a certified professional. If high levels are detected, mitigation systems can be installed to safely reduce exposure.
When it comes to your health and safety when working from home, testing for radon is especially important. Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas that can be found at dangerous levels in your home. You would not know if your home has radon or not because it is odorless, colorless, and tasteless.
Consequently, that invisible radioactive gas may be accumulating at elevated levels in your home. This same gas is responsible for the deaths of more than 21,000 Americans every year. Also, it is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
This gas is naturally occurring, originating from the breakdown of uranium in the ground, and enters your home through cracks in the foundation or pipes. Radon damages your lungs when breathed and over time can mutate lung cells, resulting in lung cancer.
The radon risk of working from home
Dr. Goodarzi and other radon researchers are predicting a 35% jump in residential radon exposure from March 2020 onwards.
Due to the COVID pandemic, people are still spending much more time at home than in the past.
If your home has elevated levels of radon, you are being exposed more often than you would if you were spending less time at home. It is as important as ever to test your home for radon to make sure your breathing air is healthy and safe.
If your radon test results come back elevated, install a radon mitigation system. The EPA recommends mitigating your home if the radon levels come back at 4.0pCi/L or above. Learn more about radon and the symptoms of radon gas poisoning here.
Any type of home can have elevated radon levels, regardless of if you have a basement or not – walk-out basements, crawl spaces – any home or building can have radon. Levels can vary between homes in the same neighborhood, even homes right next to one another. Elevated radon levels have been detected in all 50 states.
It is never too late to take action. As you continue to spend time at home, make sure to take care of your mental and physical health by improving your air quality. The damaging effects of exposure to radioactive radon are completely preventable.
Let’s get started – schedule your radon test today!
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