Indoor Air Quality is Important
The air we breathe in our homes, schools, and buildings is often 2-5 times more polluted than outside air. While there has been progress in improving outdoor air quality, indoor air quality (IAQ) remains largely unchecked and still poses a significant health risk to many people. Considering that most Americans spend around 90% of their time indoors, this is something that we all need to take seriously. And just to state the obvious, poor indoor air quality causes a host of bad things from headaches to asthma to cancer. The research is abundant here. Check out what the EPA has to say.
How did we get here?
The main culprits for poor IAQ are indoor pollutants that are broken down into biological (mold, mildew) and chemical (VOC’s like formaldehyde) agents. Case (worst!) in point: a home built of cheap, toxic materials that doesn’t ventilate well and has excessive moisture. Chemical emissions don’t easily leave the house and unhealthy biological growth can occur.
The good news
We can limit and even eliminate this IAQ pollution because it comes from sources we can control. Put simply, don’t allow bad stuff into your house, whether it’s household chemicals, mold and mildew or toxic building materials. Further, a home that breathes through ventilation and air filtration will improve IAQ. To be sure, not all of this is easy as we often live, work and study in predetermined living spaces but improvements can be made. Fresh air and natural light are advantages not to be overlooked.
Wool Insulation makes for Healthy Lungs of the Home
Wool is an all-natural material which will not emit harmful pollution in your house. There is no formaldehyde, no particulates. So at the start, you are using a healthy product that does not introduce any toxicity to your home. The same cannot be said for mainstream insulation – spray foam, fiberglass and mineral wool. On top of this, wool offers passive air filtration and improved indoor air quality by bonding with formaldehyde, NOx and SO2 on a molecular level without re-releasing them into the environment. So your insulation can actually absorb harmful chemicals that are emitted in your home. Wool also plays a noticeable role in temperature control by inherently absorbing and releasing moisture against 65% relative humidity.
Put this way, we hope you can understand why insulation should be considered the lungs of your home. Let’s make sure those lungs are as healthy as possible. And if your house is already built you may not be excluded from the party. Add or replace your attic insulation with wool and all the benefits are yours to enjoy everyday.