Healthy indoor air for your home

People who at home complain of tiredness or headaches and also suffer from an irritation of the mucous membranes or allergies may find the cause in poor indoor air. Building materials, paints, but also furniture can emit harmful substances that pollute the indoor climate. These days, newly built houses are increasingly airtight and the natural exchange of air is much less frequent. As a result, the risk of such health complaints increases. Here are some tips to help you ensure a healthy indoor climate.

Tip 1: Ecological is not the same as healthy living

When buying building products, eight out of ten Germans make sure that they are healthy for living and environmentally friendly. This is the result of the study “Wohngesundheit Deutschland” carried out in 2018/2019″ by BENZ24 and market research institute Innofact. However, many people are often not aware of hidden risks. Paper wallpapers, for example, are considered to be harmless. If the paper comes from sustainable sources, it can certainly be ecological. However, if the humidity at home is too high, there is a risk of mold growth. If you want to live in a healthy home with unpolluted air, make sure to choose the right building materials. Particular attention should be paid to the materials used on walls, ceilings and floors since they make up the major part of our living space. For this reason, products such as wall panels, sealants, primers, adhesives and fillers should be low in emissions.

Tip 2: Good preparation is key

Regardless of the floor covering selected, expert preparation of the substrate is essential. If you want to prevent damage, mold or odors caused by the floor structure which may later also affect your health, the subfloor should be level, sound, clean and dry. It is best to consult a professional floor layer who can assess the condition of the subfloor and knows exactly how to proceed. When preparing the subfloor for the installation of new flooring, but also when working on walls and ceilings, the right materials must be used. They should have the lowest possible emissions in order to maximize air hygiene.

Tip 3: EMICODE^® quality seal – a helpful indicator

According to the study “Wohngesundheit Deutschland”, about two thirds of all building product buyers in Germany look out for quality seals. The pollutant checks carried out by reliable eco labels save consumers a lot of time and effort. The packaging directly indicates which products can be trusted. Also the EMICODE^® EC1 seal is a reliable indicator. It monitors the quality of building products under the most stringent criteria for health and environmental compatibility. Only low-emission products are awarded the worldwide recognized seal. Regular checks by independent testing institutes ensure consistent EC1 quality. This is a clear advantage of EMICODE^® over other certification systems for health and environmentally compatible building products.

@Antonio Guillem/123rf.com