Air quality and domestic activity: what solutions for a healthy home?
We spend 90% of our lives indoors. The pollution present in these spaces directly impacts our health. It originates from two sources:
- Pollutants coming from outside
- Pollutants emitted by domestic activities, furniture, the products used, etc.
Why is indoor air quality so important for a healthy home? How can we improve comfort and quality of life in our homes? How can we limit or eliminate the emission of particles harmful to our health?
We breathe 12,000 liters of air every day, often without even realizing it. Breathing well at home means particularly avoiding indoor sources of pollutants, which are numerous and sometimes surprising. Humidity is also an important factor as it promotes the development of biological pollutants such as dust mites and mold.
The recommendations to ventilate your home well are generally well-known. But is it enough? Although essential, ventilation, by renewing indoor air with so-called "fresh" air, also lets in outdoor pollutants...
So what can be done to have a home where it feels good to live?
- Why is indoor air quality essential for a healthy home?
- What are the impacts of domestic activities on the air quality of your home?
- Humidity, the enemy of a healthy home
- Good ventilation means good breathing
- A healthy home for you and the planet? Think about insulation!
- A healthy home... and a peaceful one!
Why is indoor air quality essential for a healthy home?
Poor indoor air quality can have various health effects, ranging from mild symptoms like headaches, fatigue, or lethargy, to more serious consequences, such as the worsening of asthma, especially asthma in infants. The smallest particles can penetrate the respiratory tract and, over time, lead to cancer.
The Indoor Environment Quality Observatory (OQEI)1 estimates that indoor air pollution could cause 20,000 deaths per year in France. After an initial measurement campaign2, the OQEI launched a second national housing campaign, aiming to measure the presence of several pollutants in the air in two living spaces - the living room and the master bedroom. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides (in the air and dust), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), fine particles (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), CO2, radon... all of these pollutants affect our health, with the amounts measured in our homes sometimes being alarming!3
Additionally, allergists confirm that air pollution worsens and promotes allergies, particularly to pollen.
The elderly, infants, and young children are the most sensitive to air pollution. The immune system and antioxidant capacities of the elderly are weakened. On the other hand, infants and young children are very vulnerable to air pollution due to their still-developing respiratory and immune systems. Their lungs continue to develop until around the age of 7.
However, only 11% of classrooms have an effective ventilation system, according to Dr. Déoux. Moreover, in 2019, the association Respire showed that 100% of schools in Lyon, Grenoble, Chambéry, Annecy, and the Île-de-France region exceeded WHO recommendations for fine particles (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)4.
These findings are concerning, considering that our children spend a large part of their time at school and inhale more air relative to their weight than adults! This underscores the need to allow them to grow up in a healthy home.
TEQOYA conducted an experiment in a school in Saint-Ouen, the results of which you can find on our blog here. To learn about TEQOYA air ionizers suitable for places hosting children and seniors, visit our dedicated page.
What are the impacts of domestic activities on the air quality of your home?
Is cooking always good for your health?
Of course, cooking healthy foods yourself is great for getting plenty of vitamins, limiting overly salty or sugary foods, and maintaining a good nutritional balance.
But what about the act of cooking itself?
As we analyzed in our article "Kitchen Odors: Why and How to Get Rid of Them?", cooking generates potentially polluting particle emissions. Their harmfulness and quantity vary depending on the ingredients, the cooking method, the fuel used, and proper maintenance of the kitchen equipment. Beware: whether the odors are pleasant or not has no direct link to their effects on health.
Our advice for a healthy home? Ensure that your kitchen's ventilation system is effective, don't forget to use your range hood, and be mindful of the cooking method and duration.
Healthy home = clean home? Beware of cleaning products!
Oven cleaners, carpet cleaners, floor cleaners, bathroom cleaners, parquet cleaners, bleach, dishwashing products, laundry detergents, glass cleaners... degreasing, descaling, disinfecting, stripping, detergent, unblocker, stain remover, polish, dust remover, sanitizer, anti-dust mite... The cleaning products market offers plenty of options to make house cleaning easier!
However, it's important not to confuse a "clean home" with a "healthy home." In fact, while the effectiveness of these products is often proven, they can emit toxic, allergenic, or even corrosive components such as chlorine, phosphates, bleaching agents, ammonia, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), parabens... The most common VOCs found in these products are formaldehyde and benzene, which are suspected endocrine disruptors. According to ADEME, 91% of the products tested in a study on cleaning products emit formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen.
Our advice for a healthy home? Use natural products as much as possible, pay close attention to label information. Some manufacturers tend to shrink danger pictograms and highlight the presence of natural ingredients, even when they are in minimal quantities. Avoid inhaling the product during use, follow rinsing instructions carefully, and ventilate your home during cleaning. You can also opt for cleaning without household products, such as vacuuming.
Choosing the right furniture and supplies
Many materials we use in our homes contribute to polluting our living spaces. For example, MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) or particleboard is often used in modern furniture. MDF is a wood fiberboard that offers appreciated technical qualities for construction and furniture. However, formaldehyde-based glues are used in these materials. Formaldehyde is classified, as mentioned above, by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a "known human carcinogen." Similarly, PVC, used in various interior applications such as windows and piping, emits numerous VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
This is also true for school supplies or those used in creative activities: glues, pens, notebook plastics, correctors, inks, paints...
Our advice for a healthy home? Choose solid wood furniture, opt for untreated wood, and check the VOC emission level on the label before purchasing. To choose your supplies wisely, refer to ADEME's publication "Which School Supplies for Better Indoor Air Quality?"
Can you have a healthy home with a pet? It's possible!
Allergic reactions related to pets are increasingly common and have been rising in recent years. These reactions are especially prevalent in urban homes, which are often more confined, particularly in winter when the house is closed, and the pet can soil and pollute indoor air.
Our advice for a healthy home? If you're allergic, it's important to brush and wash your pet regularly. Keep them out of your bedroom, where the presence of pollutants could affect your sleep quality. It's advisable to vacuum several times a week to remove pet hair containing allergens. You can find more information in our article dedicated to cat allergies, which alone accounts for 65% of pet allergies!
Scented candles, incense, sprays: toxic elements for your home
When you notice that your home has an unpleasant odor, such as cigarette smoke, you might be tempted to mask this discomfort with incense or a scented candle. However, this is a short-term and harmful solution for your health. Indeed, some candles and incense can contribute to indoor air pollution by emitting carcinogenic toxins (benzene, toluene, formaldehyde...). This pollution not only discolors walls and ceilings but can also contaminate your ventilation system's ducts. Sprays and aerosols also produce numerous allergens, endocrine disruptors, and many substances affecting the respiratory system. Some sanitizing sprays, even those sometimes sold in pharmacies, are classified as biocides, just like insecticide sprays. They could easily be grouped with cleaning products in the "household" section of supermarkets!
In conclusion, remember that "clean" has no smell. "Pleasant" odors only mask unpleasant ones and generally emit harmful substances for the body.
Our advice for a healthy home? When faced with bad odors, always prioritize ventilating the room instead of trying to mask them. Our article "Bad Odors in Your Home?" offers additional advice.
Humidity, the enemy of a healthy home
Humidity as the cause of mold
To live in a healthy home, the indoor air should be neither too humid nor too dry. Excessive humidity can lead to mold growth. In its first National Housing Campaign, the Observatory of Indoor Air Quality (which became OQEI in 2024), found that 37% of homes have mold issues.
Exposure to mold can cause a variety of symptoms: eye, nose, and throat irritation, coughing, increased frequency and severity of asthma attacks, as well as chronic fatigue and headaches. It's important to monitor for the appearance of green or blackish spots on the walls, floors, and ceilings of warm and humid rooms. On the other hand, air that is too dry can trigger asthma attacks in sensitive individuals and irritate the mucous membranes of the eyes. European standards indicate that the humidity level should be between 30% and 70%.
Our advice for a healthy home? Avoid overheating your rooms to maintain this recommended humidity level. The APQAI, Association for the Promotion of Indoor Air Quality, recommends a temperature between 19°C and 20°C in living rooms, and between 17°C and 18°C in bedrooms. If the air is too dry, you may consider using a humidifier.
How can you know the air quality in your home? What is the humidity level? Discover TEQOYA's "Test My Air" offer!
Humidity, the preferred environment for dust mites
Dust mites can appear when the humidity level is too high. These parasites feed on human skin, animal hair, and mold, and they particularly thrive in carpets, curtains, and bedding. By controlling humidity and maintaining a lower temperature, you can prevent their proliferation.
Our advice for a healthy home? It's best to avoid textiles in your furnishings, where dust and pollen also accumulate. If you're sensitive, it's advisable to properly clean your carpet (using baking soda, for example). Additionally, it's recommended to wash and change your sheets every week or every 15 days.
Good Ventilation Means Good Breathing
Ventilation: A Home That Breathes
Since a decree on October 20, 1969, the general and permanent ventilation of homes has become mandatory in France. A poorly ventilated home can cause problems, both for your living space and your health, leading to risks of humidity and the previously mentioned consequences: mold, bad odors, bacteria, pollutants, and other allergens...
Depending on your home, several types of ventilation exist.
- With a single-flow VMC (Controlled Mechanical Ventilation), fresh air enters the home through openings to the outside, before being expelled through exhaust vents once it has absorbed moisture. The downside of ventilation is that it lowers the indoor air temperature in winter, as the air source comes directly from outside.
- The double-flow VMC addresses this problem by crossing the incoming fresh air and the outgoing polluted air in a heat exchanger, without the two airflows mixing. This way, the fresh air is preheated before being distributed in the living areas.
For a long time, indoor air quality was overlooked in favor of energy savings. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns have evolved, and building codes have been modified to better incorporate innovative systems by transforming method-based requirements into performance-based requirements. The 2020 Environmental Regulation (RE2020) also marks a turning point: now, the necessary energy efficiency must not be achieved at the expense of indoor air quality.
Our advice for a healthy home? If your home is not equipped with a VMC, you need to create or maintain sufficient airflow to renew the indoor air: ventilate your home by regularly opening windows, especially when doing renovation work or cleaning. According to the APQAI, it is recommended to ventilate for at least 15 minutes a day.
Good ventilation is crucial for removing indoor pollutants... but it also introduces outdoor pollutants! Depending on where you live, you are more or less exposed to particle pollution. For example, homes located near a busy road with heavy traffic will be much more polluted (diesel engines also pollute indoor air).
If your home's environment is polluted, your indoor air will be affected. This is why an air purifier is essential. Research the purifier that best suits your needs: silent or not? With disposable consumables like a HEPA filter, or without? What is the energy consumption? What maintenance is required? What is the environmental impact from production to recycling? TEQOYA offers a complete guide here to help you choose the right air purifier.
TEQOYA has also developed, in partnership with ALDES, an innovative solution for filtered air inlets: these allow for the removal of pollutants from fresh air as it enters your home. This solution has been implemented in the 1500 rooms of the Athletes' Village. You can find more information in our dedicated article.
A Healthy Home for You and the Planet? Consider Insulation!
Energy Savings
Properly insulating your home protects you from heat in the summer and cold in the winter, reducing your need for heating and air conditioning. Good insulation increases living comfort and also helps you save on your energy bill. According to ADEME, an increase of 1°C in your home results in a 7% increase in heating consumption. The best way to control the temperature of your home is to install a thermostat. This allows you to manage humidity levels and adjust your home's temperature based on the time of day.
How to Properly Insulate Your Home?
The choice of materials is essential when building a healthy home. Choose materials that are both durable and safe for health. If you decide to use fiberglass or rock wool, you will benefit from significant thermal resistance that meets current regulations. For environmentally friendly construction, you can opt for recycled textile panels or wood fiber. However, it is recommended to avoid polystyrene and polyurethane, as these synthetic insulating materials are a mix of various chemical compounds derived from petroleum and different types of plastic.
For even more ecological insulation: plant-based insulators such as hemp shiv (hemp flakes), flax, and wood chips are excellent in terms of CO2 storage and low gray energy due to their local production and short transport circuit. These are eco-friendly materials made in France. Animal-based insulators such as sheep's wool and duck feathers also offer excellent thermal insulation.
A Healthy... and Peaceful Home
Living in Peace
Unwanted noise in homes can be a source of stress and fatigue. Indeed, it disrupts concentration, rest, and especially sleep. If you live in a noisy area with heavy road and pedestrian traffic, where engines, horns, and sirens are common, street noise can be a daily nuisance. This is why good insulation that also takes acoustics into account is important. A healthy home is also a well-soundproofed home, providing serenity day and night.
The Influence of Light on Well-being
Productivity, mood, vitamin D production, and circadian rhythm regulation: daylight promotes well-being and concentration.
What to do when the sun hides or during long winter nights?
Artificial lighting also has great benefits for our comfort, provided some rules are followed: positioning it well to avoid shadow areas that require eye adaptation efforts, managing the intensity for a harmonious ambiance, and avoiding glare.
Attention should also be paid to the choice of colors: warm light is better for moments of relaxation, cold light improves concentration, while blue light, effective for increasing alertness, disrupts sleep.
Houseplants
In 2010, the French research program on air phyto-purification "Phytair" tested the depolluting abilities of indoor plants. Result: the presence of potted plants under normal living conditions had no formal effect on indoor air pollution. However, indoor plants can add a touch of nature and make your home more harmonious. If you acquire indoor plants, make sure they are non-allergenic. Water them regularly without letting water stagnate to avoid the proliferation of bacteria.
Feng Shui: For a Home Where Life Is Good
Houseplants can also have a significant impact on a room's Feng Shui. Feng Shui is based on the circulation of energy, the "chi." With strong energy, plants have the power to improve the energy of your home. A Feng Shui home is one where the 5 elements are well distributed, where Yin and Yang are in balance, it's a home in harmony with your living space. Feng Shui helps you improve your daily life, promote your health, and thus your well-being.
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