When you think of a home, you probably don’t imagine it as a place where people get sick. But according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in four homes has some form of indoor air quality (IAQ) issue. These issues can be caused by a variety of sources, including mold, pests, household chemicals, and poor ventilation. An unhealthy home can impact your health and the economy in many ways, including increased healthcare costs, lower home value and decreased productivity at work. Here are some ways that an unhealthy home can have an impact on your personal finances and the national economy as a whole.

Healthcare Costs

Poor indoor air quality can be the result of a number of health issues, including allergies, asthma, and other respiratory problems. According to the CDC, poor IAQ can trigger symptoms like headaches, eye irritation, and fatigue. It can also lead to missed work days and more doctor appointments, which can drive up healthcare costs. The cost of healthcare in the U.S. is currently $1.1 trillion per year, and poor IAQ can drive up these costs by about $100 billion annually.The cost of healthcare is expected to rise even more in the coming years, which means that poor IAQ will likely have a bigger impact on healthcare costs in the coming years as well.

Home Value

The value of your home is determined by a variety of factors, including the cost to build it, the location, and the condition. If your home has poor IAQ, it could lower its value. If you were planning on selling your home, poor IAQ could make it harder to find a buyer, and you might end up taking a loss on the sale.The value of your home is important to consider when making major financial decisions, like buying a car or financing a degree. If your home’s value is lower than you’d like, poor IAQ could be one of the reasons why. If you’re thinking of buying a home, you can use an IAQ test to determine whether or not your prospective home has good IAQ.

Productivity at Work

Poor IAQ can also affect productivity at work. If you work in an office, you’re exposed to many sources of indoor air pollution, including chemicals from cleaning products, dust, and mold. When your IAQ is poor, you could experience headaches, fatigue, and other negative health effects. Working in an unhealthy environment can lead to lower productivity, which could lead to lower wages, or even a reduction in hours worked.If you work from home, poor IAQ can also affect your productivity. If you work in a space that doesn’t have good IAQ, you could experience headaches, fatigue, and other negative health effects. Working in an unhealthy environment can lead to lower productivity, which could lead to lower wages, or even a reduction in hours worked.

Conclusion

No matter what industry you work in, an unhealthy home can have a negative impact on productivity and healthcare costs. Additionally, an unhealthy home can lower its value, making it harder to sell and making it harder to finance a home or other major purchase.While poor IAQ can be caused by a variety of factors, there are some steps you can take to improve the quality of your indoor air. By cleaning your house regularly and using the right cleaning products, you can improve the quality of your indoor air and lower your healthcare costs.If you’re thinking about buying a home, you can also take steps to ensure that the home has good IAQ. You can use an IAQ test to determine whether or not your prospective home has good IAQ.

Frequently Asked Question

Air and water quality are among the most important aspects of a healthy environment. Air and water are two basic needs of any living thing on the planet. Pollution will affect the ecosystem putting at risk the biodiversity. Just like in any home, the very basic need of each occupant is clean water and breathable air. For most urban and suburban areas, it is important to keep these maintained and checked regularly to ensure the quality and safety of every member of the family.

Make sure to remove dust and dirt through vacuuming and wet-mopping, especially in the morning. Check the vents and air conditioning to ensure the air quality. Check for moist places where molds tend to grow. Let the natural light in and open up windows in the morning to decrease the humidity inside the house.

Our homes are connected with our physical and mental well-being. A safe, clean, and hazard-free home, creates a sense of stability and security for every family member. If left unclean, it plays a huge factor contributing to diseases and accidents, especially to co-morbid members and children.