Top 10 Facts About Indoor Air Particles

It is important to understand airborne particles since they can make up a majority of indoor pollutants found in the home (i.e. mold, bacteria, dust mites, pesticides, insect parts, pollen, etc). Indoor air pollution is the most common cause of all types of allergies in the home environment.

Indoor pollution is commonly related to air pollutants . . .

1. Particles are commonly measured in microns, a metric unit of measure. There are 25,400 microns in one inch.

2. Visible particles constitute as little as 1% of indoor air!

3. The average home collects about 2 pounds of dust per week!

4. Particle visibility depends on the eye itself. In other words, light intensity and quality, background and particle type.

5. Particles on furniture and those in a shaft of light are approximately 50 microns or larger.

6. It may be possible to see particles as small as 10 microns under favorable conditions.

7. The most harmful particles are 3 microns or less in size.

8. Particles of 1 micron or less adhere to surfaces by molecular adhesion. Scrubbing is generally the only way to remove them.

9. Approximately 98-99% of all particles by count are in the size range of 5 microns or less. These particles tend to remain in suspension or settle out so slowly that only quality air cleaners such as HEPA air cleaners are effective in removing these particles.

10. The average person breathes in about 16,000 quarts of air per day. Each quart contains some 70,000 visible and invisible particles. That's over a billion particles per day that our bodies may have to process!

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