When a woman is pregnant, especially with her first child, she is very likely to do her best to educate herself about the health and safety of her new baby and that includes taking care of herself during pregnancy. She will read books and get advice about what to eat and what not to eat. She might stop smoking or stop drinking alcohol, she might increase her fruits and vegetables. But what about the air they breathe in their own home?
Common outdoor air pollutants, according to the American Lung Association, are ozone, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide. In addition to common outdoor air pollutants there are toxic air pollutants such as burning fuels, vehicle exhaust, building emissions and other sources. With all of those outdoor air pollutants, it’s a good thing people spend 90% of their time indoors. But when you are indoors, are those outdoor air pollutants still in your air? Are you still breathing toxic chemicals in your home? If so, this can be especially harmful to pregnant women.
Humidifiers and air purifiers can help improve indoor air quality, but if the source of your air, your HVAC system, isn’t clean, those additional measures won’t do much good. An informed decision with help from an expert on the heating and cooling components you use can affect your air quality. There are several options to consider. Your home might require a furnace-air conditioner combination to heat and cool your home. Because heat pumps don’t use combustion, there is no risk of carbon monoxide filling the air of your home, so a heat pump is also a viable option for moderate climates, like Louisville.
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