According to a report revealed by Centre for Community Medicine, AIIMS, nearly 2 million premature deaths occur in India due to indoor air pollution every year. Air pollution has been termed as a silent killer by many health experts as its adverse effects generally go undetected for a long time.  Women and children are the most affected group since they spend majority of the time at home.In fact, indoor air pollution is 40 times more harmful than outdoor air pollution. Besides the common respiratory illnesses and allergies, indoor air pollution also leads to the onset of a number of life-threatening diseases such aspneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Below is the graphical representation indicating the effects of indoor air pollution on health –

So, a pertinent question is what are the sources of indoor air pollution? For your understanding we have listed the following common sources of Indoor Air Pollution –

Cigarette Smoke	ETS or Environmental tobacco smoke is a formidable source of indoor air pollution. It exposes humans to severe health hazards that can lead to premature deaths.
Cooking Fumes	Cooking fumes are the primary source of moisture inside our homes. Trapped moisture leads to the development of molds which becomes a breeding ground for dangerous bacteria and viruses.
Dust	Outdoor dust and pollen that settles on the furniture and floor of the house is a very common and visible source of indoor air pollution. Dust can cause nasal irritation, wheezing and recurrent allergies.
Pet Hair	If you own a pet, you may have noticed hair settled on the floor or the dander (dead skin). Pet hair or dander can cause nasal irritation. Individuals with hypersensitive immune system are further prone to allergy and cold like symptomscaused from pet hair.
Formaldehyde	Formaldehyde is an organic chemical that is present in some household products such as plastic bags, glues, kitchen cleaning products, plywood and even cosmetics. Some side effects of the exposure to formaldehyde are –burning sensation to the eyes, skin, and nose, headache, wheezing & nausea.
Paint Smells	Those residing close to construction sites or homes in which renovation or painting is underway, paint smell can be very unpleasant. Additionally, the fumes from the paint can be harmful to human health causing dizziness and headache.
Trapped Pollutants	Trapped pollutant inside shafts, corner of the house, store room, or bathroom can be a source of very harmful bacteria, molds, dust mites & viruses that can cause skin allergies, wheezing, recurring cold and cough.

The quality of indoor health is, therefore, critical for wellness. To adequately address the problem of indoor air pollution, it is recommended to invest in a HEPA air purifier. KENT, a leading brand in the consumer appliance section, offers a range of air purifiers driven by HEPA technology. Tested by CE for air pollution, KENTHEPA air purifiers efficiently remove 99.9% of indoor air pollutants. The air purifiers effectively eliminates all the pollutants mentioned above that can lead to serious health problems.

Through its advanced HEPA technology, Kent urges every household and family to breathe pure and pristine health.

What is HEPA air purifier technology & how does it work?

HEPA stands for High-efficiency Particulate Arrestor, which is an advanced dust collection Japanese technology. HEPA filterscan efficiently remove pollutants that are less than 0.3 microns in size and PM 2.5 Particulates. The air purifiers use 3 different filters that help in eliminating large dust particles, odour and de-odorizes the indoor air.

Stage 1 – As the first line of defense, KENT air purifier use a Pre-filter which removes all types of visible dust particles including large dust particles, debris, cobwebs, pet hair, and dander.

Stage 2 – During the second stage, the activated carbon filters remove foul smell, benzene, formaldehyde, TVOC as well as cigarette fumes from the room.

Stage3 – During the third filter, the anti-bacterial HEPA filters trap and remove various carcinogenic particles and minute pollutants such as pollen, bacteria, allergens, cigarette residual.

Stage 4: During the 4^th stage, the ionizers disperse electrically charged ions which attract particles from the air. By removing these particles, the ionizers improve the air quality and reduce the amount of particulates.

Conclusion

Breathing clean and pollution-free air is the basic metric of quality living. Long-term exposure to poor quality air put you at the risk of developing diseases that could be easily prevented. To be down with cold, flu and asthmatic attack, takes away some productive hours from your life.  Children and elderly in particular have weak immune systems. For their overall wellness, they must have a healthy and livable environment.

Thankfully with advanced technology and research consumers have become aware of the risks of indoor air pollution and are encouraged to take adequate action against it.

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