How Important is Indoor Air Quality?

After years of the pandemic and increasingly high levels of pollution caused from bushfires, the need for cleaner air has never been greater. So, are we doing enough to ensure the air we breathe is as clean as it can be?

The importance of indoor air quality on our health and wellbeing cannot be underestimated. And yet, despite how much time we spend indoors in our homes, it is something that is often overlooked. While most of us know that indoor air quality is important for our optimum health, many of us don’t do anything to actively manage the air quality in our homes.

Before the pandemic, poor indoor air quality cost Australia more than $12 billion a year as a result of health implications and lost productivity¹.

Poor air quality can result from poor ventilation, too much humidity and pollutants from outside getting in, or being released from indoor items and activities such as soft furnishings, paint, pets and dust along with cooking and cleaning.

The more obvious health effects are asthma and allergy symptoms such as irritated eyes, nose and throat. Visible mould and dust in a home can be a give-away sign that the air quality inside is less than optimum. It’s important to remember that long-time exposure to poor indoor air quality can have serious detrimental health implications that are not quite so obvious –including respiratory disease, heart disease, cognitive deficits, and even some cancers can result from long term exposure to bad air quality.

Research suggests Australians want better indoor air quality

In 2022 Daikin conducted research which concluded that 52% of Australians had experienced symptoms of poor air quality such as headaches, poor sleep, allergies and asthma. The ‘Understanding indoor air quality in Australian homes’ research2 surveyed over 2,000 Australians in 2022 and the findings revealed that 84% of respondents hold some level of concern about indoor air quality, with a desire to better understand and manage and the air quality in their home to keep their families healthy.

The good news is, thanks to modern air purifier technology, there are some simple, set-and-forget solutions available to manage the air quality in Australian homes. Good indoor air quality reduces the transmission of viruses like colds, flu and covid as well as exposure to pollutants such as bushfire smoke, allergy-causing moulds, fine particles, dust, pollen and bacteria.

Using technology to improve the indoor air quality in your home

Daikin Australia have developed a range of products that specifically improve indoor air quality. The Streamer Technology found in many of Daikin’s split-system air conditioners, is an active air purification system that improves indoor air quality. It works by using charged air particles to destroy pollutants like pollen, mould and other allergens such as dust mites and viruses from the air.

Key to making the most of this air purification technology, is knowing how to effectively use your air conditioner. According to Daikin’s research², just one in ten Australians use their air conditioner daily to maintain a consistent temperature in the home and only 14 per cent use the dry and fan settings. Knowing how to use your system to maximise your comfort and health is important. Here are a few tips;

1. If the humidity is over 70 per cent, use the dry setting to remove moisture from the air, help stop mould from forming and kill dust mites and other allergens.


2. Rather than switching it on and off in short bursts, try to keep your unit on for longer periods, with a consistent temperature setting. On average the best temperature setting in summer is 23-24 degrees to stay comfortable and maximise your energy savings.


3. Ensure your home is well insulated to keep cool in summer and keep the warmth in during the cooler months. Use curtains, window and door seals to stop drafts from causing temperature fluctuations and losing the air-conditioned air.


4. Choose a reverse-cycle system that offers built in air purification to remove moulds, pollens, bacteria and viruses from the air.


5. The National Asthma Council Australia created the Sensitive Choice program to help people identify products and services that are asthma and allergy aware and have been reviewed and approved by an independent expert panel.
   
   All Daikin systems with Streamer Technology carry the National Asthma Council Australia’s Sensitive Choice blue butterfly symbol, including air purifiers, Alira X and Zena. In lab testing, Daikin’s Streamer Technology was found to destroy 99.9 per cent of mould and allergens in 24 hours, and 99.6 per cent of pollen in just two hours³.
   
   Daikin’s Streamer Technology is an active air purification system that improves indoor air quality. It works by using charged air particles to destroy pollutants like pollen, mould and other allergens such as dust mites from the air.


6. In humid environments, Daikin have a range of products that have technology specifically designed to combat humidity and keep it under control. Alira X and XL Premium air conditioners have a mould proof operation feature, which after switching off, keeps the indoor unit fan running to dry up internal surfaces, preventing mould growth.
   
   Breathe easy and enjoy fresh, clean air inside your home. If you haven’t already, consider investing in a high-quality air conditioner with air purification technology, or one of Daikin’s range of air purifiers, for the sake of better health for you and your family.

1. NSW Govt, Sick Building Report, April 2001 https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/ladocs/inquiries/2181/5207%20Sick%20Building%20Syndrome%20Report.pdf
2. The Daikin Australia ‘Understanding indoor air quality in Australian homes’ research questionnaire was fielded by Pure Profile in May 2022 to a nationally representative sample of more than 2,000 Australians aged 18+.
3. Verified at Japan Food Research Laboratories using antibacterial test/mould elimination test (test number: 204041635-001).