Is Tobacco Smoke Harming Your Home?

Secondhand smoke, or environmental smoke, is a known pollutant. We all have heard about how it can harm people and even kill, but one thing that we rarely hear about is what that smoke can do to your house.

Your air ducts are all interconnected, which means that harmful allergens and pollutants are continuously recycled in your home. In other words, every room in your house will be affected by cigarette smoke, even if only one room is smoked in.  Air ducts are the favored romping grounds for dust, dander and other debris on a normal basis, so adding cigarette smoke to that compounds the negative effects on your indoor air quality.

Is Secondhand Smoke in My Ducts?

If someone smokes in your home or you can see that yours walls are discolored by the tar in cigarettes, you can pretty much count on the fact that your ducts are contaminated by environmental smoke. Even if it has been years since you had your last cigarette, you could still be breathing in the harmful chemicals.

What Can I Do About It?

• The most obvious answer is to not smoke in your home!
• The National Air Duct Cleaners Association suggests that homeowners have their ducts cleaned once every three to five years. If you have a smoker in your home, however, more frequent cleanings will help improve the quality of your indoor air.
• Change your HVAC filters regularly. These filters help greatly reduce contaminants that circulate in your home.
• Keep your home cleaned and dusted – this includes your walls and air vents. This helps with regular allergens as well.
• Invest in air sanitizers and purifiers that are designed to eliminate odors and filter out pollutants.