Home detox: inspired by Grand Designs? Here's how to improve the air quality in your home on a budget

When we think of air pollution, we tend to picture smoggy, over-populated cities full of traffic fumes or ugly power stations pumping nasty gases into the sky.

It may come as a surprise, then, that the air in our homes is, on average, five times more polluted than outdoor air.

People with allergies may immediately feel the effects of poor air quality – fatigue, dizziness, headaches and respiratory problems – but many others will suffer longer-term effects that are difficult to quantify.

In 2016, a report by the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health claimed that air pollution in the UK – both indoors and out – is contributing to over 40,000 deaths a year.

DESIGN INSPIRATION

In this week's episode of Grand Designs, Born and Elinor Barikor, the determined parents of two young sons with life-threatening allergies to everything from dust and pollen to the chemicals in cleaning products, build a ‘healthy house’ from low-toxin materials to try and improve their lives.

They spend £560,000, excluding the £765,000 purchase of the plot, with the mechanical air filtration system alone costing an eye-watering £10,000. But after six months in their new home, Pascal, 5, and Avery, 7, have had “only one or two” asthma attacks, as opposed to a minimum of one a fortnight.

The University of York has lent them a monitor that proves their property has 70 per cent higher air quality than the average new-build, thanks to the effort they put in to minimise the use of products that ‘off-gas’ – slowly emit harmful chemicals known as VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that end up in our lungs.

It's an eye-opening hour of TV sure to wake any viewer up to the dangers they didn’t know were lurking in their own homes. But what if your budget doesn't extend to well over a million pounds?

HEARING FROM THE DOCTORS

This year's Indoor Air Quality Report found the average person spends 90 per cent of their time indoors.

We got in touch with a range of doctors and allergy experts to ask for their top tips on improving your health indoors without breaking the bank or spending all your precious time vacuuming.

Dr Andy Whittamore, clinical lead at asthma charity Asthma UK, advises using solid or liquid cleaning products instead of sprays, avoiding scented products and keeping rooms well-ventilated when cleaning or decorating.

"Some paints contain chemicals that can trigger asthma attacks, so it’s best to get ones which are low in VOCs or low-odour, water-based gloss paints," he says.

"New carpets or furniture can also contain these chemicals, so ask the shop to unroll carpets and air them before they are delivered or consider buying second-hand furniture. Products stop giving off formaldehyde – a chemical linked to cancer – after a few years."

Allergy charity Allergy UK reports a rise in the number of helpline calls from people whose allergy symptoms suggest that household mould and dust mites are to blame.

"Poor ventilation, humidity and inefficient air exchange are major contributors to both, which can have a significant negative impact on the health of adults and children in their own homes," says Carla Jones, chief executive officer.

"While energy efficiency remains a priority for the building industry, the issue of indoor air quality and its impact on human health needs to be more widely recognised and addressed."

FIGHT DAMP

Excessive moisture not only allows dust mites and mould to thrive, but aids bacterial growth and can affect the survival of viruses.

Shutting the bathroom door when showering, changing your shower curtain regularly, wiping down wet surfaces, turning on the extractor fan and covering your pans when cooking are all easy, free ways to keep your home dry.

Sleeping with the windows open will keep your interiors smelling fresh and prevent condensation from building up, but for rooms prone to damp – perhaps with an outer wall or single-glazing – you may want to invest in a dehumidifier. These vary in price but a highly-rated 10-litre model is currently available at Argos for a reasonable £84.99.

SWAP CARPET FOR CONCRETE

Carpets are a hotbed for dirt, dust mites, pet hair, fungus and other potentially harmful particles that can aggravate the airways. Swap yours for wooden flooring, or polished concrete as seen in Born and Elinor's sleek and stylish home, which will be much easier to keep clean. You can always warm a cold floor up with woven or knotted rugs free from toxin-emitting glues.

CHANGE THOSE SHEETS

Wash bedding regularly – aim for weekly – and use hypoallergenic bedding made from fibres such as wool or silk which are inhospitable to dust mites. Allergy UK pointed us to a helpful list of brands they endorse online.

CHOOSE CHEMICAL-FREE PAINT

Most paints on the market contain VOCs – they’re responsible for the 'fresh paint smell' we all know so well. That nausea-inducing smell may fade fairly quickly, but the toxins are emitted for years after you've finished decorating.

To lower the health impacts of a lick of new paint, look for eco-friendly brands who care about what goes into their cans and want the best for your health and that of the environment.

Independent paint brand Little Greene explains on its website that water-based paints generally contain lower levels of VOCs than traditional, oil-based paints. Their water-based range contains less than 0.1 per cent harmful solvents – three times better than the industry’s lowest eco rating.

GREEN CLEANING

Some household cleaners can release formaldehyde when they come into contact with the air, so consider swapping mainstream varieties for more environmentally-friendly, plant-based cleaning products, the best of which effectively kill germs.

Gases can leak even from closed containers, so throw away any unused or little-used toxic products safely and ideally buy them in quantities you will use up quickly.

COSY BUT CARCINOGENIC

Wood-burning stoves may be a popular way of cosying up a contemporary living space, but their contribution to air pollution is such that London Mayor Sadiq Khan is proposing banning them in the most polluted parts of the capital, warns Jayson Branch, creative director at cast-iron radiator company Castrads.

Older models, in particular, emit smoke that can damage lung tissue and lead to serious respiratory problems when breathed in high concentrations.

Instead, why not make a striking statement with an ornate or industrial-style cast iron radiator, or an electric stove that looks the part, without the health risks?

BURN NATURAL CANDLES

Stop using paraffin wax candles, which give off the toxic carcinogens benzene and toluene when burned. Instead, opt for candles made from natural waxes such as soy, rapeseed, plant and beeswax. Ideally, choose candles that do not contain synthetic fragrance or dye, either.

There are many lovely options on the market – some of our favourite brands including M&J London, 100 Acres and Neom.

BRING THE OUTDOORS IN

Houseplants create a healthier living environment by helping to neutralise harmful toxins found in household products and decorating materials, and will inject a shot a vibrant green into your interiors.

NASA's Clear Air Study, conducted in 1989 but widely regarded as the most comprehensive to date, found the top air-purifying houseplants to include Weeping Fig, Devil's Ivy, Flamingo Lily, snake plants, bamboo palm, spider plants, peace lilies and ferns.

If you’re short of surface space, try hanging plants from the ceiling or turning a bare wall into a living wall. Fill empty upper shelves with trailing plants such as ivy, spider plants and ferns to create a piece of living art in your home.