The Best Air Purifiers To Clean The Air Inside Your Home - BuzzFeed

Joyce Baker, a respiratory therapist and member of the American Association for Respiratory Care, said anyone can be at risk for poor air quality — not just people in larger cities like the one I live in.

"Common sources of poor indoor air quality are smoking/vaping, mold, leaks or standing water, and fuel-burning appliances, particularly if they are not properly vented," she said, adding that household items like paints, pesticides, and certain chemicals can also contribute.

"Poor indoor air quality can be two to five times more polluted than outdoors because of the lack of fresh air, circulation, and ventilation," Baker said, citing an assessment from the Environmental Protection Agency.

The potential risks associated with lower air quality can range from breathing difficulties to a reduced ability to fight off respiratory infections, said Zara M. Patel, the director of endoscopic skull base surgery and an associate professor of otolaryngology at Stanford University.

"Exposure to lower air quality over a long period of time has been shown to play a role in the development of multiple upper and lower airway disease states, including chronic sinusitis and asthma," Patel said. But shorter periods of exposure can pose risks as well, she said, such as "inflammation, mucus production, and swelling of the tissues of the nose, the sinuses, and the bronchi."