Asthma is often worsened by exposure to environments where there is a lot of dust or chemicals that can irritate the lungs and cause the airways to contract in response.

There can be many different triggers for asthma including strenuous activity and as a result of illness, but common household dust can cause problems for many sufferers too.

Dan Bourke looks at the recent findings of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Healthy Homes which focused on the impact on our nation’s health and economy as a result of people living and working in unhealthy buildings.

Around 5.4 million people in the UK suffer from asthma; this means that 1 in 5 households are affected by this. Whilst we do not know for certain what the main cause of asthma is, we can identify its triggers and do what we can when someone who suffers from asthma has an attack.

It is not something you really sit down and think about but good indoor air quality is vital to a healthy home, and in some cases, a lifeline for the occupant’s wellbeing. Poor indoor air quality can lead to numerous allergies in particular, asthma and dust mite related allergies.

Believe it or not, there are up to 900 chemicals in indoor air. Not only this, but according to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air is found to be up to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air.

Changes to Part F of the Building Regulations have seen ventilation become a controlled service, focused on energy efficiency & correct installation.

You may be surprised to know that asthma effects one in 11 children in the UK. In total a whopping 5.4 million people in the UK are currently receiving treatment for asthma.