Yellowknife (Sep 05/03) - Winter is coming and over-insulating your home could mean health problems for some.

"If people are sealing indoor air matter inside and it is not getting diluted, you are at risk," warned Dr. Kami Kandola.

Jacquelin Lambert, part owner of Commercial Carpet and Ceiling Cleaning Ltd., displays some of the useful tools required for a proper cleaning. - Colleen Moore/NNSL photo

He explained that when we breathe, we have a natural cleaning system in our nose, sinuses and trachea. Normally, this only filters a small amount of indoor air pollutants and the rest is absorbed into the lungs.

"This can trigger health reactions like irritated eyes and throat, shortness of breath, sinus congestion and asthma," said Kandola.

Co-owner of Commercial Carpet and Ceiling Cleaning Ltd., Jacquelin Lambert, explained the importance of keeping the filter maintained.

"As soon as you see it is dirty, it should be cleaned or replaced," she said, adding the cost to do so is very minimal. According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, over 60 per cent of Canadian homes are heated by a "forced air" furnace, which typically uses a filter.

"It also depends on the habits going on in the house," added Lambert. Kandola agreed, explaining things like smoking, pets, not removing footwear upon entering and dust collecting on surfaces can all contribute to exposure to indoor airborne particles.

"If people have allergies, they should have it cleaned more often," said Lambert, adding homeowners no longer have to be concerned with asbestos, a type of insulator which made headlines in the past as a cause of lung cancer.

According to Mike Dunsmore with the Yellowknife Fire Department, there is always a chance that by not following manufacturers directions, an unkempt furnace filter could also pose a serious fire hazard.