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VOCs & Road Pollution: The Invisible Chemicals and Ultrafine Particles in Your Home Air

July 13, 2023
VOCs & Road Pollution: The Invisible Chemicals and Ultrafine Particles in Your Home Air

VOCs & Road Pollution: The Invisible Chemicals and Ultrafine Particles in Your Home Air

Verified Badge 5 Stars 4.9/5 by 5,523+ customers Updated Oct 8, 2025 · 3 min read

VOCs & Road Pollution: The Invisible Chemicals and Ultrafine Particles in Your Home Air

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) off-gas from paints, cleaners, furniture and fragrances—while traffic outside releases ultrafine soot and gases. Together they slip indoors, linger, and build up. Here’s how VOCs and road pollution affect your air—and the smart ways to reduce them.

Traffic emissions and city smog entering homes
1 Invisible, Everywhere

VOCs and Ultrafine Road Particles Drift Indoors

VOCs are gases released from household products and building materials; road pollution adds ultrafine particles (PM0.1) and nitrogen oxides. They infiltrate through windows, gaps, and ventilation—often reaching higher indoor concentrations than outside, especially near busy roads.

Indoor sources of VOCs like paints, cleaners and fragrances
2 Where They Come From

Off-gassing Indoors, Infiltration from the Street

Common indoor sources include fresh paint, new furniture, flooring, cleaning sprays, air fresheners and cooking. Outdoors, vehicles, diesel exhaust and brake/tire wear generate soot and metals that piggyback on air currents into your home.

  • Fresh renovations, pressed-wood furniture, adhesives
  • Fragrances, candles, aerosol sprays
  • Traffic corridors, garages, shared car parks
Health effects from VOCs and road pollution
3 Health Impact

Why VOCs & Traffic Soot Matter

Short-term exposure can cause headaches, throat and eye irritation, and fatigue. Longer exposure may aggravate asthma and allergies, reduce sleep quality and, for sensitive groups, worsen cardiovascular and respiratory health. Ultrafines penetrate deep in the lungs; some VOCs can form secondary pollutants indoors.

Indoor accumulation of gases and particles
4 Why They Build Up

Still Air + Warmth = Accumulation

VOCs off-gas faster in warm rooms and can linger without ventilation. Traffic particles enter during peak hours and settle on surfaces, resuspending when you move. Cooking, cleaning and closed windows amplify the build-up.

AirRepair ESP plus activated carbon working together
5 How AirRepair Breaks the Cycle

ESP for Ultrafines, Activated Carbon for VOCs

AirRepair’s electrostatic (ESP) collector captures ultrafine traffic particles and soot down to 0.01 microns while maintaining strong airflow. Pair it with our high-grade activated carbon module to adsorb VOCs and odours from paint, cleaners and road fumes. Wash the ESP plates to restore like-new performance—no costly HEPA replacements.

Independent testing and standards
6 Independently Tested

Validated for Particle Removal and VOC Reduction

All AirRepair purifiers are tested by accredited third-party laboratories under international standards for clean air performance. Results demonstrate high removal of fine and ultrafine particles; models with activated carbon are validated to reduce key VOCs under test conditions.

Cut VOCs. Trap Traffic Soot.

Combine washable ESP with activated carbon to tackle both particles and gases—so your home air stays genuinely clean.

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