What We’re Breathing Is Slowly Killing Us
A closer look at the risks hiding in the air inside our homes.
We filter our water. We obsess over nutrition. We worry about pesticides in our produce and microplastics in our bodies. But we don’t talk about air—not in any serious way.
And yet, nothing impacts our health more consistently or more invisibly than the air we breathe.
The Stats No One Talks About
The EPA estimates indoor air is 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air—and in some cases, over 100 times worse.
Over 50% of U.S. homes have detectable levels of mold, often hidden behind walls or in crawlspaces.
Radon gas exposure causes an estimated 21,000 deaths per year, making it the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
Microplastics have now been found in human lung tissue, with research suggesting the average person inhales the equivalent of a credit card’s worth every week.
Despite these risks, 90% of Americans have never tested their indoor air quality.
Meanwhile, the air purification market is projected to grow past $20 billion by 2030, much of it driven by devices purchased without any data about what they’re actually removing.
Most people spend nearly all of their lives indoors. And yet, very few could explain what’s in the air around them—let alone whether it’s safe.
We pay attention to what we drink. We inspect labels on our food. We argue over ingredients in cosmetics and cleaning products. But when it comes to the single thing we consume more than anything else—air—we rarely ask questions.
The Most Dangerous Thing in Your Home Is the One You Can’t See
We obsess over what we put in our mouths. We filter our water, debate microplastics, analyze where our food was grown, and post about the latest organic trend. But the very thing we consume more of than anything else—air—is the one we ignore completely.
And that ignorance is no longer harmless. It’s dangerous.
Climate change is making it worse.
Rising global temperatures and higher humidity levels are creating the perfect storm for indoor air hazards. Wetter climates, like much of Virginia, are seeing increased mold growth inside homes, as moisture seeps into walls, basements, and insulation. Mold isn’t just an eyesore—it’s a proven health hazard. Indoor mold exposure has been linked to chronic sinus infections, fatigue, respiratory distress, and cognitive symptoms like memory issues and brain fog. One long-term study even found that people living with mold had significantly higher rates of depression.
And yet—how many homes have ever been tested?
We Had a Wake-Up Call. And Then We Went Back to Sleep.
During the Canadian wildfires of 2023, smoke drifted all the way to New York City. For a few eerie days, the sky turned orange, and millions were forced to confront the quality of the air they were breathing. People wore masks again. They Googled AQI scores. They asked if it was safe to walk their dog.
And then? The wind shifted. The air cleared. And we went back to business as usual.
That’s the problem.
Air quality is invisible. And we’d rather not know.
We only pay attention to air quality when we can see it. When it smells, burns our eyes, or turns the sky orange. But the risks inside our homes—the ones we live with every day—are often more severe.
The Lingering Danger in California Homes
California has endured wildfire season after wildfire season, with smoke blanketing neighborhoods for days or weeks at a time. But while the outdoor air eventually clears, the residue inside people’s homes often goes ignored.
Ash, soot, and microscopic particulates settle into HVAC systems, ducts, furniture, insulation, and carpets. These fine particles are known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, lung inflammation, and long-term respiratory illness.
But how many of these homes were ever professionally cleaned? How many filters were changed? How many people tested their air after months of exposure?
In most cases, the answer is: they didn’t.
Because the fire was no longer visible. The smoke had passed. And like so many other environmental hazards—what we don’t see, we stop thinking about.
The Lack of a Baseline
Part of the issue is we don’t even know what “safe” means when it comes to air.
We don’t have a baseline. We don’t have a public standard. There’s no shared language for what clean air should look like, or what levels of VOCs, humidity, radon, or mold become dangerous. Most people can’t interpret an air quality report—and most homes never get one.
A False Sense of Security
We buy expensive air purifiers and forget to change the filters. We assume the sleek Dyson unit in the corner is enough. But for most people, the device is peace of mind, not prevention.
It’s symbolic, not systemic.
We wouldn’t take vitamins and then drink a gallon of soda. But that’s effectively how we’re treating the air we live in.
The Business Opportunity
At Legacy, we believe this is not just a health crisis. It’s one of the biggest life safety opportunities of our time.
That’s why we’re building a portfolio of small, essential businesses that specialize in air quality testing, mold remediation, and ongoing indoor air maintenance. We don’t just see a service—we see a movement. A way to finally bring visibility, transparency, and accountability to the air we breathe inside our homes.
Under our Legacy of Virginia team, we’re fortunate to have one of the top operators in this space on our team—a leader who has owned and scaled mold remediation and air testing companies across the state. He’s walked into family homes where children were chronically sick, only to discover black mold behind the walls. He’s shown people what they couldn’t see—and once they saw it, they couldn’t ignore it.
That’s the business opportunity.
This isn’t a one-time service. It’s a recurring one. Just like your HVAC needs routine maintenance or your roof needs annual inspection, indoor air quality deserves regular, professional attention. Especially in higher-income households where people are willing to invest in longevity, wellness, and the health of their children, we believe there’s a massive opportunity to build subscription-based services around air quality monitoring, reporting, and treatment.
But it starts with a baseline.