If you’re questioning whether your Middletown home has poor indoor air quality (IAQ), it possibly does.
We spend a lot of time inside. In reality, we’re inside up to 90% of the time, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And the air inside houses could be 2–5 times more polluted than outdoors, which can lead to long-term health issues.
Most Common Causes of Unsatisfactory IAQ
We’ve compiled a list of the most frequent sources of bad IAQ, the issues they create and how you can remedy these indoor air pollutants. If you’re concerned about the air inside your house, we advise consulting with a expert like SchagrinGAS Company about which options are ideal for your home.
Volatile Organic Compounds
Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are vapors emitted from regular household items.
They’re found in paint and stains along with:
- Furniture
- Carpet
- Building materials
- Cleaning products
- Cosmetics
- Air fresheners
- Candles
When these vapors collect inside, they might irritate your eyes, nose and throat. They may also result in headaches and nausea. Regardless of whether your home is in a rural or industrial location, an EPA study found indoor levels of these fumes can be 2–5 times worse than the air outside your home.
Always adhere to the manufacturer’s directions when painting or cleaning. Cracking a window can help vapors dissipate more quickly.
Air purification systems can also better your air. This equipment partners with your heating and cooling system to clean indoor air. When hunting for one, make sure it’s specifically made to eliminate VOCs.
Dust and Pet Dander
Dust and pet dander can irritate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continuously gets redistributed by your residence’s heating and cooling unit. While you can vacuum more regularly and buy an improved air filter, an air filtration system might be a better match.
This solution hooks to your comfort unit to give powerful filtration. Some kinds provide hospital-grade filtration for removing particles and bioaerosols.
Persistent Odors
Modern residences are securely sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is great for your energy expenses, it’s not very good for your IAQ.
Stuffy odors can hang around for an extended amount of time as your residence is pulling in less fresh air. Since keeping your windows open all the time isn’t a possibility, here are two methods you can make your indoor air smell better.
An air purification system is put in your ductwork to wipe out odors before they recirculate. Look for one with a carbon filter and the capability to break down damaging VOCs. This equipment can also help keep your family healthy by wiping out most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.
A ventilation system removes musty indoor air and substitutes it with crisp outdoor air. There are two kinds of equipment (heat recovery and energy recovery), so check with our specialists for more details on which type is best for your house.
Unsteady Humidity
It’s critical your house’s humidity keeps even. Air that’s too moist can cause mold, while dry air can lead to respiratory troubles.
Our specialists advise 40–50% for ideal comfort. To keep yours in balance, think over installing a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your HVAC equipment.
In place of having to pull a humidifier from room to room, this product delivers balanced humidity around your home.
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is colorless gas you can’t smell. It’s caused by incomplete combustion in fuel-burning equipment, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.
It presents an extreme health risk. In small amounts, it can lead to flu-like sickness like headaches and nausea. It can be deadly in heavy levels.
We advise yearly furnace maintenance to make sure your unit is working properly. This service allows our professionals to find issues before they get bigger, including malfunctions that can cause carbon monoxide leaks.
The best method to keep your home free of carbon monoxide is to get detectors. These alarms must be on all floors close to bedrooms and living spaces.
Better Your Residence’s Air Quality with the SchagrinGAS Company Specialists
Aware that your house has bad air quality but not sure how to make it better? Or unsure which option is a good fit for you? Give our kind HVAC professionals a call at 302-231-1380 or contact us online today. With free estimates and expert assistance, we’ll help you choose the right option for your home and budget.