If you’re unsure whether your West Jefferson house has unhealthy indoor air quality (IAQ), it possibly does.

We are indoors a lot. In reality, we’re inside up to 90% of the time, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And the air inside homes could be 2–5 times worse than outdoors, which could create long-term health concerns.

Most Common Causes of Bad IAQ

We’ve put together a list of the most frequent causes of inferior IAQ, the troubles they make and how you can remedy these indoor air pollutants. If you’re concerned about the air inside your residence, we recommend chatting with a pro like West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc. about which options are best for your house.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are vapors emitted from regular household products.

They’re found in paint and stains as well as:

  • Furniture
  • Carpet
  • Building materials
  • Cleaning products
  • Cosmetics
  • Air fresheners
  • Candles

When these vapors accumulate in your home, they may irritate your eyes, nose and throat. They might also result in headaches and nausea. Regardless of whether your house is in a rural or industrial location, an EPA study found indoor levels of these chemicals can be 2–5 times higher than the air outdoors.

Always adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions when applying paint or spraying cleaning products. Cracking a window can help chemicals disperse faster.

Air purification systems can also better your air. This system partners with your heating and cooling unit to clean indoor air. When hunting for a system, ensure it’s specifically created to eradicate VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can trigger health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continually gets recirculated by your house’s comfort system. While you can vacuum more routinely and install an improved air filter, an air filtration system could be a better solution.

This equipment hooks to your heating and cooling equipment to deliver strong filtration. Some types provide hospital-level filtration for eliminating particles and bioaerosols.

Persistent Odors

Newer houses are closely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your heating and cooling costs, it’s not so good for your IAQ.

Stuffy odors can stick around for a greater amount of time because your residence is pulling in a smaller amount of fresh air. As keeping your windows open throughout the year isn’t doable, here are two ways you can make your indoor air smell fresher.

An air purification system is put in your HVAC system to neutralize odors before they recirculate. Find one with a carbon filter and the power to eliminate harmful VOCs. These systems can also help keep your loved ones healthy by eliminating most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system takes out stuffy indoor air and exchanges it with fresh outdoor air. There are two types of systems (heat recovery and energy recovery), so check with our professionals for more information on which type is right for your house.

Unsteady Humidity

It’s important your residence’s humidity remains even. Air that’s too moist can lead to mold, while dry air can cause respiratory symptoms.

Our professionals suggest 40–50% for the best comfort. To keep yours steady, think about getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your heating and cooling system.

In place of having to pull a humidifier from room to room, this product delivers even humidity throughout your house.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is colorless gas you can’t smell. It’s a byproduct of insufficient combustion in fuel-burning appliances, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.

It produces an extreme health risk. In small levels, it can cause flu-like sickness like headaches and nausea. It can be lethal in large amounts.

We advise yearly furnace maintenance to ensure your system is operating properly. This service allows our pros to discover problems before they get bigger, including malfunctions that can lead to carbon monoxide leaks.

The best approach to keep your house free of carbon monoxide is to get detectors. These alarms should be on each floor near bedrooms and living areas.

Better Your Home’s Air Quality with the West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc. Professionals

Informed that your residence has poor air quality but not sure how to make it better? Or unsure which option is best for you? Give our kind HVAC experts a call at 614-879-9091 or contact us online today. With free estimates and professional assistance, we’ll help you choose the best solution for your needs and budget.