Often overlooked, the quality of air we breathe in our living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, and others have a big impact on our raspatory systems. Contaminants in the air around us can lead to sickness and poor well being. Running your AC is not always enough, as the quality of air in the ducts can degrade over time. There are a lot of different ways your vents and air can be polluted from dust, to pet hair, to bugs, to mold. The ultimate question is how harmful does it get? We will take a deeper look at the how hurtful it can be to neglect your air quality. Obviously it varies upon someone’s tolerance and immune system, but we like to always prepare for the worst. Whether it is at home, work, or the gym, what we breathe is large factor in our well being.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
Indoor air quality refers to air quality within and around buildings and structures. Pretty self explanatory, and also how it relates to the health & comfort of the occupants. As mentioned before, there are multiple factors that can have an impact on IAQ. Dust, pollen, mold, spores, bacteria, etc. can all naturally build up in your vents without you knowing. Consequently it leads to higher possibility of health issues such as sickness for the residents. Quality of air is naturally a priority for offices, but homeowners often don’t give it the attention it needs.
Ways Your Indoor Air Can Go Bad
Now let’s take a further look at some other external factors that have an impact on IAQ:
- Cleaning Products – A lot of household cleaning products contain chemicals that are harmful to the air around us.
- Humidity & Ventilation – High humidity increases the possibility of mold and mites, while poor ventilation can pollutant levels. Bad ventilation can ultimately keep fresh outdoor air from entering living spaces.
- Furnishing & Building Materials – Asbestos, formaldehyde, and lead particles can release pollutants within the air.
- Heating & Cooking Equipment – Carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide can arise from burning fuel within the home.
As part of our every day lives these are commonly overlooked, but play a large factor. It is important we are aware of the simplest things that can lead to bad environments.
Improving Indoor Air Quality
- Ventilation – Opening windows and doors, as well as using exhaust fans help greatly. This allows outdoor air to enter the home, as it is usually much cleaner than circulated indoor air.
- Regular Cleaning – Clean carpets, bedding and furniture regularly. Make sure to clean up and pet hairs and debris along the way.
- Control Humidity – Air conditioners and humidifiers are great tools to keep your humidity around 30-50%. This reduces possibility dust mites and mold from forming, keeping your air quality levels higher.
- Air Purifiers – Extremely useful for doing the work we can’t which is capturing particles within air space around the home. They are consider ultra efficient and effective.
Final Thoughts
They say that over 50% of illnesses come from poorly managed indoor air. A lot of it comes from unaware homeowners that don’t understand the importance of managing your living space. However, there are many solutions and specialists that can assist in getting homes taken care of. Trained professionals such as Omni Air can diagnose, and provide cost effective solutions to get you on the right path. As we move into summer, and AC units are constantly on, it’s something to be very cognizant of. Knowing what we’ve shared with you today, it should show how many different things can cause issues at home. Reach out to us today, and we will get you squared away for the future.