What Homeowners Should Know About Their Air Quality
Indoor air quality can directly influence short term and long term health. For example, if homeowners are exposed to pollutants, they may immediately experience a headache, asthma symptoms, or irritation to eyes, nose, or throat. Usually, if they leave the affected area, their symptoms should be alleviated pretty quickly.
On the other hand, long term effects can reoccur and severely impair quality of life. Usually, these long term effects come from repeated exposure, and reactions tend to be of a higher severity such as heart disease, cancer, or respiratory diseases.
In this article, experts will share helpful information on how to improve indoor air quality.
What Exactly Is Air Quality?
According to the EPA, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) “refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants” (epa.gov). This is especially important to pay attention to when living in a city or an environment with many pollutants.
However, this is a concern for all households as several everyday appliances or activities produce potential air pollutants.
Some common indoor air pollutants are:
- Fuel-burning combustion
- Tobacco products
- Building materials and furnishings such as asbestos or chemicals in new carpets or furnishings
- Household cleaners
- Excess moisture
- Outdoor sources
All things considered, it is very important to maintain healthy and pollutant-free environments indoors.
How Can Homeowners Improve Their Air Quality
One of the main sources of bad air quality indoors is poor ventilation. There are several ways to improve this by altering small things around the home. For example, keeping up to date on changing AC filters or checking the air ducts.
Household upkeep and maintenance are big contributors to air pollution. Routinely cleaning rugs and carpets can help to improve air quality. Day to day activities, such as cooking, contribute to air pollution. Make sure to use cooking vents, especially if homeowners have a gas stove.
Air Purifiers & UV Air Sanitizers
If all of the above solutions don’t work, there are a few more.
- Air purifiers work very well at removing impurities from the air. They mainly take care of pollutants such as dust, smoke, and pollen, but are not very good at removing gaseous pollutants. There are many different air purifiers on the market ranging in price, size, and efficiency.
- UV Air Sanitizers utilize UV-C light and aim to kill germs, mold, mildew, and sometimes even bacteria and viruses. A potential drawback of this purifying method is that UV-C is potentially harmful to live organisms. This is why it can kill germs, but precautions need to be taken to reduce harm.
Deciding whether an air purifier or an air sanitizer is best for your home can be done by consulting with an HVAC professional you can trust, like the ones at Carmine's Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning.
About Carmine’s Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning
Carmine’s Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning has been providing dependable plumbing and air services in Danbury, CT, and the surrounding for over 30 years. They provide the fastest service and offer 24/7 emergency service, flat-rate pricing, and an A+ BBB rating!
