If you’re unsure whether your Alice home has unhealthy indoor air quality (IAQ), it probably does.

We are indoors a lot. In reality, we’re indoors 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 could create long-term health issues.

Most Common Causes of Poor IAQ

We’ve put together a list of the most frequent sources of inferior IAQ, the problems they create and how you can take care of these indoor air pollutants. If you’re concerned about the air inside your residence, we suggest chatting with a specialist like Rescue Heating & Air about which options are a good fit for your house.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are fumes emitted from everyday household items.

They’re found in paint and stains along with:

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

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

Always adhere to the manufacturer’s guidelines when painting or cleaning. Cracking a window can help vapors disperse faster.

Air purification systems can also better your air. This system partners with your heating and cooling system to improve indoor air. When looking 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 continuously gets recirculated by your home’s comfort unit. While you can vacuum more frequently and buy an improved air filter, an air filtration system may be a better match.

This equipment hooks to your comfort equipment to deliver mighty filtration. Some kinds offer hospital-level filtration for eliminating particles and bioaerosols.

Lingering Odors

New houses are closely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is good for your heating and cooling expenses, it’s not very good for your IAQ.

Stale odors can stay around for a greater amount of time as your residence is pulling in reduced fresh air. Since keeping your windows open all the time isn’t doable, here are two ways you can make your indoor air smell cleaner.

An air purification system is put in your HVAC system to wipe out odors before they are redistributed. Search for one with a carbon filter and the capability to eliminate harmful VOCs. These units can also help keep your family healthy by getting rid of most bacteria and normal allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system pulls out stale indoor air and replaces it with clean outdoor air. There are two types of units (heat recovery and energy recovery), so check with our professionals for more info on which solution is ideal for your residence.

Unbalanced Humidity

It’s essential your home’s humidity remains even. Air that’s too humid can lead to mold, while dry air can cause respiratory symptoms.

Our technicians suggest 40–50% for ideal comfort. To keep yours in balance, think over getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your HVAC unit.

Rather than having to pull a humidifier from room to room, this equipment delivers consistent humidity around your house.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is colorless gas you can’t smell. It’s caused by insufficient combustion in fuel-burning units, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.

It creates an extreme health risk. In low levels, it can lead to flu-like ailments like headaches and nausea. It can be deadly in big amounts.

We recommend yearly furnace maintenance to ensure your equipment is running properly. This job allows our techs to discover issues before they start, including malfunctions that can lead to carbon monoxide leaks.

The best method to keep your home free of carbon monoxide is to get detectors. These alarms must be on every floor close to bedrooms and living areas.

Improve Your Home’s Air Quality with the Rescue Heating & Air Pros

Aware that your residence has poor air quality but not sure how to improve it? Or unsure which solution is a good fit for you? Give our kind HVAC professionals a call at 361-265-4371 or contact us online today. With free estimates and professional assistance, we’ll help you find the right solution for your family and budget.