If you’re uncertain whether your Columbia residence has poor indoor air quality (IAQ), it probably does.

We are indoors a lot. As a matter of fact, we’re indoors up to 90% of the time, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And the air inside residences 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 common sources of inferior IAQ, the troubles they create and how you can remedy these indoor air pollutants. If you’re worried about the air inside your residence, we recommend chatting with a expert like Watts Electric & AC about which options are ideal for your home.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are chemicals emitted from common household products.

They’re found in paint and stains along with:

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

When these chemicals accumulate indoors, they can irritate your eyes, nose and throat. They might also lead to headaches and nausea. Regardless of whether your home is in a rural or industrial area, an EPA study found indoor levels of these pollutants can be 2–5 times greater than the air outside.

Always adhere to the manufacturer’s directions when using paint or cleaning supplies. Opening a window can help odors dissipate faster.

Air purification systems can also improve your air. This system partners with your heating and cooling equipment to freshen indoor air. When hunting for a system, ensure it’s specifically made to eradicate VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can aggravate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continually gets redistributed by your house’s comfort system. While you can vacuum more routinely and buy an improved air filter, an air filtration system may be a better fit.

This solution hooks to your HVAC equipment to deliver powerful filtration. Some types have hospital-level filtration for eliminating particles and bioaerosols.

Persistent Odors

Modern houses are securely sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good for your heating and cooling bill, 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 a smaller amount of fresh air. As keeping your windows open all year-round isn’t doable, here are two approaches you can make your indoor air smell cleaner.

An air purification system is placed in your ductwork to neutralize odors before they recirculate. Search for one with a carbon filter and the ability to wipe out dangerous VOCs. These units can also help keep your family healthy by eliminating most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system takes out stuffy indoor air and substitutes it with crisp outdoor air. There are two kinds of units (heat recovery and energy recovery), so ask our professionals for more details on which solution is right for your residence.

Uneven Humidity

It’s important 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 the best comfort. To keep yours in balance, think about getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your HVAC system.

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

Carbon Monoxide

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

It creates a severe health risk. In little levels, it can create flu-like sickness like headaches and nausea. It may be deadly in large levels.

We recommend yearly furnace maintenance to ensure your equipment is running properly. This job allows our pros to pinpoint troubles before they get bigger, including malfunctions that can create carbon monoxide leaks.

The best approach to keep your residence free of carbon monoxide is to put in detectors. These alarms should be on all floors close to bedrooms and living spaces.

Improve Your Home’s Air Quality with the Watts Electric & AC Pros

Informed that your home has inferior air quality but not sure how to improve it? Or unsure which solution is right for you? Give our friendly HVAC specialists a call at 601-736-7362 or contact us online right away. With free estimates and professional assistance, we’ll help you locate the ideal solution for your family and budget.