Why an Energy-Efficient Residence Can Impact Air Quality and How to Enhance It
Residences today are designed with energy efficiency in mind. This includes extra insulation and tightly sealed doors and windows to keep energy costs down. While this is great for your energy costs, it’s not so fantastic for your indoor air quality.
Because air has fewer chances to escape, contaminants can build up and impact your home’s indoor air quality. In actuality, your house’s air can actually be 2–5 times more polluted than the outdoors, according to the EPA. That’s not good for anyone, but it’s especially detrimental for family members with allergies, asthma, other respiratory disorders or heart disease.
Let’s review some of these everyday pollutants and how you can enhance your house’s indoor air quality.
6 Routine Pollutants that Impact Indoor Air Quality
When you envision pollutants, you might think about smog or tobacco smoke. But lots of substances that decrease your air quality are everyday items. These things have chemicals called volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.
They entail:
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- Cleaning products, such as aerosol sprays, bleach and window cleaner.
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- Personal care products, such as hairspray, perfume and nail products.
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- Candles and air fresheners.
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- Formaldehyde, which is frequently used in plastic, foam and particleboard products.
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- Furniture, window treatments and carpet, specifically when they’re brand new.
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- Paints and stains.
Other common pollutants include:
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- Dust
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- Pet dander
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- Pollen
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- Mold
Symptoms of VOC Exposure
Some people are more affected by VOCs than others. The EPA says symptoms of VOC exposure entail:
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- Irritated eyes, nose or throat
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- Headaches
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- Dizziness
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- Fatigue
In severe cases, the EPA says VOCs can lead to respiratory and heart diseases.
4 Ways to Boost Your House’s Indoor Air Quality
It isn’t complicated to enhance your home’s air quality. Here are a couple of ideas from Harvard Medical School:
1. Clean Your Residence Often
Regularly cleaning and washing surfaces that attract allergens, like furniture, carpet and bedding, will help cut down on dust, dust mites and pet dander in your home.
2. Frequently Change Your Air Filter
This essential filter keeps your home cozy and air clean. How often you should change your air filter depends on the type of filter you use. Flat filters should be swapped monthly, while pleated filters should be swapped every three months. If you’re not sure if your filter should be changed, pull it out and tilt it to the light. Get a new one if you can’t see light through it.
If someone in your home suffers from allergies or asthma, we advise using a filter with a higher MERV rating. The bigger the number this is, the better your filter is at removing contaminants.
3. Maximize Natural Ventilation
Keep fresh air in your home by opening windows whenever the weather allows. We also advise running exhaust fans in your bathroom and kitchen frequently to eliminate pollutants and bring in more fresh air.
4. Talk with Our Indoor Air Quality Pros
From whole-home air purifiers, Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing has a resolution to help your family breathe more freely. We’ll help you find the best option during your free home comfort assessment. Reach us at 866-397-3787 to request yours today!