How Indoor Air Quality Affects Your Home

12/15/2017
Indoor air quality is central to the health of your family. Did you know that the air inside the average home is much more polluted than outdoor air? It is—about five times more. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has placed indoor air pollution as one of the top five environmental hazards. Mold, pollen, pet dander, radon and even formaldehyde are usually found inside homes.

Humidity is also a concern when it comes to indoor air quality. Air that is too humid or too dry can have ill effects on your health and damage your home. Let’s take a look at three of the ways All Seasons Comfort Systems Inc can help you enhance the indoor air quality in your Reeds Spring home.

A dirty HVAC system can harbor and circulate allergens throughout your indoor space. Your first line of defense is to keep your system clean and well maintained. The easiest thing you can do is assess your air filter routinely and replace it when it becomes dirty. In many households, the air filter needs to be changed every two or three months, but All Seasons Comfort Systems Inc recommends that you check them every month—especially if you have indoor air quality concerns. Annual furnace, heat pump and/or air conditioner maintenance is beneficial, too. Your technician will ensure your system is clean and not circulating dust and debris through your Reeds Spring home.

An air purifier can help improve indoor air quality and offer some relief from seasonal and indoor allergies. For the greatest allergy control, look for an option that filters out at least 95 percent of particles as small as .3 micron (a micron is one-thousandth of a millimeter). Regardless of whether allergies are an issue with any one in your home, filtering out pollutants is significant. The EPA has stated that the long-term effects of poor indoor air quality include potentially debilitating or deadly respiratory and heart diseases and cancer (https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/introduction-indoor-air-quality). A good air purifier, like the Lennox® PureAirTM, will remove 90 percent of germs and bacteria from your house—down to .01 micron.

Another way an air purifier can make your house more comfortable is by reducing household odors. While not as severe as pollutants and germs, bad odors are normally unwelcome in people’s homes. Odors from things like pets, cooking, and sports gear can cause your home to smell unclean. Cleaning your air with an air purifier is a healthier way to remove these odors than trying to conceal it. Cleaning products, air sprays and scented candles can actually pollute your indoor air more. The right air purifier will obliterate household odors, giving you clean, healthy air.

The EPA advises maintaining your indoor relative humidity between 30 and 50 percent. Air that is too dry can cause health problems like upper-respiratory issues, dry throat and nose, and itchy skin. Remember that viruses generally thrive in dry air, and dry air is known to intensify symptoms for allergy and asthma sufferers. And, chances are likely that your home’s air is too dry—the average heated home has a relative humidity between 13 and 16 percent in the winter months. That’s drier than the world’s driest deserts! So what can help?

A whole home humidifier can provide up to 50 percent more humidity than portable humidifiers. Plus, you don’t have to continuously adjust most models—just program in your desired humidity and you’re set. Proper humidity levels will not only help keep your household in good health, but they can help protect your home from damages caused by dry airlike shrinking and cracking wood. What’s even better is that humid air feels warmer, so with a whole home humidifier on board, you could program your thermostat a little lower to save on energy bills without sacrificing comfort.

These are just some of the ways All Seasons Comfort Systems Inc can help you improve your indoor air quality. Give us a call at [[phonenumber]] or book an appointment with us online to find out even more options.