If you’re questioning whether your Genoa house has unhealthy indoor air quality (IAQ), it probably does.

We are indoors a lot. As a matter of fact, we’re inside 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 contaminated than outdoors, which could create long-term health problems.

Most Common Causes of Bad IAQ

We’ve compiled a list of the most frequent sources of bad IAQ, the issues they cause and how you can fix these indoor air pollutants. If you’re worried about the air inside your house, we suggest talking with a specialist like Assured Appliance & Heating & Air about which products are best for your home.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are vapors released by regular household products.

They’re found in paint and stains as well as:

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

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

Always use the manufacturer’s instructions when applying paint or spraying cleaning products. Unlatching a window can help vapors disappear faster.

Air purification systems can also better your air. This unit partners with your heating and cooling system to clean indoor air. When seeking one, ensure it’s specifically designed to eliminate 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 unit. While you can vacuum more regularly and buy an improved air filter, an air filtration system could be a better solution.

This solution hooks to your HVAC equipment to give mighty filtration. Some models provide hospital-level filtration for removing particles and bioaerosols.

Persistent Odors

Modern houses are closely sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy bill, it’s not ideal for your IAQ.

Musty odors can hang around for a greater amount of time as your house is pulling in a smaller amount of fresh air. As keeping your windows open all year-round isn’t a possibility, here are two ways you can make your indoor air smell fresher.

An air purification system is installed in your HVAC system to eliminate odors before they are redistributed. Find one with a carbon filter and the power to wipe out damaging VOCs. These systems can also help keep your household healthy by eliminating most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

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

Unbalanced Humidity

It’s important your home’s humidity stays even. Air that’s too moist can cause mold, while dry air can lead to respiratory symptoms.

Our specialists suggest 40–50% for ideal comfort. To keep yours in balance, think over getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your heating and cooling equipment.

Instead of having to drag a humidifier from room to room, this solution delivers balanced humidity throughout your house.

Carbon Monoxide

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

It causes an extreme health risk. In low levels, it can lead to flu-like sickness like headaches and nausea. It may be lethal in big levels.

We recommend yearly furnace maintenance to ensure your equipment is operating smoothly. This job allows our professionals to spot troubles before they start, including malfunctions that can cause carbon monoxide leaks.

The best method to keep your house free of carbon monoxide is to install detectors. These alarms need to be on all floors by bedrooms and living rooms.

Improve Your Home’s Air Quality with the Assured Appliance & Heating & Air Experts

Aware that your house has poor air quality but not sure how to make it better? Or unsure which product is ideal for you? Give our approachable HVAC experts a call at +1 847-293-0047 or contact us online today. With free estimates and expert support, we’ll help you find the best equipment for your family and budget.