How Can I Tell if My Homes Air Quality is Bad?

If you’re uncertain whether your Naples home has bad indoor air quality (IAQ), it likely does.

We are indoors a lot. In fact, we’re indoors up to 90% of the time, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And the air inside homes can be 2–5 times worse than outdoors, which might create long-term health concerns.

Most Common Causes of Poor IAQ

We’ve compiled a list of the most frequent origins of bad IAQ, the troubles they create and how you can remedy these indoor air pollutants. If you’re worried about the air inside your house, we suggest talking with a expert like Speedy Air Conditioning about which solutions are ideal for your house.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are fumes leaked by everyday household things.

They’re found in paint and stains along with:

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

When these fumes build up in your home, they can irritate your eyes, nose and throat. They might also cause headaches and nausea. Regardless of whether your residence is in a rural or industrial area, an EPA study found indoor levels of these fumes can be 2–5 times worse than the air outside.

Always use the manufacturer’s guidelines when applying paint or spraying cleaning products. Opening a window can help vapors dissipate faster.

Air purification systems can also better your air. This system collaborates with your heating and cooling equipment to enhance indoor air. When hunting for a system, ensure it’s specifically designed to eradicate VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can trigger health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continuously gets moved by your residence’s heating and cooling system. While you can vacuum more frequently and install a better air filter, an air filtration system might be a better fit.

This unit connects with your comfort unit to provide strong filtration. Some models offer hospital-grade filtration for getting rid of particles and bioaerosols.

Lasting Odors

New houses are securely sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your heating and cooling bill, it’s not ideal for your IAQ.

Stale odors can stick around for a greater amount of time because your house is pulling in reduced fresh air. As keeping your windows open throughout the year isn’t doable, here are two ways you can make your indoor air smell fresher.

An air purification system is put in your ducts to eliminate odors before they get released again. Look for one with a carbon filter and the capability to break down harmful VOCs. These units can also help keep your loved ones healthy by wiping out most bacteria and ordinary allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system removes stuffy indoor air and replaces it with crisp outdoor air. There are two kinds of equipment (heat recovery and energy recovery), so call our techs for more information on which solution is best for your home.

Unsteady Humidity

It’s essential your residence’s humidity keeps even. Air that’s too humid can cause mold, while dry air can create respiratory symptoms.

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

Instead of having to drag a humidifier from room to room, this product gives consistent humidity around your house.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is gas you can’t see or smell. It’s a byproduct of unfinished combustion in fuel-burning units, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.

It presents an extreme health risk. In little amounts, it can lead to flu-like symptoms like headaches and nausea. It could be deadly in heavy amounts.

We advise annual furnace maintenance to ensure your unit is running like it should. This service allows our specialists to find issues before they get bigger, including malfunctions that can create carbon monoxide leaks.

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

Improve Your Residence’s Air Quality with the Speedy Air Conditioning Experts

Aware that your house has bad air quality but not sure how to enhance it? Or unsure which solution is right for you? Give our approachable HVAC professionals a call at 239-244-3439 or contact us online today. With free estimates and professional service, we’ll help you find the best option for your home and budget.