For many people, indoor air quality isn’t something they ever give much thought to. Nonetheless, it’s something you should be concerned about since the air quality in most homes is quite poor. Poor indoor air quality can directly affect your health in numerous ways. In this article, we’ll look at why poor indoor air quality is such a common issue, what effect it can have on your health, and what options you have for overcoming any air quality issues your house has.
Factors That Contribute to Poor Indoor Air Quality
One thing many people are unaware of is that indoor air tends to contain far more pollutants compared to the air outside. There are of course places where the outdoor air is extremely polluted. Nonetheless, studies from the EPA suggest that the concentration of certain pollutants in the air inside the average home or commercial building is several times higher than it is outside. This is especially the case for a certain category of pollutants known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, toluene, ethylene glycol, and methylene chloride.
The reason so many VOCs are present in virtually every building is because they’re used to manufacture so many different things. For instance, the majority of building materials, furniture, and electronics all contain a variety of VOCs that continually get released or “off-gassed” into the air. You also release additional VOCs into the air any time you use almost any type of chemical cleaning product. Even something as basic as cooking indoors leads to VOCs being released and further contributes to poor indoor air quality. Many types of laundry products also contain VOCs that get released, with some of the worst culprits being fabric softeners and dryer sheets.
The issue with all the VOCs found in items like glues, varnishes and stains, composite flooring, furniture, and more is that they really don’t ever go away. For instance, mattresses and other types of furniture usually contain formaldehyde since it’s used in the manufacturing process. While the amount of formaldehyde that off-gasses into the air is highest when the furniture is new, smaller amounts of it can continue off-gassing for years. Things like polyurethane varnish and wood sealer are even worse since some of these products can continue giving off a variety of VOCs for decades.
The concern when a building has a high concentration of certain VOCs is that breathing them in can lead to both short- and long-term health issues. Short-term issues include headaches, dizziness, nausea, memory lapses, difficulty concentrating, and a variety of other symptoms linked with a condition known as sick building syndrome. The much bigger concern is that breathing in formaldehyde and various other VOCs over a longer period of time has been shown to increase the risks of developing certain types of cancer as well as cardiopulmonary issues. Studies have also shown that formaldehyde and some other VOCs can increase the chances of a person developing asthma.
While VOCs and other chemical pollutants are generally the biggest cause for concern, they aren’t the only things that contribute to indoor air quality issues. That’s because most buildings also contain a variety of allergens like dust, dust mites, pet dander, mold spores, and pollen. When your heating or air conditioning is running, all the allergens, along with all the other airborne pollutants, then end up circulating into every part of the building.
The Impact of Humidity on Indoor Air Quality
While many people think of indoor air quality merely in terms of pollution, it’s also about comfort. That’s partly the reason why humidity plays a role in indoor air quality as well since it can directly affect your comfort level. Dry indoor air is a common issue in the winter and often leads to issues like itchy skin, irritated eyes, stuffy nose and sinuses, and chapped lips that all play a role in your comfort. Another issue is that dry air saps moisture out of your mucous membranes, which makes them less effective at keeping out viruses and bacteria. This is one of the main reasons why people get sick more often in the winter when the air tends to be far drier.
High indoor humidity also negatively impacts your comfort level since it plays a role in how you sense temperature. If the air is warm and dry during the summer, your body will always feel hotter than it would if the air was the same temperature and less humid. If your house is too dry during the winter, it can instead make you feel colder and clammy. Another issue with high humidity is that it can lead to condensation forming in various places in your house and create the potential for mold growth.
Ways to Boost the Indoor Air Quality in Your Home
One simple thing you can do to help overcome some air quality issues in your house is to regularly replace the air filter in your HVAC system. These filters work fairly well at filtering out dust and many other allergens. However, if you don’t replace your home’s air filter as often as you should, then it will eventually get clogged up to the point that air can’t flow through it. Not only does this reduce the performance of your HVAC system, but it can also lead to the unit drawing in air from other places. That means the air essentially bypasses the filter and the HVAC system circulates many more allergens and contaminants around the house.
A standard air filter only helps so much with air quality issues, which is why a much better option is to add a whole-home air filtration system onto your HVAC system. An air filtration or purification system works efficiently enough that it greatly reduces the concentration of not only allergens but also most other pollutants and contaminants, including bacteria and viruses. The result is the air quality in the building is greatly improved, so you’ll experience fewer issues with asthma flare-ups, allergy symptoms, and other breathing problems. By lowering the concentration of VOCs, the system also helps to protect you against long-term health issues.
Installing a whole-home humidifier and/or whole-home dehumidifier is also a great way to improve both the air quality in your home and your indoor comfort. These units are designed to run alongside your HVAC system and either remove or add moisture to the air flowing through your ductwork. The humidity level in your house will stay far more consistent, and you’ll never have to worry about the air being too dry or too humid.
Since 2002, Jco Heating A/C Electrical has been one of the leading heating, air conditioning, and electrical companies in the Springfield, OR area. Our experienced technicians are experts in indoor air quality and can help ensure you effectively tackle any IAQ issues your home has. We specialize in air purification, humidification, and dehumidification and will work with you to choose the right type and model of IAQ unit for your home. We can even assist with heating and cooling repair, installation, and maintenance. To set up a consultation with one of our IAQ experts and learn more about what options you have for improving your home’s air quality, contact us today.
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