If you’re questioning whether your Thedford home has poor indoor air quality (IAQ), it likely does.

We are indoors a lot. As a matter of fact, we’re indoors up to 90% of the time, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And the air inside residences could be 2–5 times more contaminated than outdoors, which can create long-term health problems.

Most Common Sources of Bad IAQ

We’ve put together a list of the most frequent sources of bad IAQ, the troubles they create and how you can take care of these indoor air pollutants. If you’re concerned about the air inside your house, we suggest consulting with a specialist like Taylor's Heating & Air Conditioning about which products are ideal for your home.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are fumes emitted from regular household things.

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

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

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

Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines when applying paint or spraying cleaning products. Opening a window can help fumes disappear faster.

Air purification systems can also help. This unit partners with your heating and cooling system to clean indoor air. When hunting for one, ensure it’s specifically created to wipe out VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can irritate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continuously gets redistributed by your home’s comfort equipment. While you can vacuum more regularly and get an improved air filter, an air filtration system could be a better match.

This equipment hooks to your heating and cooling equipment to provide powerful filtration. Some types provide hospital-level filtration for removing particles and bioaerosols.

Lasting Odors

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

Musty odors can hang around for a greater amount of time since your home is pulling in reduced fresh air. As keeping your windows open all the time isn’t an option, here are two methods you can make your indoor air smell cleaner.

An air purification system is put in your HVAC system to wipe out odors before they get released again. Find one with a carbon filter and the capability to eliminate harmful VOCs. These units can also help keep your family healthy by getting rid of most bacteria and normal allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system takes out stuffy indoor air and exchanges it with fresh outdoor air. There are two types of equipment (heat recovery and energy recovery), so call our professionals for more info on which type is right for your house.

Uneven Humidity

It’s critical your home’s humidity remains even. Air that’s too moist can cause mold, while dry air can create respiratory troubles.

Our technicians suggest 40–50% for ideal comfort. To keep yours even, consider getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your comfort system.

Instead of having to drag a humidifier from room to room, this product delivers even humidity across your house.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is colorless gas you can’t smell. It’s caused by insufficient combustion in fuel-burning equipment, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.

It presents a severe health risk. In low levels, it can lead to flu-like sickness like headaches and nausea. It may be deadly in large amounts.

We recommend regular furnace maintenance to make sure your unit is working smoothly. This work allows our techs to discover problems before they begin, including malfunctions that can create carbon monoxide leaks.

The best method to keep your home free of carbon monoxide is to put in detectors. These alarms need to be on each floor by bedrooms and living areas.

Improve Your Residence’s Air Quality with the Taylor's Heating & Air Conditioning Specialists

Informed that your home has poor air quality but not sure how to improve it? Or unsure which option is ideal for you? Give our kind HVAC experts a call at 519-296-4437 or contact us online right away. With free estimates and expert assistance, we’ll help you choose the right equipment for your family and budget.