How concerned should I be about my indoor air quality?

Air pollution is often a hot topic, but typically refers only to the air outside. You may not realize that the air inside a home or building is far more polluted than outdoor air – interiors lack the natural ventilation of the outdoors, holding more contaminants in smaller areas so they are more highly concentrated.

Americans spend about 90 percent of their days indoors. With so much time spent exposed to the air inside your home or workplace, the air quality can have a great impact on your health and comfort. Airborne pollutants found inside homes and businesses can cause a host of health issues – minor to severe. Indoor air quality should be a top concern for homeowners and business owners alike.

Common indoor pollutants

• Cleaning chemicals
• Carbon monoxide
• Air freshener fumes
• Dust
• Mold
• Asbestos
• Pet dander and hair
• Rodents and their droppings

These pollutants can enter your home in countless ways. The chemical cleaners you use emit fumes when you clean the house, pollutants could have been placed in your home, as they come from building materials, and so on. Moisture control issues inside also allow pollutants such as mold and mildew to grow and thrive. Poor ventilation keeps these pollutants from escaping – instead, they build up.

Health issues caused by poor indoor air quality

Exposure to certain pollutants can cause immediate health issues, but they are fairly harmless other than the discomfort they cause. Others such as asbestos and cigarette smoke can cause serious illnesses from long-term exposure. Some health issues which can be attributed to poor indoor air quality include:

• Headaches
• Itchy skin
• Watery eyes
• Runny noses
• Asthma attacks
• Chronic respiratory diseases
• Cancer
• Heart disease

Preventing indoor air quality problems

Taking certain steps will help keep indoor pollutant levels low for the benefit of all occupants.

• Install a mechanical ventilation system, which will allow stale, polluted air to exit the home, and fresh air brought in.
• Use a high-quality air purifier and furnace filters rated MERV 8 and above to trap airborne pollutants as they circulate through your heating and cooling systems. This equipment will remove pollutants from your air supply.
• If moisture is an issue, install whole home humidifiers and dehumidifiers to keep relative humidity levels balanced throughout the year.
• Clean the home or business regularly, using natural cleaning products.
• Do not smoke indoors.
• Only use natural air fresheners and candles to prevent adding fumes to the indoor air supply.

For friendly and professional advice on the sales, service and maintenance of HVAC equipment; contact Parkers Heating and Cooling today or call us at 615-355-9137.