If you’re questioning whether your Mechanicsburg house has poor indoor air quality (IAQ), it likely 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 residences could be 2–5 times more polluted than outdoors, which might create long-term health problems.

Most Common Causes of Unsatisfactory IAQ

We’ve compiled a list of the most ordinary causes of inferior IAQ, the problems they make and how you can remedy these indoor air pollutants. If you’re worried about the air inside your residence, we advise talking with a professional like H & H Service Company about which products are a good fit for your home.

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

Always follow the manufacturer’s directions when painting or cleaning. Opening a window can help chemicals disappear faster.

Air purification systems can also better your air. This unit partners with your heating and cooling system to clean indoor air. When looking for a model, ensure it’s specifically created to eradicate VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can aggravate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continuously gets recirculated by your residence’s comfort system. While you can vacuum more routinely and get an improved air filter, an air filtration system might be a better match.

This equipment hooks to your HVAC equipment to deliver powerful filtration. Some kinds provide hospital-level filtration for getting rid of particles and bioaerosols.

Lasting Odors

Modern residences are securely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is good for your utility costs, it’s not very good for your IAQ.

Stuffy odors can stay around for a greater amount of time as your house is pulling in reduced fresh air. As keeping your windows open all the time isn’t a possibility, here are two methods you can make your indoor air smell cleaner.

An air purification system is placed in your HVAC system to neutralize odors before they recirculate. Find one with a carbon filter and the capability to break down damaging VOCs. These units can also help keep your loved ones healthy by wiping out most bacteria and normal allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system removes stuffy indoor air and exchanges it with fresh outdoor air. There are two kinds of equipment (heat recovery and energy recovery), so call our professionals for more info on which solution is best for your residence.

Unsteady Humidity

It’s essential your home’s humidity keeps even. Air that’s too humid can lead to mold, while dry air can lead to respiratory issues.

Our experts suggest 40–50% for the best comfort. To keep yours in balance, think about getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your HVAC equipment.

Rather than having to pull a humidifier from room to room, this product delivers balanced humidity across your house.

Carbon Monoxide

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

It causes an extreme health risk. In low levels, it can cause flu-like symptoms like headaches and nausea. It could be fatal in heavy levels.

We suggest annual furnace maintenance to make sure your system is working smoothly. This work allows our professionals to find issues before they get bigger, including malfunctions that can lead to carbon monoxide leaks.

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

Improve Your Residence’s Air Quality with the H & H Service Company Specialists

Know that your house has inferior air quality but not sure how to improve it? Or unsure which option is best for you? Give our friendly HVAC professionals a call at 717-220-4502 or contact us online today. With free estimates and pro support, we’ll help you choose the ideal solution for your family and budget.