If you’re questioning whether your Huntingburg house has poor indoor air quality (IAQ), it possibly does.

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

Most Common Sources of Poor IAQ

We’ve compiled a list of the most common origins of bad IAQ, the troubles they create and how you can take care of these indoor air pollutants. If you’re worried about the air inside your home, we recommend chatting with a professional like Dearing's Service & Solutions about which options are a good fit for your family.

Volatile Organic Compounds

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

They’re found in paint and stains in addition to:

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

When these chemicals accumulate indoors, they might irritate your eyes, nose and throat. They might also cause headaches and nausea. Regardless of whether your house is in a rural or industrial area, an EPA study found indoor levels of these pollutants can be 2–5 times higher than the air outdoors.

Always use the manufacturer’s guidelines when applying paint or spraying cleaning products. Cracking a window can help fumes disperse faster.

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

Dust and Pet Dander

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

This solution hooks to your HVAC equipment to deliver strong filtration. Some models have hospital-level filtration for getting rid of particles and bioaerosols.

Lasting Odors

Newer residences are securely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is good for your heating and cooling costs, it’s not ideal for your IAQ.

Stuffy odors can stick around for a greater amount of time as your residence is pulling in a smaller amount of fresh air. Because keeping your windows open all year-round isn’t doable, here are two methods you can make your indoor air smell better.

An air purification system is put in your HVAC system to neutralize odors before they are redistributed. Search for one with a carbon filter and the ability to eliminate damaging VOCs. These systems can also help keep your household healthy by wiping out most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

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

Unsteady Humidity

It’s important your house’s humidity keeps even. Air that has too much moisture can lead to mold, while dry air can lead to respiratory concerns.

Our techs suggest 40–50% for top comfort. To keep yours in balance, think about getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your comfort unit.

Rather than having to drag a humidifier from room to room, this solution delivers consistent humidity throughout your house.

Carbon Monoxide

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

It poses a serious health risk. In little levels, it can create flu-like ailments like headaches and nausea. It could be lethal in big levels.

We advise yearly furnace maintenance to double-check your unit is operating smoothly. This work allows our specialists to find problems before they get bigger, including malfunctions that can lead to carbon monoxide leaks.

The best way to keep your home free of carbon monoxide is to get detectors. These alarms should be on all floors close to bedrooms and living spaces.

Improve Your House’s Air Quality with the Dearing's Service & Solutions Experts

Know that your house has inferior air quality but not sure how to enhance it? Or unsure which option is best for you? Give our approachable HVAC pros a call at 812-200-5844 or contact us online today. With free estimates and pro service, we’ll help you locate the right solution for your needs and budget.