Concerned about indoor air pollutants? You should be! Indoor air pollutants can impact your health and that of your family. We tend to think of air pollutants as an outdoor issue when in reality, the air inside our home is dirtier than the air outside. Learning more about the possible indoor air pollutants can help control the air quality in your home, in turn creating a healthier living environment for your family.
Common Indoor Air Pollutants
- Mold: Mold grows in wet, damp, and humid areas of the house, particularly basements and bathrooms. Mold can also be found inside humidifiers, air conditioners, under carpeting or ceiling panels, and behind walls.
- Carbon Monoxide: Carbon Monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas produced by heaters and other appliances that burn wood, propane, kerosene, or natural gas.
- Tobacco Smoke: Tobacco smoke contains more than 3,800 different chemical compounds, many of which are harmful to humans. Smoke odor lingers in the home while the chemical compounds attach themselves to your body organs.
- Pesticides: Pesticides may leave residue after application. This residue can concentrate at floor level, resulting in it reaching dangerous levels.
- Radon: Radon is an odorless, colorless radioactive gas that is found naturally in uranium and soil. Radon can be found in water. More commonly, Radon can seep through homes through cracks in the foundation, walls, and floors and can cause illness or be fatal in some cases.
Exposure to the pollutants above can cause symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, throat irritation, nose and throat irritation, fatigue, difficulty breathing, and others. Symptoms usually occur after prolonged exposure to indoor air pollutants.
How to Keep Indoor Air Pollutants Out of Your Home
In addition to regularly cleaning the home (sweep, vacuum, mop the floors, dust, wipe down countertops, etc.) the tips below can benefit households looking to eliminate or reduce indoor air pollution.
- Change the A/C Filter: The A/C filter keeps particles out of your air. When it gets dirty, it is less effective. A dirty A/C filter will pollute the air in your home. Change the A/C filter regularly so this never happens.
- Use a Dehumidifier: Moisture causes mold and a plethora of potential problems throughout a home. Place a couple of dehumidifiers in moisture-prone areas of the home to dry out the air.
- Schedule Air Duct Cleaning: Dirty ductwork can lead to indoor air pollution. Air duct cleaning rids the ductwork of contaminants, dust, and dirt. Along with cleaning the air in your home, air duct cleaning can extend the lifetime of your HVAC unit and create more efficiency.
Preventing indoor air pollution is not complicated so long as you are willing to implement steps that reduce pollutants. The information above provides a great place to start reducing indoor air pollutants.
Absolute Air offers a wide array of services, including, but not limited to, AC installation, AC repair, heating installation, heating repair, indoor air quality systems, metal fabrication (for all types of ductwork), refrigeration, and gas line installation. Our trained team of technicians can also service and work on equipment brands such as American Standard, Train, Carrier, York, Goodman, Rudd, and Mitsubishi, to name a few. If you have a service request not mentioned here, give us a call.
