If you’re unsure whether your Rockford residence has unhealthy indoor air quality (IAQ), it probably does.

We are indoors a lot. In 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 concerns.

Most Common Sources of Unsatisfactory IAQ

We’ve compiled a list of the most ordinary origins of bad IAQ, the issues they cause and how you can take care of these indoor air pollutants. If you’re troubled by the air inside your residence, we recommend talking with a professional like Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling about which products are a good fit for your house.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are chemicals leaked by regular household items.

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 might irritate your eyes, nose and throat. They can also lead to headaches and nausea. Regardless of whether your house is in a rural or industrial space, an EPA study found indoor levels of these pollutants can be 2–5 times worse than the air outside your home.

Always adhere to the manufacturer’s guidelines when applying paint or spraying cleaning products. Cracking a window can help chemicals disappear faster.

Air purification systems can also improve your air. This equipment partners with your heating and cooling unit to improve indoor air. When hunting for one, ensure it’s specifically created to eliminate VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

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

This equipment hooks to your heating and cooling equipment to give mighty filtration. Some models offer hospital-level filtration for removing particles and bioaerosols.

Lasting Odors

New homes are tightly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is great for your heating and cooling bill, it’s not very good for your IAQ.

Stale odors can hang around for a greater amount of time as your residence is pulling in less fresh air. As keeping your windows open all year-round isn’t a possibility, here are two approaches you can make your indoor air smell fresher.

An air purification system is installed in your HVAC system to wipe out odors before they are redistributed. Find 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 normal allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system takes out stale indoor air and replaces it with clean outdoor air. There are two kinds of units (heat recovery and energy recovery), so call our professionals for more information on which solution is best for your house.

Unsteady Humidity

It’s critical your home’s humidity keeps even. Air that has too much moisture can lead to mold, while dry air can create respiratory issues.

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 equipment.

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

Carbon Monoxide

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

It creates a serious health risk. In little levels, it can create flu-like symptoms like headaches and nausea. It could be lethal in heavy amounts.

We suggest yearly furnace maintenance to make sure your system is running smoothly. This job allows our specialists to spot problems before they start, 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 should be on every floor close to bedrooms and living rooms.

Better Your House’s Air Quality with the Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling Professionals

Informed that your house has poor air quality but not sure how to make it better? Or unsure which option is ideal for you? Give our kind HVAC specialists a call at (815) 914-6197 or contact us online now. With free estimates and professional service, we’ll help you choose the right equipment for your family and budget.