If you’ve ever found yourself in a sneezing fit on your couch, you might want to check your air quality. Over the past several years, scientific evidence has begun to show that the air inside our homes is often much more polluted than the air outside.
Know the Culprits
The most common indoor air pollutants include biological pollutants, carbon monoxide, asbestos, and emissions from cookstoves and heaters. Oil-burning heaters and stoves are one of the biggest culprits. Have you ever found streaks of soot on your walls and appliances from burning oil? What you see on the walls is just a portion of what’s getting into the air. At Essig, we offer testing as part of our indoor air quality services, so we can tell you exactly what you’re dealing with.
Effects
The impacts of poor indoor air quality vary from person to person. Some immediate effects are simple allergy-like reactions, including irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat. However, some common pollutants have more far-reaching consequences. For example, radon is a known carcinogen, and Legionnaires’ disease is known to spread in buildings with poorly maintained HVAC systems.
Improving the Quality of Your Air
You can take steps to improve indoor air quality in your home. Having a professional come to test your air gives you a perfect starting place since you’ll know just what you need to address. We’ll be able to tell you if you need better ventilation in your home, address concerns about mold and mildew, or if you have too much humidity.
Change Your Air Filters
The air filters in your home have one job – removing dust and debris from the air. Dirty filters can increase these pollutants in your home, which is the last thing you want. A dirty air filter also forces your HVAC system to work harder than it wants to, which can lead to problems later. Luckily, air filters are relatively inexpensive and easy to replace. Replacement times vary depending on the house. On average, every three months is a pretty good schedule. However, if you have pets or anyone in the home has allergies, you’ll want to replace them sooner.
Vacuum Regularly
Vacuuming’s a chore, but it helps to suck up the dust and debris that can trigger allergies. The floor should be vacuumed once a week and more often if you have pets. You can also vacuum your furniture, including couches and your bed. Try and find a vacuum with extra filters. The more you can suck out of the air, the better!
Increase Ventilation
Studies have shown that the air inside our homes is significantly more polluted than the air outside. Keeping the air moving brings fresh air in and helps move germs and pollutants out.
Install an Air Filter or UV Purification System
Air filters are a standard part of many homes. They can dramatically improve indoor air quality for physical pollutants like smoke, soot, dust, and pet dander. As great as they are, there is something better. If you’re concerned about more than physical pollutants, you may want a UV purification system. These filters use light to sanitize the air, reducing the spread of germs and diseases. They act as physical purifiers and are pretty close in price to any HEPA-certified filter.
Are you concerned about your air quality? Call us at (610)557-3302 to schedule an indoor air quality test!