If you’re unsure whether your Auburn house has unhealthy indoor air quality (IAQ), it possibly does.

We are indoors a lot. In reality, we’re in a building 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 can create long-term health problems.

Most Common Origins of Bad IAQ

We’ve put together a list of the most frequent sources of poor IAQ, the problems they make and how you can remedy these indoor air pollutants. If you’re worried about the air inside your house, we recommend consulting with a specialist like Forster Heating about which options are ideal for your home.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are chemicals released by regular household products.

They’re found in paint and stains along with:

  • 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 may also cause headaches and nausea. Regardless of whether your house is in a rural or industrial space, an EPA study found indoor levels of these chemicals can be 2–5 times higher than the air outside.

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

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

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can irritate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continuously gets moved by your house’s comfort equipment. While you can vacuum more regularly and buy an improved air filter, an air filtration system may be a better match.

This equipment hooks to your comfort equipment to provide powerful filtration. Some models offer hospital-level filtration for eliminating particles and bioaerosols.

Lingering Odors

Newer residences are tightly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your energy expenses, it’s not very good for your IAQ.

Stuffy odors can stick around for a greater amount of time as your residence is pulling in reduced fresh air. Because keeping your windows open throughout the year isn’t doable, here are two approaches you can make your indoor air smell cleaner.

An air purification system is placed in your ductwork to eliminate odors before they recirculate. Look for one with a carbon filter and the ability to break down damaging VOCs. These units can also help keep your household healthy by getting rid of most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system pulls out stuffy indoor air and replaces it with clean outdoor air. There are two kinds of systems (heat recovery and energy recovery), so check with our professionals for more details on which type is right for your home.

Uneven Humidity

It’s critical your residence’s humidity remains even. Air that’s too humid can cause mold, while dry air can cause respiratory issues.

Our professionals suggest 40–50% for the best comfort. To keep yours steady, think over getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your comfort system.

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

Carbon Monoxide

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

It poses an extreme health risk. In little levels, it can create flu-like ailments like headaches and nausea. It could be deadly in large levels.

We suggest annual furnace maintenance to double-check your system is running properly. This work allows our pros to spot problems before they get bigger, including malfunctions that can create carbon monoxide leaks.

The best way to keep your residence free of carbon monoxide is to put in detectors. These alarms must be on all floors close to bedrooms and living spaces.

Improve Your Residence’s Air Quality with the Forster Heating Experts

Know that your house has poor air quality but not sure how to enhance it? Or unsure which product is ideal for you? Give our friendly HVAC professionals a call at 530-885-8081 or contact us online now. With free estimates and professional support, we’ll help you find the best solution for your family and budget.