If you’re questioning whether your Rapid City home has poor indoor air quality (IAQ), it possibly does.
We are indoors a lot. In reality, we’re indoors 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 problems.
Most Common Sources of Poor IAQ
We’ve made a list of the most common origins of poor IAQ, the problems they make and how you can fix these indoor air pollutants. If you’re troubled by the air inside your home, we suggest talking with a expert like Precision Mechanical about which products are best for your family.
Volatile Organic Compounds
Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are vapors leaked by common household products.
They’re found in paint and stains as well as:
- 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 result in headaches and nausea. Regardless of whether your home is in a rural or industrial area, 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 directions when using paint or cleaning supplies. Cracking a window can help chemicals dissipate faster.
Air purification systems can also help. This system partners with your heating and cooling equipment to enhance indoor air. When seeking one, ensure it’s specifically designed to eliminate VOCs.
Dust and Pet Dander
Dust and pet dander can trigger health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continually gets recirculated by your residence’s comfort equipment. While you can vacuum more regularly and buy an improved air filter, an air filtration system could be a better solution.
This unit hooks to your heating and cooling equipment to give strong filtration. Some models have hospital-level filtration for getting rid of particles and bioaerosols.
Lingering Odors
New houses are closely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is good for your heating and cooling costs, it’s not very good for your IAQ.
Stale odors can stay 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 a possibility, here are two ways you can make your indoor air smell better.
An air purification system is placed in your ducts to eliminate odors before they are redistributed. Search for one with a carbon filter and the power to break down damaging VOCs. These units can also help keep your family healthy by getting rid of most bacteria and normal allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.
A ventilation system pulls out stuffy indoor air and exchanges it with fresh outdoor air. There are two types of equipment (heat recovery and energy recovery), so call our professionals for more info on which solution is right for your residence.
Uneven Humidity
It’s important your house’s humidity remains even. Air that has too much moisture can lead to mold, while dry air can cause respiratory concerns.
Our techs suggest 40–50% for the best comfort. To keep yours even, think about getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your HVAC equipment.
Instead of having to pull a humidifier from room to room, this product delivers even humidity across your house.
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is colorless gas you can’t smell. It’s caused by insufficient combustion in fuel-burning equipment, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.
It creates an extreme health risk. In low levels, it can create flu-like symptoms like headaches and nausea. It may be lethal in big levels.
We advise regular furnace maintenance to double-check your unit is working like it should. This job allows our pros to discover problems before they start, including malfunctions that can cause carbon monoxide leaks.
The best method to keep your house free of carbon monoxide is to get detectors. These alarms should be on every floor close to bedrooms and living rooms.
Better Your Residence’s Air Quality with the Precision Mechanical Specialists
Know that your home has inferior air quality but not sure how to make it better? Or unsure which option is a good fit for you? Give our friendly HVAC specialists a call at 605-206-3766 or contact us online now. With free estimates and expert service, we’ll help you find the right equipment for your needs and budget.
