Even after vacuuming and wiping down your surfaces, your home is likely not as clean as you think. Invisible indoor contaminants can wreak havoc on your air quality and have a lasting impact on your family’s health. Here’s what you need to know about protecting your indoor air quality (IAQ) in Cocoa Beach, FL.
Intro to Air Quality
Your home’s IAQ can affect your household’s health, comfort, and long-term well-being. While you may experience acute reactions like allergies or temporary sinus discomfort, you could also develop serious health conditions like heart disease years later. Since your family members spend most of their days indoors, it’s vital to keep the air clean with proper ventilation, filtration, and cleaning habits.
You can’t avoid some contaminants like pollen or dust, which makes it necessary to filter them out of your breathing air before they reach your living spaces. Other pollutants, like spores, can reach uncontrollable levels if your home becomes too humid. You’re also likely to experience IAQ fluctuations based on the weather and the season.
Common Causes of Air Quality Issues
Some of the leading indoor health hazards include fungus spores, combustion gases, airborne chemicals, and microscopic debris like dust and mites. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can seep into your home through cracks in your basement walls or floors. It is one of the leading causes of lung cancer in nonsmokers.
Combustion gases and particles come from appliances like your furnace, stove, fireplace, chimney, and dryer. One of the most common types is carbon monoxide, which will impair your body’s ability to receive and transport oxygen. There can also be lead in your home’s old paints or asbestos in your building materials.
Formaldehyde is often found in various air cleaners, building materials, and wood products. This gas has a strong smell and can irritate the soft lining of your lungs. It may also harm your nervous system and potentially trigger asthma in your young children.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the gases and fumes released when you cook, use spray cleaners, paint, varnish your furniture, or buy new upholstery. Immediate exposure can result in watery, irritated eyes, throat irritation, and nausea. Depending on the toxicity of the VOC, you may also experience liver or kidney disease or even cancer.
Frequently cleaning your home can limit airborne pollutants, but it can’t get rid of all of them indefinitely. Practicing healthy daily habits, limiting your use of harmful aerosols, and ventilating your home are great ways to protect your loved ones from discomfort.
Improving Your Air Quality
The first step to limiting your indoor pollution is identifying the cause of your low air quality. Trust an experienced HVAC technician team to complete indoor air quality testing. Depending on the contaminants present, your indoor comfort expert may recommend installing a whole-home air purification or ventilation system.
Proper air filtration can have a huge impact on your IAQ. If you have a central air conditioner, use filters with Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) ratings of at least 10. These high-quality filters will efficiently catch and trap particulates before they reach your ductwork.
Make sure to always use the filters designed for your unique HVAC system. Ill-fitting filters will create gaps that allow particles to escape into your home. Many varieties need to be replaced or cleaned every one to three months, depending on your household’s unique health concerns.
It’s also helpful to schedule at least one HVAC maintenance appointment annually. These tune-up services will clear out old grime and filth and prevent duct clogs from debris and insects. A duct cleaning every few years can help you catch fungus issues early and keep your home efficient and clean.
Investing in your IAQ will protect your family’s daily comfort and future health. Better air filters, improved habits, and air purification systems can help you keep your living spaces effortlessly safe and clean. Call Extreme Air & Electric, LLC to learn more about our expert indoor air quality solutions in Cocoa Beach, FL.
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