Why an Energy-Efficient Residence Can
Impact Air Quality and How to Make It Better
Residences today are built with energy efficiency in mind. This includes extra insulation and tightly sealed doors and windows to keep utility costs down. While this is good for your energy expenses, it’s not so great for your indoor air quality.
Because air has reduced chances to escape, contaminants can build up and impact your residence’s indoor air quality. In reality, your residence’s air can actually be 2–5 times worse than the outdoors, according to the EPA. That’s not good for anyone, but it’s especially detrimental for family members with allergies, asthma, other respiratory concerns or heart disease.
Let’s go over some of these common substances and how you can boost your home’s indoor air quality.
6 Everyday Pollutants that Influence Indoor Air Quality
When you visualize pollutants, you may think about smog or tobacco smoke. But a lot of substances that decrease your air quality are everyday products. These things have chemicals known as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.
They involve:
- Cleaning products, like aerosol sprays, bleach and window cleaner.
- Personal care products, including hairspray, perfume and nail products.
- Candles and air fresheners.
- Formaldehyde, which is often used in plastic, foam and particleboard products.
- Furniture, window treatments and carpet, particularly when they’re brand new.
- Paints and stains.
Other common pollutants include:
- Dust
- Pet dander
- Pollen
- Mold
Symptoms of VOC Exposure
Some people are more sensitive to VOCs than others. The EPA says symptoms of VOC exposure involve:
- Irritated eyes, nose or throat
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
In bad situations, the EPA says VOCs can cause respiratory and heart diseases.
4 Ways to Boost Your Residence’s Indoor Air Quality
It isn’t difficult to boost your residence’s air quality. Here are several ideas from Harvard Medical School:
1. Clean Your Home Frequently
Routinely cleaning and washing surfaces that attract allergens, like furniture, carpet and bedding, will help decrease on dust, dust mites and pet dander in your home.
2. Regularly Switch Your Air Filter
This important filter keeps your residence cozy and air healthy. How often you should change your air filter depends on the kind of filter you have. Flat filters should be swapped monthly, while pleated filters should be changed every three months. If you’re unsure if your filter should be replaced, pull it out and hold it up to the light. Replace it if you can’t see light through it.
If someone in your home has allergies or asthma, we suggest installing a filter with a better MERV rating. The bigger the number this is, the better your filter is at eliminating contaminants.
3. Enhance Natural Ventilation
Keep fresh air circulating by opening windows whenever the weather allows. We also recommend using exhaust fans in your bathroom and kitchen frequently to eliminate pollutants and bring in more fresh air.
4. Chat Our Indoor Air Quality Pros
From whole-home air purifiers, Bryant Heating & Cooling Service Experts has a solution to help your household breathe better. We’ll help you choose the right option during your free home comfort assessment. Give us a call at 226-773-3357 to request yours right away!