Have you developed a cough lately? Or maybe a scratch in the back of your throat that just won’t quit. If you aren’t getting sick and these symptoms remain unexplained, they could directly result from your home’s indoor air quality.
Believe it or not, the air in your home can be worse than the air outside, namely because allergens and airborne particulates inside your home get trapped and accumulate. Read on to learn more about how this can lead to potential health problems for those in your house and what you can do to improve your indoor air quality.
What Causes Indoor Air Pollution?
We often hear about pollution and how it’s terrible for the atmosphere outside. But again, indoor air quality can be just as bad or worse. So what causes indoor air pollution? Some of the most significant contributors to decreased air quality include:
- Carpet fumes
- Household cleaners
- Mold and mildew
- High humidity
- Cigarette smoke
These chemicals and particulates linger in the air with nowhere to go, leading to potential health problems for you and your family.
How Indoor Air Quality Affects Health and Comfort
Poor indoor air quality is hard on the respiratory system. Things can get murky between pollen and allergens that have found their way into your home and those generated inside the house itself. Some health problems that poor indoor air quality can lead to include:
- Runny nose
- Fatigue
- Sore eyes
- Headaches
Poor indoor air quality can also contribute to more serious health conditions, such as heart disease and stroke, and cause significant issues for people with asthma, allergies, and other respiratory-related conditions.
How to Improve Indoor Air Quality in Your Home
Cleaning up your home’s indoor air is easier than you think. Try out these simple methods for cleaner air in your home.
Ventilate
Opening up the windows and allowing fresh air into your home is an effective way to get the air in your home circulating. This helps disperse some of these pollutants and keep the concentrations down.
Allowing fresh air in also allows allergens from outside to come in, too, though your home’s HVAC filter should be able to collect and capture most of them.
Change Your Air Filter
If your HVAC system’s filter becomes clogged, it won’t be able to trap in the airborne particulates that are circulating through your home. Not only is this bad for your health, but it’s also bad for your HVAC system.
Call an Expert
Air purifiers and whole-house dehumidifiers are some of the most effective ways to clean up your home’s indoor air quality and keep it clean. Air purifiers trap in the bulk of pet dander and other allergens present in your home.
Whole-home dehumidifiers work to keep your air quality clean by reducing the humidity in your home. Excessive moisture in your home creates a comfortable environment for mold spores, bacteria, and dust mites. Keeping the humidity down is one of the best ways to keep the air you breathe clean.
Clean Air Made Easy in Northeastern Pennsylvania
If you’re looking to improve indoor air quality in your home, the experts at T.E. Spall & Son are here to help. We offer various indoor air quality services, ranging from indoor air quality testing to air purifiers and whole-home dehumidifier installations. CALL SPALL today and breathe easier!
