If you’re unsure whether your Wyandotte residence has bad indoor air quality (IAQ), it likely does.

We are indoors a lot. In fact, we’re indoors up to 90% of the time, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And the air inside homes could be 2–5 times worse than outdoors, which can create long-term health issues.

Most Common Origins of Bad IAQ

We’ve put together a list of the most frequent sources of poor IAQ, the troubles they cause and how you can fix these indoor air pollutants. If you’re troubled by the air inside your home, we suggest chatting with a specialist like Gee & Missler Heating & Air Conditioning about which options are a good fit for your house.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are vapors released by regular household things.

They’re found in paint and stains in addition to:

  • Furniture
  • Carpet
  • Building materials
  • Cleaning products
  • Cosmetics
  • Air fresheners
  • Candles

When these vapors accumulate in your home, they might irritate your eyes, nose and throat. They might also result in headaches and nausea. Regardless of whether your residence is in a rural or industrial space, an EPA study found indoor levels of these chemicals can be 2–5 times greater than the air outdoors.

Always adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions when painting or cleaning. Unlatching a window can help chemicals dissipate faster.

Air purification systems can also better your air. This unit partners with your heating and cooling unit to freshen indoor air. When looking for a system, ensure it’s specifically made to eliminate VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can irritate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it constantly gets moved by your residence’s comfort system. While you can vacuum more frequently 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 powerful filtration. Some types have hospital-level filtration for removing particles and bioaerosols.

Persistent Odors

Modern houses are tightly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your heating and cooling costs, it’s not so good for your IAQ.

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

An air purification system is installed in your ducts to eliminate odors before they get released again. Look for one with a carbon filter and the capability to break down dangerous VOCs. These systems can also help keep your loved ones healthy by getting rid of most bacteria and ordinary allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system pulls out musty indoor air and substitutes it with clean outdoor air. There are two kinds of equipment (heat recovery and energy recovery), so check with our professionals for more info on which solution is right for your house.

Unsteady Humidity

It’s essential your house’s humidity stays even. Air that has too much moisture can lead to mold, while dry air can cause respiratory concerns.

Our pros suggest 40–50% for top comfort. To keep yours in balance, think over getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your HVAC unit.

Instead of having to drag a humidifier from room to room, this product delivers balanced humidity around 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 a severe health risk. In small levels, it can create flu-like sickness like headaches and nausea. It can be deadly in big amounts.

We advise yearly furnace maintenance to ensure your system is operating properly. This job allows our specialists to pinpoint problems before they begin, including malfunctions that can cause carbon monoxide leaks.

The best approach to keep your house free of carbon monoxide is to put in detectors. These alarms need to be on each floor by bedrooms and living areas.

Improve Your House’s Air Quality with the Gee & Missler Heating & Air Conditioning Experts

Aware that your residence has bad air quality but not sure how to enhance it? Or unsure which option is ideal for you? Give our friendly HVAC pros a call at 734-284-1224 or contact us online right away. With free estimates and pro service, we’ll help you find the ideal solution for your home and budget.