Indoor air quality (IAQ) refers to the condition or quality of the air within an indoor environment. The air you breathe within the buildings you frequent can negatively affect your health and that of those you care about. You may not be able to do anything about the air quality in public places such as stores, restaurants or the workplace. However, you do have the ability to change the conditions within your own home.
Simple solutions like air purifiers, humidifiers or even ultraviolet lighting can go far to improving the quality of the air inside your residence. Many Beckley homeowners or renters aren’t aware of the types of influences within their abode that can be a detriment to their well-being. Here, you’ll learn the causes of poor indoor air quality, along with the ways in which these issues can cause you problems. Keep reading to discover the connection between poor indoor air quality in your home and your health.
Sources of IAQ Issues
You’re likely completely unaware of the dangers that lurk within your home. Various personal items, construction materials and lifestyle habits can contribute to the poor indoor air quality that leads to negative health outcomes.
Certain products and materials used in the construction and furnishing of your home may be culprits. These include:
- Pressed wood products
- Asbestos
- Paint
- Carpets
- Rugs
- Lead
- Formaldehyde
Fuel-burning appliances are another source of harm. The combustion processes of such items produce contaminants that can lead to health problems. Consider these sources:
- Stoves
- Furnaces
- Water heaters
- Particulate matter
- Carbon dioxide
- Nitrogen dioxide
- Wood burning
Have you noticed moisture or excess humidity throughout your home or in one particular area like a bathroom or kitchen? Such moist spaces, especially when combined with heat and darkness, are a recipe for the proliferation of mold and mildew. Other problems associated with warm, wet conditions include dust mites, cockroaches, bacteria and viruses. You’ll also want to be on the lookout for mold and pests in the event of flooding or other water damage inside your home.
Even the cleaning and hygiene products you use each day can contribute to poor air quality. Also, certain lifestyle habits like smoking or owning a pet can have an effect. Such problems related to these products are:
- Pet dander
- Dust mites
- Secondhand smoke
- Cockroaches
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
- Particulate matter
Outdoor sources of pollution can also find their way into your home. They may come in through open doors or windows. It’s also quite possible that they are brought in by you, your family members or pets on shoes, clothing, hair or fur. Cracks in the foundation of a home are a common reason homeowners experience some air issues. Radon, in particular, is a source of many of these problems. You can also experience difficulties due to smoke from wildfires or other burning of substances.
Even daily living can produce such pollutants as cockroaches, dust mites, pet dander, secondhand smoke and particulate matter. Habits like smoking, lack of dusting or vacuuming, dirty pets or other habits could be causing poor health.
Immediate Health Effects
A single exposure to a pollutant or just a few repeated instances of exposure can lead to certain health issues. Some of the most frequent complaints expressed by homeowners include irritation of the nose, eyes and throat, along with frequent headaches, fatigue and dizziness. These things can typically be treated quite easily. Sometimes, all that is needed is the removal of the contaminant. However, it is critically important to identify the source in order to prevent permanent or long-lasting conditions.
This is something you may not be able to accomplish without the assistance of an expert. Keep in mind that some people are more sensitive to such pollutants than others. Factors that play a role are things like age and pre-existing medical conditions, but determining the extent to which someone will become ill is not something you can predict. That’s why it’s essential to find the source of pollution and take care of it right away.
Long-Term Issues
Longer-term issues may result after repeated exposure. It’s also possible that certain effects may not even be noticed until months or years after the exposure incident. Chronic respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD, heart disease or cancer are just a few of the very serious health concerns that can be associated with intense or repetitive exposure to contaminants. It’s not known how long a person will need to be exposed to a source of pollution or how severe the exposure must be to cause problems. That’s why it’s so important to identify potential pollutants and their effects as well as to address those issues with immediacy.
Solutions to IAQ Problems
There are a number of ways a professional HVAC company can help you to improve your indoor air quality. If you or a household member notice any of the symptoms discussed here, it’s especially crucial to find the source and address things quickly. Experiencing issues like frequent headaches, routine fatigue, itchy eyes, stuffy nose or sore throat on a regular basis could offer clues there may be contaminants in the air within your house.
Qualified HVAC service providers have an in-depth understanding of the pollutants that can cause these problems. They also have the know-how to manage the effects. These specialized indoor air quality technicians can assess the situation in order to come up with solutions that are both efficient and cost-effective. They have the skills and equipment to seek out the source of air contamination in order to take the necessary steps to eradicate the problem.
Hiring a qualified professional can provide you with a sense of security and peace of mind when dealing with such tricky issues as indoor air contaminants. Poor indoor air quality usually isn’t something that can be properly taken care of on your own. A small investment can often provide the quick fix needed to reduce the level of potential toxins floating through the air of a typical home.
Schedule Indoor Air Quality Testing
Now that you understand the ways poor indoor air quality can affect your health, we encourage you to reach out to Childers Air Plumbing & Electric in Beckley, WV to schedule indoor air quality testing. Our team of experts can determine whether you might benefit from such interventions as air purifiers, humidification or ultraviolet lights. Not only do we provide indoor air quality testing, but we’re also here for your IAQ equipment installation, repair and maintenance.
In addition, our company can also assist you with HVAC, plumbing and electric services. These include heating and air conditioning replacement, maintenance and repair. Electrical services like rewiring, home energy audits, generators and electrical panels are also among our specialties, along with plumbing needs such as leak detection, drain services, bathroom plumbing and water heater installation. Contact us today to learn more about the ways we can improve your indoor comfort.
