Air pollution is an issue inside the home as well as outside. Indoor air quality can be compromised by a host of pollutants with the potential to compromise you and your family members’ health. Educate yourself about what you can do to remedy poor air quality in your home.
Common sources of indoor pollution include radon gas seeping from the soil into the house, secondhand smoke. In addition, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide can be emitted by poorly vented fuel-burning appliances. These colorless, odorless gases can have devastating effects on your health. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are chemicals found in a variety of cleaning products and materials found in the home, including building materials, furniture and household sprays. The chemicals have been connected to a variety of physical ailments, including eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches and nausea, damage to organs and the central nervous system, and cancer.
Finally, asthma triggers are found in dust, mold, secondhand smoke and pet hair. Mold growth interferes with breathing and may cause skin rashes when it’s inhaled or touched.
Here’s three steps you can take to improve air quality in your home:
- Increase the flow of fresh air into the home to dissipate and remove pollutants. If the outside weather allows, open windows and doors, or else run the air conditioner with the vent control open. Vent bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans to the outdoors and follow recommendations for household appliances that emit pollutants.
- Change the air filters on central heaters and air conditioners regularly to maintain the filter’s capacity to trap dust and other pollutants.
- Keep humidity levels between 30 and 50 percent. Use a vaporizer or humidifier to increase humidity during the winter when the inside air can get very dry.
For more expert advice on indoor air quality or other issues related to home comfort, please contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services. We’ve been providing a full range of HVAC services for Dayton area homeowners for three generations.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about Air Quality and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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