If you’re questioning whether your Spokane home has bad indoor air quality (IAQ), it possibly does.

We are indoors a lot. As a matter of fact, we’re inside 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 might create long-term health concerns.

Most Common Sources of Poor IAQ

We’ve compiled a list of the most frequent causes of bad IAQ, the issues they create and how you can fix these indoor air pollutants. If you’re concerned about the air inside your home, we recommend talking with a specialist like Bigfoot Mechanical about which products are best for your home.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are chemicals emitted from regular household items.

They’re found in paint and stains as well as:

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

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

Always use the manufacturer’s instructions when painting or cleaning. Opening a window can help fumes disperse faster.

Air purification systems can also improve your air. This system partners with your heating and cooling unit to clean indoor air. When hunting for a model, ensure it’s specifically created to eliminate VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can irritate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it constantly gets recirculated by your residence’s comfort unit. While you can vacuum more regularly and buy an improved air filter, an air filtration system may be a better solution.

This equipment hooks to your comfort equipment to give strong filtration. Some kinds offer hospital-level filtration for removing particles and bioaerosols.

Lasting Odors

New homes are tightly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good for your heating and cooling costs, it’s not very good for your IAQ.

Stuffy odors can stick around for a greater amount of time as your house is pulling in reduced fresh air. As keeping your windows open all year-round isn’t an option, here are two ways you can make your indoor air smell cleaner.

An air purification system is placed in your ductwork to wipe out odors before they recirculate. Find one with a carbon filter and the ability to eliminate harmful VOCs. This equipment can also help keep your loved ones healthy by eliminating most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system takes out stale indoor air and substitutes it with clean outdoor air. There are two kinds of units (heat recovery and energy recovery), so check with our professionals for more information on which solution is best for your residence.

Unsteady Humidity

It’s critical your home’s humidity stays even. Air that has too much moisture can lead to mold, while dry air can create respiratory troubles.

Our specialists suggest 40–50% for the best comfort. To keep yours in balance, consider getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your comfort unit.

Instead of having to lug a humidifier from room to room, this equipment delivers balanced humidity across your house.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is colorless gas you can’t smell. It’s a byproduct of insufficient combustion in fuel-burning appliances, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.

It poses an extreme health risk. In low levels, it can create flu-like sickness like headaches and nausea. It can be fatal in large amounts.

We recommend annual furnace maintenance to make sure your equipment is working properly. This work allows our professionals to pinpoint troubles before they start, including malfunctions that can cause carbon monoxide leaks.

The best method to keep your residence free of carbon monoxide is to get detectors. These alarms need to be on each floor by bedrooms and living spaces.

Better Your Residence’s Air Quality with the Bigfoot Mechanical Pros

Aware that your residence has bad air quality but not sure how to enhance it? Or unsure which solution is right for you? Give our friendly HVAC specialists a call at 509-392-8770 or contact us online right away. With free estimates and pro support, we’ll help you locate the best solution for your needs and budget.