If you ask a homeowner about their indoor air quality, they’ll more than likely tell you they have much better air than what they’d find outside. However, they’re also mistaken—for the average American household, the air inside can be up to ten times worse in terms of quality than the air outside. How is this possible? There’s a variety of causes, but the biggest ones are simply facts of life. People keep the doors and windows shut to keep the heat in (or out, depending on the season). People get sick and the bacteria and viruses can transmit through the air. Dust and dirt can accumulate, and swirl around through your air conditioner, especially if your air ducts are dirty.
What does all of this add up to? In addition to unsavory odors in your home, it can also have a pretty serious effect on your health as well. Here are just a few of the health effects that bad air quality can have on you.
Seasonal Allergies
Those who suffer from seasonal allergies will almost immediately feel the effects of poor indoor air quality. During spring time, the air outside is often packed with things like dust, pollen, dander, and more, as dormant grass comes back to life, flowers begin to bloom, and so much more. This can all be tracked into your home on your clothes, under your shoes, and so much more. What does that mean? It can then swirl through the air, where it can increase issues like coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, and more. It can even cause sinus issues, including infections which can be particularly serious.
Migraines
Believe it or not, poor indoor air quality can actually cause migraines. If you suffer from migraines, the pollen, dander, and other allergen triggers in the air can cause these immense headaches to form, which is enough to strike fear in just about anyone who has to deal with them on a regular basis.
Asthma
Asthmatics are particularly prone to trouble in springtime, but could suffer all year from poor indoor air quality. This particular sensitivity to poor quality air could result in difficulty breathing, and even asthma attacks which could be life threatening if not dealt with as soon as possible. This is why it’s not only extremely important to have asthma medicine available, but to have an air filtration system that can keep up with your demands for clean, high-quality air.
Mold Issues
The air around us is full of mold spores which are so small, they’re impossible to see with the naked eye. However, when you have poor indoor air quality, their concentration could be higher, which means it’s far more likely that these spores will settle, grow, and expand to create colonies. These colonies release more spores, and high concentrations of these spores can cause serious health problems. Black mold in particular is poisonous to humans, and too much exposure could result in serious illness.
How to Fix Poor Quality Air
There are several things you can do to fix poor quality indoor air. First, one of the best things you can do is to regularly allow fresh air into your home. As air is recycled through your HVAC system, it becomes stale, and more prone to issues. Second, make sure you’re regularly changing your air filter. A dirty air filter both restricts airflow which reduces the efficiency of your HVAC system, and doesn’t stop the same amount of dust and airborne debris that a clean filter would. Check your air filter regularly and replace it as necessary to ensure you’re constantly staying protected.
If you need some extra assistance with air quality, such as if you or a family member struggles with asthma or particularly sensitive allergies, then you may wish to speak to a Mandeville HVAC service specialist about adding an additional piece of equipment to your HVAC system which can help with your air filtration.
Take charge of your indoor air quality again! Call Nu-Air Heating and Cooling, LLC at (985) 288-2445 today to request an estimate.