Care for Your Air: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality

The quality of life within your house is closely tied to the quality of the air you breathe. Some pollutants are so harmful that they may even be fatal, while many others can at least reduce the quality of life in your own house. Dust and contaminants in the air are significant health risks, and common household appliances like stoves, fireplaces, and heaters further exacerbate the issue. So, what are these airborne hazards, and how might individuals combat them?

Different Airborne Threats and How to Detect Them

Indoor air quality is known as the amount of air present within a house and has an impact on people’s general health. If it’s poor, some individuals could have breathing or sleeping issues, while others might have allergic responses. This article lists typical dangers that might lower indoor air quality and practical solutions to detect and deal with them.

1. Radon
Radon is a radioactive, invisible, and odorless gas that may seep into the core of a home. A basic, low-cost radon test kit is available, and all it requires is a collector to be placed in the home’s lowest level for two to seven days. The radon test results are then sent back to you once the collector has been sent to a lab.

The radon levels in your home may be lowered via several different means. The most common technique involves installing a network of pipes and a fan underneath the floor. Sub-slab depressurization works to eliminate radon by releasing it into the surrounding environment. The home can also be ventilated better, a radon sump can be installed, and the floors and walls can be sealed.

2. Smoke
When smoke dissipates inside a house, it becomes difficult to detect. However, the aftereffects are easily detectable since your nose will notice the stench. While smoke poses little obvious danger, the pungent odor it leaves behind may be eliminated by boosting ventilation in all affected areas. If the smell persists after spot cleaning, try using a HEPA-filtered vacuum for a more thorough job. Installing an air purifier that filters out cigarette smoke is another option.

3. Carbon Monoxide
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas released by unvented kerosene and gas space heaters; leaky chimneys and furnaces; malfunctioning furnaces, gas water heaters, wood stoves, and fireplaces; gas stoves; generators and other gasoline-powered equipment; and automotive exhaust from adjacent garages.

Inhaling even a small amount of CO may result in exhaustion, chest discomfort, and flu-like symptoms that improve after the victim leaves the house. At greater doses, vision problems, clumsiness, headaches, dizziness, disorientation, lowered brain function, nausea, and vomiting are all visible symptoms. Extremely high doses may be lethal.

A carbon monoxide detector may help homeowners identify dangerously high gas levels in their homes. The most accurate CO detectors will show readings in parts per million (ppm), allowing you to quickly monitor for any gas presence increases. Alarms typically go off around 70 ppm. However, levels as low as 30 ppm may harm developing fetuses and young infants. As the EPA advises, a carbon monoxide detector should be installed on each floor of your house.

4. Mold
Mold multiplies in humid conditions, wreaking havoc on structures by destroying furniture and carpets and providing major health concerns to occupants. Mold cannot be eradicated unless the water problem is fixed. A variety of do-it-yourself home testing kits may be used to evaluate whether the mold in question is pathogenic, toxic, or allergic. A qualified inspector can test air quality in home through an air sampling procedure using a specialized vacuum pump and an air sampling device, so don’t hesitate to contact one.

5. Allergen
Although mold is the most prevalent cause of poor air quality, other microorganisms are also blamed. If they are not eliminated, different allergies may be caused by allergens, including cockroach pieces and excrement, dust mites, animal dander, and cat saliva. If you suspect allergies may be to blame for indoor air pollution but aren’t sure, you may use a home test kit to find out for sure.

The allergens, both biological and inorganic, will be collected and sent off to the lab for examination. Free consultations with competent indoor-air-quality evaluators are available upon request; if you decide to hire one to do the test. They will use specialized equipment to collect a sample of the airborne dust in your home and send it for chemical analysis in a lab.

6. Asbestos
Asbestos is a dangerous substance to have in your home. Asbestosis is a chronic lung illness that may be caused by exposure to asbestos. The worst part is that asbestos is linked to many different types of cancer.

A thorough investigation of the affected area is required for complete asbestos removal. It’s a hardy, fibrous material that may be dangerous if breathed in. Because it may shed tiny, harmful fibers if disturbed, its removal is mandated by law in your area. Many asbestos sample collection kits are available for the home, but if you decide to do it yourself, remember to protect your face with a mask.

How to Improve Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality

A home is a place where you are supposed to feel safe. There is no way to feel secure in a place where you may become ill at any moment. If you want to lower the possibility of becoming sick from breathing in your home’s air, you should start by improving its quality. Below are some tips to enhance home air quality.

Use UV Air Cleaners
Various air purifiers use multiple techniques to remove contaminants from the air. An advantage of UV air cleaners is that they eliminate all airborne bacteria and viruses. The prevention of the transfer of disease from one person to another is greatly aided by this practice. It is crucial to ensure that you are utilizing them in combination with other air cleaning procedures since they will not eliminate dust or allergy particles from the air if not followed properly.

Utilize Electronic Air Purifiers
Electronic air purifiers function similarly to a magnet. All the various air contaminants are drawn to them. You’ll be able to clear your airway of the many allergens that set off your asthma or trigger a cough or wheezing attack. The best thing is that the quantity of dirt you remove from the cleaner after use will be visible proof of the improvement. These cleansers come in helpful to make sure the air isn’t the only cleaner to breathe but also looks nice. Heating and cooling costs go down when air quality increases. People can save half of the energy costs associated with their heating and cooling systems if the air is pure.

Clean Air-Conditioning Ducts
Even with a central air conditioning system, maintaining clean air may seem like an uphill struggle. The issue may be the ductwork is dirty. For healthier indoor air, you should have the ducts professionally cleaned. A variety of services may clean the ducts in your home. There are unusual circumstances when complete duct system replacement is the sole option for getting clean ducts.

Some nations also provide Greener Homes Grants, worth up to $5600, to assist homeowners in financing home improvements or additions that would increase their home’s energy efficiency. You may benefit from this program if you wish to improve your heating and cooling system.

Final Thoughts

Maintaining clean air is essential if you want to keep your family safe from illnesses brought on by microorganisms that can be lurking in your house. Asthma, cancer, cough, and other respiratory diseases may all have their roots in polluted indoor air, so it’s important to know what you can do to improve things. Taking some easy measures to clean the air in your house may enhance your health and that of your family. Using several strategies, you may significantly improve your home’s comfort and air quality without spending a fortune.