Indoor Air Quality also is known as IAQ and may often be overlooked by occupants of residences or even commercial establishments. Knowing the effects of poor indoor air quality can have on your health and your home can help you reduce indoor health concerns.
What are the possible sources of Pollution in the home?
Household products for cleaning, maintenance, etc.
Excess moisture
Fuel-burning appliances
Tobacco products
Outdoor air pollution
Pesticides
Pet dander & hair
Mold
Dust
Carbon monoxide
Radon
One of the main contributing factors to poor Indoor air quality is poor ventilation. Sources that can release gases or particles into the air may cause poor indoor air quality problems. When not bringing enough outdoor air, it prohibits the air to be diluted from emissions from indoor sources by not carrying the indoor air pollutants out of the area. High humidity in the home or humidifying devices can also increase the concentration of some of these pollutants.
What are the effects of poor indoor air quality?
Experts describe the effects of poor indoor air quality as immediate and long term. When referring to immediate effects, poor indoor air quality can show as headaches, dizziness, fatigue, irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat. A good example might be when you first turn on your Heating system for the winter and you feel like your nose & throat are dry. This may be due to poor maintenance of your Indoor Heating system as well as the duct system which blows the poor air quality into your home. Although reactions vary from person to person depending on the health and pre-existing medical condition, some of these symptoms are treatable. For long term effects, unfortunately, they may show up several years later after the exposure has already occurred. The effects can lead up to respiratory problems and diseases. Being mindful of your indoor air quality will help you to improve the indoor air quality of your home.
How can I prevent poor air quality from entering my home?
Although nothing can guarantee 100% protection to outdoor air quality. Here are some things we check during our Home Inspection, as well as items you can be mindful of to upkeep in your home to keep air out when you aren’t opening windows or doors for ventilation.
Seal joints, cracks in walls.
Use weatherstripping for doors & windows.
Seal floors & ceilings.
Properly seal your duct system.
Check for gaps or holes that you can seal with expanding home or caulking.
How can I improve my indoor air quality?
According to several experts, the most effective way to improve indoor air quality is to increase the amount of outdoor air coming indoors. However, always be mindful of your outdoor air quality as well. Living in California, unfortunately, there are times of the year that is Fire season, and letting smoke into your home is not a good idea. A great way to check the outdoor air quality is by visiting airnow.gov you can type your zip code and check the air quality. If you own a smart device such as your smartphone, Alexa, you can also ask “What is the air quality like today?.”
Whole House Fans & Attic Fans can be helpful as well to improve indoor air quality. During the cooler parts of the day or times of the year, if you open a few windows a whole house fan will bring fresh air from the outdoors and take indoor air out to the attic, and if you have an attic fan that will be expelled out of the home entirely.
Bathroom fans or kitchen fans can exhaust the indoor air of that area and remove contaminants from that area and increase the air ventilation rate.
Air purification systems. There are several types of sizes and types of purifications systems that may work for your home and your family’s comfort. It is important to call an indoor air quality expert that has the proper education to teach you what would work best for you and your family. Some air cleaners are more effective than others, however, it is also important to learn the cons of each system so that they are not restricting the airflow to your Heating & Air system which in return can cause premature breakdowns. The main contribution of an air cleaner really depends on how well it removes the pollutants from indoor air and how much air it draws through the cleaning & filtering element.
Call us today to schedule your Home Inspection with Diamond Property Inspections. At the time of your appointment, we will help you identify key areas of your home or facility that may be of concern or can be improved along with items in good condition. It is important as the occupant to be informed of the health of your home. Although we do not test for your indoor air quality, we will help you identify the areas of the home that need correction such as doors, windows, gaps, cracks, openings, etc.
