If you’re unsure whether your The Bay Area home has poor indoor air quality (IAQ), it possibly does.

We are indoors a lot. As a matter of fact, we’re in a building up to 90% of the time, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And the air inside residences could be 2–5 times more polluted than outdoors, which can create long-term health problems.

Most Common Origins of Bad IAQ

We’ve put together a list of the most ordinary causes of bad IAQ, the problems they make and how you can remedy these indoor air pollutants. If you’re troubled by the air inside your home, we recommend consulting with a expert like Contra Costa Heating & AC about which options are ideal for your home.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are fumes leaked by common household things.

They’re found in paint and stains along with:

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

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

Always follow the manufacturer’s directions when using paint or cleaning supplies. Opening a window can help odors disperse faster.

Air purification systems can also better your air. This equipment partners with your heating and cooling system to improve indoor air. When looking for a model, ensure it’s specifically designed to wipe out VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can irritate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it constantly gets redistributed by your house’s comfort equipment. While you can vacuum more regularly and buy an improved air filter, an air filtration system might be a better match.

This unit hooks to your heating and cooling equipment to give strong filtration. Some models have hospital-level filtration for getting rid of particles and bioaerosols.

Lingering Odors

New houses are closely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your heating and cooling bill, it’s not very good for your IAQ.

Stale odors can stay around for a greater amount of time since your residence is pulling in less 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 installed in your ducts to neutralize odors before they are redistributed. Look for one with a carbon filter and the ability to eliminate dangerous VOCs. These units can also help keep your household healthy by wiping out most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system takes out musty indoor air and exchanges it with clean outdoor air. There are two models of units (heat recovery and energy recovery), so call our professionals for more details on which solution is right for your residence.

Unbalanced Humidity

It’s essential your house’s humidity stays even. Air that has too much moisture can create mold, while dry air can create respiratory issues.

Our techs suggest 40–50% for top comfort. To keep yours steady, think over getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your HVAC unit.

Rather than having to drag a humidifier from room to room, this product delivers balanced humidity around your house.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is colorless gas you can’t smell. It’s caused by insufficient combustion in fuel-burning equipment, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.

It produces a severe health risk. In little levels, it can lead to flu-like sickness like headaches and nausea. It may be lethal in heavy levels.

We advise annual furnace maintenance to ensure your system is running properly. This job allows our techs to find issues before they begin, including malfunctions that can cause carbon monoxide leaks.

The best approach to keep your residence free of carbon monoxide is to install detectors. These alarms should be on all floors close to bedrooms and living rooms.

Better Your House’s Air Quality with the Contra Costa Heating & AC Professionals

Informed that your home has bad air quality but not sure how to enhance it? Or unsure which product is right for you? Give our friendly HVAC pros a call at 510-343-9841 or contact us online today. With free estimates and professional support, we’ll help you locate the right equipment for your home and budget.