If you’re unsure whether your Oxford house 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 Causes of Bad IAQ

We’ve compiled a list of the most common sources of bad IAQ, the problems they cause and how you can fix these indoor air pollutants. If you’re troubled by the air inside your home, we recommend talking with a expert like Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc about which solutions are best for your house.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are vapors leaked by common household items.

They’re found in paint and stains in addition to:

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

When these fumes accumulate inside, they might irritate your eyes, nose and throat. They might also lead to headaches and nausea. Regardless of whether your house is in a rural or industrial space, an EPA study found indoor levels of these chemicals can be 2–5 times greater than the air outdoors.

Always use the manufacturer’s guidelines when applying paint or spraying cleaning products. Opening a window can help odors disappear faster.

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

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can irritate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continually gets moved by your residence’s comfort equipment. While you can vacuum more routinely and buy an improved air filter, an air filtration system may be a better fit.

This solution hooks to your HVAC equipment to deliver powerful filtration. Some types have hospital-level filtration for eliminating particles and bioaerosols.

Lasting Odors

Newer residences are securely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your utility costs, it’s not ideal for your IAQ.

Stuffy odors can hang around for a greater amount of time since your residence is pulling in a smaller amount of fresh air. As keeping your windows open throughout the year isn’t a possibility, here are two methods you can make your indoor air smell cleaner.

An air purification system is placed in your ductwork to wipe out odors before they get released again. Look for one with a carbon filter and the capability to break down harmful VOCs. These systems can also help keep your household healthy by wiping out most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system removes musty indoor air and substitutes it with crisp outdoor air. There are two kinds of systems (heat recovery and energy recovery), so ask our professionals for more details on which kind is ideal for your home.

Unbalanced Humidity

It’s important your home’s humidity stays even. Air that’s too moist can lead to mold, while dry air can lead to respiratory issues.

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

In place of having to pull a humidifier from room to room, this solution delivers consistent humidity throughout your house.

Carbon Monoxide

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

It causes a severe health risk. In small levels, it can cause flu-like sickness like headaches and nausea. It can be fatal in large concentrations.

We suggest yearly furnace maintenance to double-check your equipment is operating like it should. This work allows our technicians to find issues before they get bigger, including malfunctions that can lead to carbon monoxide leaks.

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

Improve Your Home’s Air Quality with the Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc Pros

Aware that your home has poor air quality but not sure how to enhance it? Or unsure which product is ideal for you? Give our friendly HVAC specialists a call at 662-281-1231 or contact us online now. With free estimates and professional assistance, we’ll help you choose the ideal equipment for your home and budget.