If you’re unsure whether your Holdrege home has bad indoor air quality (IAQ), it likely does.

We are indoors a lot. In fact, we’re indoors up to 90% of the time, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And the air inside homes could be 2–5 times worse than outdoors, which can create long-term health concerns.

Most Common Causes of Poor IAQ

We’ve compiled a list of the most frequent origins of inferior IAQ, the problems they create and how you can fix these indoor air pollutants. If you’re concerned about the air inside your house, we recommend talking with a professional like Durable Service about which products are ideal for your house.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are vapors emitted from common household products.

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

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

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

Always adhere to the manufacturer’s directions when applying paint or spraying cleaning products. Opening a window can help fumes dissipate faster.

Air purification systems can also help. This unit partners with your heating and cooling equipment to enhance indoor air. When seeking one, ensure it’s specifically designed to wipe out VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can aggravate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continuously gets recirculated by your residence’s comfort system. While you can vacuum more routinely and buy an improved air filter, an air filtration system might be a better solution.

This equipment hooks to your comfort equipment to deliver powerful filtration. Some kinds offer hospital-level filtration for getting rid of particles and bioaerosols.

Lingering Odors

Modern residences are tightly sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is great for your utility expenses, it’s not very good for your IAQ.

Musty odors can stay around for a greater amount of time because your house is pulling in less fresh air. Since keeping your windows open all year-round isn’t a possibility, here are two approaches you can make your indoor air smell cleaner.

An air purification system is placed in your HVAC system to neutralize odors before they get released again. Find one with a carbon filter and the ability to break down harmful VOCs. These units can also help keep your loved ones healthy by wiping out most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system removes stuffy indoor air and exchanges it with fresh outdoor air. There are two types of systems (heat recovery and energy recovery), so check with our professionals for more info on which kind is best for your residence.

Unsteady Humidity

It’s essential your home’s humidity remains even. Air that’s too moist can lead to mold, while dry air can lead to respiratory troubles.

Our professionals suggest 40–50% for the best comfort. To keep yours in balance, consider getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your comfort unit.

Rather than having to pull a humidifier from room to room, this equipment 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 produces an extreme health risk. In small levels, it can lead to flu-like ailments like headaches and nausea. It may be deadly in heavy concentrations.

We suggest regular furnace maintenance to ensure your equipment is operating properly. This work allows our pros to see issues before they get bigger, including malfunctions that can lead to carbon monoxide leaks.

The best method to keep your residence free of carbon monoxide is to get detectors. These alarms must be on each floor close to bedrooms and living areas.

Better Your Residence’s Air Quality with the Durable Service Professionals

Aware that your home has bad air quality but not sure how to improve it? Or unsure which solution is right for you? Give our approachable HVAC professionals a call at 308-995-8177 or contact us online right away. With free estimates and expert service, we’ll help you locate the best equipment for your home and budget.