It’s easy to keep the physical aspects of your home clean—you see crumbs on the floor and you sweep them up. Simple. What’s not so easy is keeping the things you can’t see clean, like the air you breathe.
But while cleaning your indoor air may not be as simple as picking up a duster or running a vacuum, there are effective ways to reduce indoor air pollution, and Kearney HVAC can help.
Common Signs of Poor Indoor Air Quality
While you may not be able to see the signs of poor indoor air quality (IAQ), you can certainly feel them. Contaminated and stagnant air in the house can lead to stuffy rooms and musty smells, which you’re sure to notice, and they can also cause physical symptoms similar to those caused by allergies or a bad cold, like:
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Itchy eyes
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Dry skin
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Respiratory issues
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Coughing
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Dizziness
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Fatigue
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Headaches
If you’ve noticed any of these symptoms, especially if they get worse when you’re at home for long periods of time and better when you spend a day or two away, you may be dealing with an air quality problem.
What Causes Poor IAQ?
Indoor air contaminants come from a number of sources, including those that originate inside your home and those that get in from the outside. Some of the most common causes of poor residential indoor air quality include:
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) – VOCs are harmful gases emitted from certain substances, including cleaning products, disinfectants, paint, varnishes, air fresheners, glue, permanent markers, and many other common household items.
Off-gassing – Off-gassing happens when new items, like furniture, carpets, cabinets, and mattresses, release VOCs from the manufacturing process as they settle into a home. That “new car smell” you like so much? It’s actually a result of off-gassing.
Mold – Mold and mildew can be extremely harmful when inhaled, especially in large quantities. Unfortunately, mold often grows in places like your attic, basement, and wall cavities, where it’s hard to see and can go unnoticed for years.
Indoor Air Pollution Solutions
At Kearney HVAC, we care deeply about our customers and want to help make their homes as safe and comfortable as possible. When you turn to us for IAQ help, we’ll assess your individual situation and recommend solutions based on your needs. To combat indoor air pollution, we may recommend:
A Humidifier or Dehumidifier
When you have too much or not enough moisture in your air, IAQ problems can arise. Mold and mildew thrive in hot humid climates, so when humidity levels get too high, you’re putting your home and health at risk. When it gets too dry, however, your skin, nose, throat, and eyes can be affected, and certain conditions like asthma can worsen. It’s a careful balance, and installing a humidifier or dehumidifier will help you get it just right.
Whole-Home Air Purification
To clean up dirty air in your home—and keep it clean— an air purifier is a great solution. We’re proud to install two of the best whole-home air purification systems on the market: the iWave-C and the iWave-R. These state-of-the-art air purifiers use patented technology called needlepoint bi-polar ionization to remove contaminants including smoke, mold, bacteria, and viruses from your indoor air. Plus, they are self-cleaning, require little to no maintenance, and operate silently without producing any harmful byproducts. With an iWave purifier, improving your indoor air quality is the easiest chore on your to-do list!
