When it comes to your home, air quality can be a major concern. Whether you have members of the family who suffer from asthma, allergies, or other health issues, or you just want to ensure that your family is breathing the cleanest air possible, addressing air concerns in your house may be at the top of your list. The first step in maintaining good air quality in your home is to identify things that may be ruining your air quality and finding ways to rectify them.
3 Things That Can Ruin Your Air Quality
Indoor Contaminants
There are many indoor contaminants that can affect your air quality day-to-day. Pet dander can cause poor air quality and wreak havoc on those who suffer from allergies or asthma. As your pets move around your home, dander falls from their skin and begins circulating. If keeping your pets outside is not an option, make sure they are regularly groomed and you frequently vacuum your home.
Smoke is another common concern that can ruin your air quality and lead to respiratory problems or itchy and watery eyes. To prevent this, you should prevent smoking in your home and ask your guests to smoke outside if needed.
Items like paints, cleaners, and air fresheners can all be sources of poor air quality. They can be responsible for releasing volatile organic compounds into the air. The best way to eliminate this concern is by using natural cleaning products and air fresheners and making sure your home is well ventilated when performing projects such as painting.
Outdoor Contaminants
Outdoor contaminants can ruin the air quality by bringing the outdoors in with you either through open windows and doors or by traveling on your clothing. Things like cigarette smoke and car exhaust can become trapped in clothing fibers and be brought into your home by you or your guests.
One of the most common contaminants that people bring into a home is pollen. During the spring and fall seasons, pollen can get into your clothes and shoes which brings them into your home causing them to circulate through your air system. This can eventually lead to inflamed sinuses, difficulty breathing, and other health concerns.
Maintenace Issues
Maintenance problems in your home or with your HVAC system can lead to air quality problems and its negative effects. If you find cracks in your walls, roof, windows, siding, or doorways, you will not only increase the risk of outdoor contaminants coming into your home, you’ll also increase the risk of pests and other vermin coming in. Pests and insects in your home can leave contaminants that will damage your air quality, as well.
You also can have poor air quality due to maintenance issues with your air conditioning system. Regular maintenance, such as replacing filters and calling for service to properly clean all of your components and make sure they are operating optimally, is essential to improve airflow and remove contaminants that may be circulating in your system.
How Cleaning Your Ductwork Can Improve Your Air Quality?
No matter what contaminants may be affecting the air quality in your home, a professional duct cleaning can remove built-up debris and help each person in your home breath a little easier. When your air ducts are cleaned, the contaminants that have accumulated will be removed, preventing them from coming out into your home’s air or getting back into your air conditioning unit where it can cause damage.
If you have noticed reduced air quality or are suffering from poor air quality symptoms such as a headache, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, itchy or stopped up nasal passages, or other breathing problems, it may be time to have your air quality assessed. Contact One Source Heating, Cooling & Electrical at (205) 509-1929 today to schedule your duct cleaning or air quality analysis.
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