If you’re uncertain whether your Chadron house has poor indoor air quality (IAQ), it possibly does.

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

Most Common Origins of Bad IAQ

We’ve compiled a list of the most common origins of inferior IAQ, the issues they cause and how you can fix these indoor air pollutants. If you’re concerned about the air inside your residence, we advise talking with a pro like MPC Heating & Cooling about which products are a good fit for your home.

Volatile Organic Compounds

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

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

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

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

Always use the manufacturer’s directions when applying paint or spraying cleaning products. Cracking a window can help vapors dissipate faster.

Air purification systems can also help. This system partners with your heating and cooling system to freshen indoor air. When hunting for a model, ensure it’s specifically created to eliminate VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

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

This solution hooks to your heating and cooling equipment to deliver powerful filtration. Some models provide hospital-level filtration for removing particles and bioaerosols.

Persistent Odors

New residences are securely sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good for your heating and cooling bill, it’s not very good for your IAQ.

Stuffy odors can stay around for a greater amount of time as your home is pulling in a smaller amount of fresh air. Because keeping your windows open all the time isn’t a possibility, here are two methods you can make your indoor air smell cleaner.

An air purification system is installed in your HVAC system to neutralize odors before they get released again. Search for one with a carbon filter and the power to eliminate damaging VOCs. This equipment can also help keep your loved ones healthy by wiping out most bacteria and ordinary allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

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

Unsteady Humidity

It’s essential your house’s humidity remains even. Air that has too much moisture can cause mold, while dry air can lead to respiratory issues.

Our experts suggest 40–50% for the best comfort. To keep yours steady, think about getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your comfort equipment.

Rather than having to lug a humidifier from room to room, this solution delivers even humidity across your house.

Carbon Monoxide

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

It poses a serious health risk. In low levels, it can cause flu-like sickness like headaches and nausea. It may be lethal in heavy concentrations.

We suggest annual furnace maintenance to ensure your unit is operating properly. This work allows our professionals to pinpoint problems before they start, including malfunctions that can lead to carbon monoxide leaks.

The best method to keep your residence free of carbon monoxide is to put in detectors. These alarms need to be on each floor near bedrooms and living rooms.

Better Your Home’s Air Quality with the MPC Heating & Cooling Professionals

Know that your residence has bad air quality but not sure how to enhance it? Or unsure which solution is a good fit for you? Give our friendly HVAC professionals a call at 308-832-4321 or contact us online today. With free estimates and expert support, we’ll help you locate the ideal equipment for your needs and budget.