If you’re questioning whether your Excelsior Springs house has unhealthy indoor air quality (IAQ), it possibly does.

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

Most Common Causes of Poor IAQ

We’ve put together a list of the most common sources of inferior IAQ, the troubles they create and how you can remedy these indoor air pollutants. If you’re troubled by the air inside your home, we recommend chatting with a specialist like Colvin's Heating and Cooling about which products are ideal for your home.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are fumes emitted from everyday household products.

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

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

When these vapors accumulate indoors, they can irritate your eyes, nose and throat. They may also result in 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 greater than the air outside.

Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines when using paint or cleaning supplies. Unlatching a window can help vapors disappear faster.

Air purification systems can also make it better. This system partners with your heating and cooling system to clean indoor air. When hunting for a model, ensure it’s specifically created to wipe out VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can trigger health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continuously gets moved by your residence’s comfort unit. While you can vacuum more regularly and install an improved air filter, an air filtration system could be a better match.

This unit hooks to your HVAC equipment to deliver strong 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 good for your utility bill, it’s not so good for your IAQ.

Stuffy odors can hang around for a greater amount of time because your residence is pulling in reduced fresh air. Because keeping your windows open throughout the year isn’t doable, here are two approaches you can make your indoor air smell fresher.

An air purification system is put in your ductwork to neutralize odors before they get released again. Find one with a carbon filter and the ability to eliminate damaging VOCs. These systems can also help keep your household healthy by getting rid of most bacteria and ordinary allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system pulls out musty indoor air and substitutes it with clean outdoor air. There are two kinds of equipment (heat recovery and energy recovery), so ask our professionals for more details on which solution is best for your residence.

Unsteady Humidity

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

Our techs suggest 40–50% for ideal comfort. To keep yours in balance, think about getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your comfort system.

Rather than having to pull a humidifier from room to room, this solution delivers balanced 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 equipment, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.

It causes a severe health risk. In low levels, it can create flu-like sickness like headaches and nausea. It can be lethal in big concentrations.

We recommend regular furnace maintenance to double-check your equipment is working properly. This service allows our specialists to find problems before they get bigger, including malfunctions that can create carbon monoxide leaks.

The best method to keep your residence free of carbon monoxide is to put in detectors. These alarms must be on every floor close to bedrooms and living spaces.

Improve Your Home’s Air Quality with the Colvin's Heating and Cooling Professionals

Aware that your house has bad air quality but not sure how to improve it? Or unsure which product is a good fit for you? Give our approachable HVAC pros a call at 816-379-3918 or contact us online today. With free estimates and pro service, we’ll help you choose the right option for your home and budget.