If you’re questioning whether your Mankato area home has bad indoor air quality (IAQ), it probably 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 residences could be 2–5 times more polluted than outdoors, which can create long-term health concerns.

Most Common Origins of Poor IAQ

We’ve made a list of the most common origins of inferior IAQ, the issues they create and how you can take care of these indoor air pollutants. If you’re troubled by the air inside your residence, we advise talking with a specialist like Northern Comfort Inc about which products are a good fit for your house.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are fumes released by 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 may also lead to headaches and nausea. Regardless of whether your home is in a rural or industrial space, an EPA study found indoor levels of these chemicals can be 2–5 times higher than the air outside.

Always use the manufacturer’s guidelines when using paint or cleaning supplies. Opening a window can help chemicals dissipate faster.

Air purification systems can also help. This system partners with your heating and cooling unit to freshen indoor air. When seeking one, 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 continually gets redistributed by your residence’s comfort unit. While you can vacuum more routinely and get an improved air filter, an air filtration system might be a better fit.

This solution hooks to your comfort equipment to provide mighty filtration. Some kinds have hospital-level filtration for getting rid of particles and bioaerosols.

Persistent Odors

New residences are securely sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your utility costs, it’s not so good for your IAQ.

Stuffy odors can stick around for a greater amount of time since your home is pulling in a smaller amount of fresh air. As keeping your windows open all year-round isn’t a possibility, here are two ways you can make your indoor air smell fresher.

An air purification system is installed in your HVAC system to eliminate odors before they are redistributed. Search for one with a carbon filter and the power to wipe out dangerous VOCs. These units can also help keep your household healthy by eliminating most bacteria and normal allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system removes stale indoor air and replaces it with clean outdoor air. There are two types of units (heat recovery and energy recovery), so check with our professionals for more information on which solution is ideal for your house.

Unsteady Humidity

It’s essential your residence’s humidity remains even. Air that has too much moisture can cause mold, while dry air can cause respiratory troubles.

Our specialists suggest 40–50% for ideal comfort. To keep yours even, consider getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your HVAC unit.

Instead of having to drag a humidifier from room to room, this equipment delivers consistent humidity around your house.

Carbon Monoxide

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

It creates a severe health risk. In little levels, it can cause flu-like symptoms like headaches and nausea. It may be lethal in large concentrations.

We recommend annual furnace maintenance to ensure your unit is running like it should. This service allows our specialists to see troubles 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 install detectors. These alarms need to be on each floor by bedrooms and living rooms.

Enhance Your Home’s Air Quality with the Northern Comfort Inc Experts

Aware that your house has inferior air quality but not sure how to enhance it? Or unsure which product is best for you? Give our kind HVAC professionals a call at 507-387-6596 or contact us online right away. With free estimates and professional support, we’ll help you choose the best equipment for your home and budget.