What Is Indoor Air Quality – And Why Is It Important?

Put simply, indoor air quality measures the level and type of airborne pollutants in a given space. The higher the concentration - and the more dangerous the pollutants - the lower the indoor air quality is. Many homeowners might be surprised to learn just how many sources of airborne contaminants they have in their homes and how high the concentrations of these contaminants can reach without some sort of intervention.

So why does indoor air quality matter? The main reason is that poor indoor air quality can have negative health effects on everyone in the home. The severity of these effects can vary depending on the type and concentration of the pollutants. Still, it behooves every homeowner to ensure their home's air quality is excellent – and since August is National Wellness Month, there's no better time to start! So this article will outline the health effects of poor air quality to watch for and a few easy ways to improve indoor air quality!

How Poor Indoor Air Quality Can Affect Health

Indoor air pollutants can produce many negative health consequences for a home's people (and pets). Common particulates like dust, pollen, and pet dander can aggravate allergy symptoms and lead to mild irritation in otherwise healthy people with no respiratory sensitivities. 

Other household pollutants such as VOCs (volatile organic compounds found in everyday items like paints, cleaners, and some construction materials), mold spores, and certain types of bacteria can have more serious acute and long-term effects, including respiratory illness and even cancer (with prolonged exposure). 

So to be on the safe side, homeowners should be on the lookout for any signs of poor indoor air quality, including:

• Irritation of the eyes, nose, or throat
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Worsened allergy or asthma symptoms

The Impact of Routine Maintenance and Air Filter Replacement

The first step homeowners should take to avoid the nasty health outcomes of poor indoor air quality is to ensure their HVAC system is clean and well-maintained. This starts with replacing the air filter regularly. The air filter captures as many pollutants as possible as the HVAC unit pulls air through the return vent before cooling or heating it. While they can't capture many of the tiniest particulates (viruses, gasses, etc.), they do a fantastic job grabbing things like hair, dust, and pollen.

Getting an air filter replacement every 3 months is adequate for most homes, but in households with allergy/asthma sufferers or multiple furry friends, every 1-2 months may be better. But another thing to put on the calendar is bi-annual HVAC maintenance from a professional, preferably done in the spring and fall. In a typical HVAC service visit, the technician will clean the AC or heater, inspect the air ducts for pollutants, and make sure the system is functioning properly to better perform its vital task of circulating air and capturing pollutants!

Boost Air Quality With Air Cleaners and Filtration Systems

Proper maintenance can go a long way in improving indoor air quality, but unfortunately, most air filters designed for residential HVAC systems can only capture so many pollutants. To take care of the rest, homeowners may want to take their air quality fight to the next level by implementing an air purifier or air sanitizer (or both). 

Air purifiers typically use a mechanical filter media to capture larger particles like hair, dust, dander, and pollen. This can be helpful in homes with particularly high levels of these pollutants. On the other hand, air sanitizers typically use UV light to neutralize smaller contaminants that slip through most filters, such as viruses, bacteria, and mold spores. Both air cleaners and UV sanitizers come in portable models, but for best results, homeowners may want to install a whole-home UV sanitizer in line with their HVAC unit to kill those harmful pollutants that slip through the air filter.

Of course, every home is different, so it's always a good idea to have a qualified HVAC company assess the indoor air quality and recommend solutions that best fit the household's specific needs!

About B & D Plumbing, Heating & A/C

B & D Plumbing, Heating & A/C is a family-owned plumbing, heating, and air conditioning company that has proudly served the St. Michael community since 1982 but has expanded its service area to include Minnetonka, MN. Their trustworthy, licensed technicians always arrive on time in fully-stocked trucks, prioritize customer education, and leave every home better than they found it. They offer competitive up-front pricing, financing, 24-hour emergency service, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee on every job – so there's no one better to call for indoor air quality services in Minnetonka, MN!

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