If you’re uncertain whether your Long Island residence has poor indoor air quality (IAQ), it likely does.

We are indoors a lot. In reality, 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 contaminated than outdoors, which could create long-term health issues.

Most Common Causes of Poor IAQ

We’ve put together a list of the most frequent causes of inferior IAQ, the issues they create and how you can remedy these indoor air pollutants. If you’re worried about the air inside your house, we recommend chatting with a pro like Airmax Long Island about which products are best for your home.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are vapors released by regular household items.

They’re found in paint and stains along with:

  • 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 area, an EPA study found indoor levels of these pollutants can be 2–5 times greater than the air outside your home.

Always use the manufacturer’s instructions when applying paint or spraying cleaning products. Unlatching a window can help odors dissipate faster.

Air purification systems can also help. This unit partners with your heating and cooling equipment 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 constantly gets redistributed by your residence’s comfort equipment. While you can vacuum more routinely and buy an improved air filter, an air filtration system could be a better match.

This equipment hooks to your comfort equipment to deliver powerful filtration. Some types offer hospital-level filtration for getting rid of particles and bioaerosols.

Lasting Odors

Newer houses are closely sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is great for your energy bill, it’s not ideal for your IAQ.

Stuffy odors can stay around for a greater amount of time as your home is pulling in reduced fresh air. Since keeping your windows open throughout the year isn’t doable, here are two approaches you can make your indoor air smell better.

An air purification system is put in your ductwork to wipe out odors before they recirculate. Look for one with a carbon filter and the power to wipe out dangerous VOCs. These units can also help keep your loved ones healthy by eliminating most bacteria and ordinary allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system takes out musty indoor air and exchanges it with clean outdoor air. There are two kinds of systems (heat recovery and energy recovery), so ask our professionals for more details on which kind is right for your house.

Unbalanced Humidity

It’s important your home’s humidity stays even. Air that’s too humid can lead to mold, while dry air can lead to respiratory symptoms.

Our experts suggest 40–50% for top comfort. To keep yours steady, think about getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your heating and cooling system.

Rather than having to pull a humidifier from room to room, this product delivers even humidity throughout your house.

Carbon Monoxide

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

It causes a severe health risk. In little levels, it can lead to flu-like sickness like headaches and nausea. It could be lethal in heavy levels.

We recommend annual furnace maintenance to double-check your unit is operating smoothly. This service allows our pros to discover troubles before they get bigger, including malfunctions that can create carbon monoxide leaks.

The best approach to keep your home free of carbon monoxide is to install detectors. These alarms need to be on all floors near bedrooms and living rooms.

Better Your Residence’s Air Quality with the Airmax Long Island Experts

Informed that your house has poor air quality but not sure how to make it better? Or unsure which solution is right for you? Give our approachable HVAC pros a call at 631-737-5566 or contact us online now. With free estimates and expert service, we’ll help you choose the ideal solution for your home and budget.