If you’re unsure whether your Sacramento house has bad indoor air quality (IAQ), it possibly does.

We are indoors a lot. As a matter of fact, we’re indoors 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 issues.

Most Common Causes of Bad IAQ

We’ve put together a list of the most common origins of inferior IAQ, the problems they make and how you can fix these indoor air pollutants. If you’re concerned about the air inside your residence, we recommend talking with a professional like Bishop’s HVAC about which solutions are ideal for your home.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are vapors emitted from common household items.

They’re found in paint and stains along with:

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

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

Always adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions when applying paint or spraying cleaning products. Unlatching a window can help fumes disappear faster.

Air purification systems can also make it better. This equipment partners with your heating and cooling system to freshen indoor air. When seeking a model, ensure it’s specifically made to eradicate VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can trigger health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continually gets redistributed by your house’s comfort unit. While you can vacuum more routinely and install an improved air filter, an air filtration system may be a better match.

This solution hooks to your heating and cooling equipment to provide strong filtration. Some kinds have hospital-level filtration for eliminating particles and bioaerosols.

Lingering Odors

Modern residences are tightly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is great for your utility bill, it’s not very good for your IAQ.

Stale odors can stick around for a greater amount of time since your residence is pulling in a smaller amount of fresh air. Since keeping your windows open throughout the year isn’t doable, here are two methods you can make your indoor air smell fresher.

An air purification system is put in your ductwork to eliminate odors before they are redistributed. Find one with a carbon filter and the power to wipe out damaging VOCs. These units can also help keep your loved ones healthy by wiping out most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system pulls out stale indoor air and exchanges it with clean outdoor air. There are two kinds of systems (heat recovery and energy recovery), so check with our professionals for more details on which solution is ideal for your house.

Unbalanced Humidity

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

Our specialists suggest 40–50% for the best comfort. To keep yours steady, consider getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your HVAC system.

Instead of having to lug a humidifier from room to room, this equipment delivers balanced 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 presents an extreme health risk. In low levels, it can lead to flu-like sickness like headaches and nausea. It could be deadly in heavy amounts.

We advise annual furnace maintenance to ensure your equipment is working smoothly. This job allows our technicians to find troubles before they start, including malfunctions that can cause carbon monoxide leaks.

The best way to keep your home free of carbon monoxide is to get detectors. These alarms must be on all floors close to bedrooms and living rooms.

Better Your Residence’s Air Quality with the Bishop’s HVAC Professionals

Informed that your residence has inferior air quality but not sure how to enhance it? Or unsure which product is right for you? Give our kind HVAC specialists a call at 916-591-6889 or contact us online today. With free estimates and pro assistance, we’ll help you choose the best equipment for your home and budget.