What comes to mind when you think of living in a comfortable home? Many homeowners don’t pay much mind to indoor air quality and how it affects their quality of life. It’s easy to look at an HVAC, for example, as an all-in-one for heating, cooling, and air purifying capabilities. However, there’s more to your home’s air quality than maintaining a comfortable temperature.
Bowie’s expert air duct cleaning team knows all about what factors affect air quality. It’s vital to take note of these factors so you can enjoy clean air on top of agreeable indoor temperatures.
What Determines Indoor Air Quality?
You may think of indoor air quality as a litmus test for the cleanliness of your home’s air. There’s a lot to account for when considering what factors affect air quality. Multiple contaminants, ranging from allergens to pollutants and irritants, can contribute to indoor air pollution throughout your house. Combined, these will negatively impact the quality of your home’s air, which you breathe in daily.
Buildup of Dust
Dust consists of hair, pollen, dirt, and dead skin cells and is likely one of the first materials to come to mind when you think of indoor pollutants. It builds up in just about every part of your home and can quickly get out of hand when left unattended. The following are some of the most common areas you’ll find dust accumulating throughout your home:
- Furniture
- Baseboards
- Carpets
- Rugs
Presence of Volatile Organic Compounds
As with dust, volatile organic compounds will inevitably appear within your home, so reducing their presence is vital to achieving good indoor air quality. These compounds are common byproducts of various home improvement projects, such as repainting or installing flooring. And yet, everyday household products also release volatile organic compounds, including:
- Pesticides
- Aerosol sprays
- Cleaners and deodorizers
- Solvents like ethanol and acetone
Whether You Have Pets
Whether you have a dog or a cat, your lovable pet is often a magnet for indoor pollutants — doubly so if you let them wander outdoors, where they can attract contaminants like pollen and allergens. These particles end up on their fur, which they’ll spread throughout the house, be it on the flooring, furniture, or in your face when you pet or play with them.
How Good Your Ventilation Is
Fine particles in your home’s ventilation system can create a nasty cycle if left unaddressed. In addition to affecting overall airflow throughout your house, these contaminants will recirculate and gradually produce even more pollen and dust. This increases the risk of air pollution and health issues, especially if you’re susceptible to allergies or live with chronic respiratory problems due to conditions such as asthma.
The Level of Humidity
Excess moisture can put a damper on your home’s indoor air quality. Heightened humidity levels can lead to biological growth within your home, such as mold resulting from leaking water. Aim for a humidity range of 40-50%, which you can regulate with either a humidifier or dehumidifier, depending on the condition of your space.
How You Can Maintain Good Indoor Air Quality
Thankfully, there are several ways you can fix your home’s potentially poor air quality and maintain fresh, clean air, many of which don’t require contacting a specialist. They do require a bit of extra work on your part, however.
Be sure to regularly dust furniture, shelves, desks, and more using microfiber clothes, which will trap the dust instead of spreading it to other parts of your house, such as the floor. If you notice or suspect a buildup of dust or other particles, use a vacuum to clean those areas. When the vacuum cleaner fills up, remove the dust bin and filter while outside your house to keep the dust and other debris from reentering your home. Consider purchasing an air purifier and setting up some live houseplants to eliminate unwanted materials from circulating throughout your home.
Get Top-Quality Air From S&L Air Conditioning and Heating Today
After considering what factors affect air quality, you should seek comprehensive services from a local professional team to bring superior indoor air quality to your home. With over a decade of industry experience, S&L Air Conditioning and Heating is leading the charge in providing homeowners with convenient service and unparalleled value. Our exceptional work ranges from performing air duct sealing and cleaning to humidifier installation and air purification.
Contact us at (301) 381-2147 to schedule an appointment and learn how we can optimize your home’s air quality today!