If you’re questioning whether your Front Royal home has unhealthy indoor air quality (IAQ), it possibly 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 contaminated than outdoors, which can create long-term health issues.

Most Common Origins of Bad IAQ

We’ve made a list of the most common causes of bad IAQ, the troubles they cause and how you can fix these indoor air pollutants. If you’re troubled by the air inside your home, we suggest chatting with a specialist like Dave's Diversified Services about which products are best for your home.

Volatile Organic Compounds

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

They’re found in paint and stains along with:

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

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

Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when applying paint or spraying cleaning products. Unlatching a window can help vapors disperse faster.

Air purification systems can also make it better. This equipment partners with your heating and cooling unit to improve indoor air. When looking for one, ensure it’s specifically created to eliminate VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can trigger health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continually gets moved by your house’s comfort equipment. While you can vacuum more frequently and get an improved air filter, an air filtration system might be a better solution.

This unit hooks to your comfort equipment to provide powerful filtration. Some models have hospital-level filtration for removing particles and bioaerosols.

Lingering Odors

Modern homes are closely sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your energy bill, it’s not ideal for your IAQ.

Musty odors can stay around for a greater amount of time since your home is pulling in less fresh air. Since keeping your windows open all year-round isn’t a possibility, here are two methods you can make your indoor air smell fresher.

An air purification system is put in your ducts to neutralize odors before they get released again. Search for one with a carbon filter and the power to break down damaging VOCs. These units can also help keep your family healthy by wiping out most bacteria and normal allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system pulls out musty indoor air and substitutes it with clean outdoor air. There are two models of equipment (heat recovery and energy recovery), so check with our professionals for more information on which type is ideal for your residence.

Unsteady Humidity

It’s essential your home’s humidity keeps even. Air that has too much moisture can lead to mold, while dry air can create respiratory troubles.

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

Instead of having to pull a humidifier from room to room, this solution 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 equipment, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.

It poses a serious health risk. In little levels, it can lead to flu-like ailments like headaches and nausea. It could be lethal in big concentrations.

We suggest regular furnace maintenance to make sure your unit is working smoothly. This service allows our techs to pinpoint problems before they begin, including malfunctions that can create carbon monoxide leaks.

The best way to keep your home free of carbon monoxide is to put in detectors. These alarms should be on all floors close to bedrooms and living spaces.

Improve Your House’s Air Quality with the Dave's Diversified Services Experts

Informed that your house has inferior air quality but not sure how to improve it? Or unsure which product is a good fit for you? Give our kind HVAC experts a call at 540-636-3396 or contact us online now. With free estimates and pro support, we’ll help you find the ideal option for your needs and budget.