What Causes Poor Indoor Air Quality?

We hear about poor IAQ all the time, but what does it actually mean? When we breathe in our homes, we don’t usually think about the indoor air pollution that is present, but there are many particles in your air that you don’t know about. What kinds of particles are floating in your home right now?

Efficient Systems has the answer! We have evaluated many homes in the community, and we know Beaumont’s primary pollutants. Keep reading for information on what’s in your air that could be causing allergies and respiratory inflammation.

Biological Contaminants

There are many ways that living things contribute to your poor indoor air quality. Primarily, the presence of pets in the home means an increased level of fur and pet dander. Dander is just dead skin cells from your pets, so it is very common for homes to have dander in their air.

If you don’t have pets, you likely still have biological contaminants in your air. Insects and rodents that travel in your attic or walls leave droppings. Microscopic particles from these droppings can travel in the air. While you may not see these pests, they are more than likely there, and they can have a severe effect on your air quality if you don’t know about them.

Mold

Another common air pollutant is mold or mildew. Mold grows in moist, dirty areas. While it’s not likely that your home has a moist, dirty area for mold to grow in, your HVAC certainly does. The condensation from the cooling process drips into a collection pan, creating the perfect combination of dirty and moist for mold to grow in. Once mold has grown, the spores can travel all throughout your house and into your lungs. Long-term exposure to mold spores can cause serious illnesses to occur, so you want to watch for mold growth and catch it early.

Gas Contaminants

Many homes use gas appliances, which are perfectly safe when operated correctly, but any appliance that burns gas as fuel creates air pollution. This is how the energy is created to power the system. If the pollution isn’t funneled out of your home, you may be exposed to it. The worst example of this is carbon monoxide poisoning.

Chemical Contaminants

It’s entirely possible that products you use in your home are releasing chemicals into the air that you breathe. Some common culprits are:

• Candles
• Air fresheners
• Cleaning supplies

The way these materials make your home small is by releasing chemicals that mask the foul particles. However, they don’t actually remove the smell from the air. This means you are putting dangerous chemicals into your air and lungs for virtually no reason. The solution is to use eco-friendly or natural products to clean your home or make it smell better.

Let Us Fight Your Common Air Pollutants

Our team at Efficient Systems has targeted every air pollutant you can think of. We have a solution for all your needs, and you can be sure we’ll do everything we can to reduce your indoor air pollution. If you’re interested in professional IAQ solutions, count on us to get it right. Give us a call today!