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

We are indoors a lot. As a matter of fact, 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 polluted than outdoors, which might create long-term health issues.

Most Common Sources of Poor IAQ

We’ve made a list of the most frequent sources of poor IAQ, the troubles they cause and how you can take care of these indoor air pollutants. If you’re concerned about the air inside your home, we suggest chatting with a specialist like The Frazier Company about which options are a good fit for your home.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are vapors released by common household products.

They’re found in paint and stains in addition to:

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

When these vapors accumulate in your home, they can irritate your eyes, nose and throat. They may also cause headaches and nausea. Regardless of whether your home 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 outdoors.

Always use the manufacturer’s directions when applying paint or spraying cleaning products. Cracking a window can help vapors dissipate faster.

Air purification systems can also better your air. This unit partners with your heating and cooling equipment to enhance indoor air. When seeking a model, ensure it’s specifically created to wipe out VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can aggravate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it constantly gets recirculated by your home’s comfort equipment. While you can vacuum more frequently and get an improved air filter, an air filtration system could be a better match.

This equipment hooks to your comfort equipment to deliver mighty filtration. Some kinds provide hospital-level filtration for eliminating particles and bioaerosols.

Lasting Odors

New residences are tightly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your energy expenses, it’s not very good for your IAQ.

Stale odors can stay around for a greater amount of time as your residence is pulling in less fresh air. As keeping your windows open throughout the year isn’t an option, here are two ways you can make your indoor air smell better.

An air purification system is put in your ducts to neutralize odors before they recirculate. Find one with a carbon filter and the power to break down dangerous VOCs. These systems can also help keep your household healthy by wiping out most bacteria and normal allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system pulls out stale indoor air and substitutes it with clean outdoor air. There are two types of equipment (heat recovery and energy recovery), so ask our professionals for more details on which kind is right for your residence.

Unbalanced Humidity

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

Our specialists suggest 40–50% for the best comfort. To keep yours even, think over getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your comfort unit.

In place of having to pull a humidifier from room to room, this equipment delivers even humidity across 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 causes a serious health risk. In little levels, it can create flu-like sickness like headaches and nausea. It may be deadly in heavy concentrations.

We suggest regular furnace maintenance to make sure your unit is working smoothly. This work allows our technicians to pinpoint problems before they get bigger, including malfunctions that can lead to carbon monoxide leaks.

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

Improve Your Residence’s Air Quality with the The Frazier Company Experts

Know that your house has poor air quality but not sure how to improve it? Or unsure which solution is a good fit for you? Give our kind HVAC professionals a call at 402-628-0206 or contact us online today. With free estimates and expert support, we’ll help you choose the best solution for your home and budget.