We need to breathe air to live, but that doesn’t mean we have to let pollutants into our lungs along with it. Although we can’t see many of them, numerous allergens and pollutants can circulate throughout our homes.
Fortunately, there’s something we can do about it. Let’s break down seven common air pollutants and allergies and ways to tackle them and improve your IAQ!
Indoor Allergens and Pollutants To Watch Out for
While it can be challenging to know when your home’s air quality starts to suffer, there are some common allergens and pollutants you can look for. Knowing how these contaminants can negatively affect your home’s IAQ can help you quickly identify and respond to these issues and improve your home comfort in no time.
- Dust Mites: These mites thrive in bedding, upholstery, and carpets, feeding on dead skin cells. Dust mite allergens can trigger allergy symptoms such as sneezing and a runny nose.
- Pet Dander: Tiny skin flakes shed by cats, dogs, and other furry animals. Animal dander, including dog allergens, can cause allergic asthma and pet allergies in sensitive individuals.
- Pollen: Outdoor pollen enters through open windows and doors or clings to clothing and hair, contributing to hay fever and indoor allergies.
- Mold Spores: Grow in humid environments like bathrooms, basements, and kitchens, leading to mold growth and worsening indoor pollution.
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Emitted by household products such as paints, air fresheners, and cooking stoves, these harmful pollutants contribute to indoor air pollution and long-term health risks.
- Tobacco Smoke: Lingers in the air and settles on surfaces, releasing airborne pollutants that can cause poor indoor air quality and respiratory issues.
- Bacteria and viruses can quickly spread through air movement, increasing the risk of illness and infections.
Several Ways You Can Improve IAQ
For homeowners dealing with poor IAQ in their homes, there are some steps you can take to start seeing improvements. By partnering with an experienced HVAC repair company in Joliet, IL, like Comfort First Heating & Cooling, you get access to our comprehensive suite of IAQ services to give your home the boost it deserves. Here are some of the most common ways you can improve your home’s IAQ:
Repair Your Air Ducts
When your home’s air ducts get clogged with dust, pet dander, mold, and other allergens, they push these contaminants into the air you breathe. While cleaning your system may seem like an easy fix to the problem, it doesn’t address the underlying issues that led to the contamination in the first place. Repairing leaks, sealing gaps, and removing buildup restores efficient airflow while vastly improving your IAQ. Fresh, clean air reduces allergy symptoms, eliminates lingering odors, and creates a healthier living environment for you and your family.
A professional should conduct air duct repair, and we’re the right team for the job! For over 30 years, we have helped our customers identify the issues with their existing air ducts and make the necessary repairs to get your IAQ where it needs to be.
Schedule HVAC Maintenance
A wide range of issues within your HVAC system can go unnoticed for years until they become impossible to ignore. In the lead-up to a catastrophic failure or breakdown, the unseen wear on your system’s components can significantly impact your home’s IAQ. Routine HVAC maintenance prevents dips in your IAQ caused by clogged filters, leaks, and dust buildup from accumulating and becoming more serious problems. Our HVAC technicians can inspect and clean components by removing dust and indoor air pollutants that accumulate within the system.
Keeping filters clean and changing them out when needed helps purify indoor air, reducing harmful pollutants that contribute to allergic reactions and respiratory problems. Additionally, proper servicing can help improve air quality by maintaining steady air movement throughout your home.
Install an Air Purifier
Sometimes, the best way to attack poor indoor air quality is to go right to the source. Installing an air purifier in your home can help address the pollutants in your system without completely tearing out your existing ductwork and installing a new system. An air purifier effectively removes volatile organic compounds, animal allergens, and outdoor air pollution that seeps indoors. In particular, high-efficiency HEPA filters trap air pollutants such as mold spores, pet dander, and more, which helps reduce allergy symptoms and prevent asthma.
Some purifiers use activated carbon filters to absorb odors and dangerous gases like carbon monoxide. Placing an air purifier in frequently used rooms helps to improve indoor air quality, reduce exposure to indoor air pollution, and create a healthier living space.
Call Comfort First Heating & Cooling to Improve Your Home’s IAQ!
If you’ve run into indoor air quality problems in your home, turn to the technicians at Comfort First Heating & Cooling! We offer various IAQ services in Joliet, including air purifier installations, ductwork repairs, HVAC maintenance, and much more. Reach out today to schedule one of our indoor air quality services for your home.