If you’re uncertain whether your Pflugerville house 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 polluted than outdoors, which might create long-term health concerns.

Most Common Sources of Bad IAQ

We’ve compiled a list of the most frequent causes of poor IAQ, the troubles they create and how you can fix these indoor air pollutants. If you’re concerned about the air inside your house, we recommend talking with a expert like Evenaire Heating & Air Conditioning about which solutions are ideal for your home.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are fumes emitted from regular household items.

They’re found in paint and stains along with:

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

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

Always use the manufacturer’s guidelines when painting or cleaning. Opening a window can help chemicals dissipate faster.

Air purification systems can also help. This equipment partners with your heating and cooling equipment to clean indoor air. When hunting for a system, ensure it’s specifically created to eliminate VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can irritate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continuously gets redistributed by your home’s comfort equipment. While you can vacuum more regularly and install an improved air filter, an air filtration system might be a better fit.

This solution hooks to your heating and cooling equipment to provide mighty filtration. Some models have hospital-level filtration for removing particles and bioaerosols.

Lasting Odors

New houses are securely sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is great for your energy bill, it’s not ideal for your IAQ.

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

An air purification system is put in your ductwork to eliminate odors before they are redistributed. Look for one with a carbon filter and the power to eliminate damaging VOCs. These systems can also help keep your family healthy by eliminating most bacteria and normal allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

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

Unsteady Humidity

It’s essential your residence’s humidity stays even. Air that has too much moisture can lead to mold, while dry air can lead to respiratory concerns.

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

Rather than having to drag a humidifier from room to room, this equipment delivers even humidity around your house.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is colorless gas you can’t smell. It occurs when there’s insufficient combustion in fuel-burning appliances, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.

It produces an extreme health risk. In little levels, it can create flu-like ailments like headaches and nausea. It can be fatal in heavy amounts.

We suggest regular furnace maintenance to make sure your unit is running properly. This job allows our pros to find issues before they start, including malfunctions that can create carbon monoxide leaks.

The best way to keep your home free of carbon monoxide is to install detectors. These alarms should be on all floors near bedrooms and living rooms.

Enhance Your Home’s Air Quality with the Evenaire Heating & Air Conditioning Pros

Aware that your residence has inferior air quality but not sure how to improve it? Or unsure which option is a good fit for you? Give our friendly HVAC pros a call at 512-355-1482 or contact us online today. With free estimates and professional service, we’ll help you locate the ideal solution for your needs and budget.