Why Is Indoor Air Quality Important?
People spend up to 90% of their time indoors, and indoor air can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has indoor air quality ranked as one of the top 5 environmental dangers here in La Porte. It is linked to severe asthma and allergy development in children and to heart problems and lung cancer in children and adults.
Symptoms depend on the particular contaminant and are sometimes mistaken for allergies, stress, colds or the flu.
Some of the symptoms of poor indoor air quality are:
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Watery eyes
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Upper respiratory congestion
- Nasal congestion
- Nose bleeds
- Sore throat
Poor indoor air quality can contribute to the development of or exasperate these problems:
- Infections
- Lung cancer
- Chronic lung diseases
- Asthma
- Heart disease
- Rashes
- Fever
- Hearing loss
- Myalgia
Indoor air quality is affected by anything that releases gas or particles. The most common causes of poor indoor air quality are:
- Inadequate ventilation, where contaminated air can’t get out and fresh air can’t get in.
- Unmaintained heating and air conditioning systems.
- Dampness due to floods, leaks or high humidity, creating mold and bacteria.
- Occupant activities like cleaning, personal care, construction, or smoking.
- Combustion, or burning of some form of fuel.
- Old/outdated building materials that may contain asbestos, or made of wood treated with formaldehyde.
What can you do to improve the air quality in your home?
- Use proper ventilation around fuel burning appliances like furnaces, fireplaces, ranges, and heaters.
- Replace and maintain the air filters in your home.
- Install a Carbon Monoxide Detector.
- Use proper ventilation when cleaning, painting or using harsh chemical products in the home.
- Test for Radon.
- Don’t smoke inside.
- Keep your house clean – wash bedding, use a HEPA vacuum cleaner, and leave shoes at the door.
- Leave asbestos to the professionals!
If you have any questions about the air quality in your home and how to improve it, request service online or call the heating & cooling experts of D & D Climate control at 281-470-8573 today!
Need HVAC Service?
Contact the experts at D & D Climate Control.
Call us at 281-470-8573!