If you’re uncertain whether your Houston house has bad indoor air quality (IAQ), it likely does.

We are indoors a lot. In fact, we’re inside 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 may create long-term health problems.

Most Common Origins of Bad IAQ

We’ve made a list of the most ordinary origins of bad IAQ, the issues they make and how you can take care of these indoor air pollutants. If you’re worried about the air inside your home, we suggest chatting with a professional like Air Current AC & Heat about which options are a good fit for your home.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are fumes released by common 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 in your home, they can irritate your eyes, nose and throat. They can also result in headaches and nausea. Regardless of whether your residence is in a rural or industrial location, an EPA study found indoor levels of these fumes can be 2–5 times worse than the air outside.

Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when painting or cleaning. Unlatching a window can help vapors dissipate faster.

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

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can aggravate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continuously gets recirculated by your house’s comfort unit. While you can vacuum more regularly and get an improved air filter, an air filtration system may be a better fit.

This unit hooks to your heating and cooling equipment to deliver powerful filtration. Some kinds provide hospital-level filtration for eliminating particles and bioaerosols.

Lasting Odors

Modern homes are tightly sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your energy bill, it’s not very good for your IAQ.

Stuffy odors can hang around for a greater amount of time since your residence is pulling in less fresh air. Since keeping your windows open all year-round isn’t a possibility, here are two methods you can make your indoor air smell cleaner.

An air purification system is put in your ductwork to eliminate odors before they recirculate. Search for one with a carbon filter and the capability to wipe out damaging VOCs. This equipment can also help keep your loved ones healthy by getting rid of most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system removes stuffy indoor air and substitutes it with fresh outdoor air. There are two models of systems (heat recovery and energy recovery), so call our professionals for more details on which kind is right for your home.

Unbalanced Humidity

It’s essential your house’s humidity keeps even. Air that’s too humid can lead to mold, while dry air can lead to respiratory symptoms.

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

Rather than having to pull a humidifier from room to room, this solution delivers balanced humidity throughout your house.

Carbon Monoxide

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

It poses a serious health risk. In small levels, it can cause flu-like sickness like headaches and nausea. It can be lethal in heavy concentrations.

We recommend yearly furnace maintenance to make sure your system is working smoothly. This work allows our techs to spot issues before they start, including malfunctions that can create carbon monoxide leaks.

The best approach to keep your residence free of carbon monoxide is to get detectors. These alarms must be on all floors near bedrooms and living rooms.

Better Your Residence’s Air Quality with the Air Current AC & Heat Professionals

Informed that your residence has bad air quality but not sure how to make it better? Or unsure which solution is ideal for you? Give our friendly HVAC specialists a call at 713-322-4318 or contact us online right away. With free estimates and pro support, we’ll help you locate the ideal equipment for your needs and budget.