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

We are indoors a lot. As a matter of fact, we’re indoors up to 90% of the time, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And the air inside houses could be 2–5 times more contaminated than outdoors, which may create long-term health problems.

Most Common Causes of Bad IAQ

We’ve compiled a list of the most frequent origins of poor IAQ, the troubles they make and how you can remedy these indoor air pollutants. If you’re troubled by the air inside your residence, we advise consulting with a expert like Enertek Air Conditioning & Heating about which products are ideal for your home.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are fumes released by everyday household things.

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 may also lead to headaches and nausea. Regardless of whether your home is in a rural or industrial space, an EPA study found indoor levels of these pollutants can be 2–5 times higher than the air outside your home.

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

Air purification systems can also better your air. This system partners with your heating and cooling system to improve indoor air. When looking for a model, ensure it’s specifically designed 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 house’s comfort system. While you can vacuum more routinely and buy an improved air filter, an air filtration system could be a better fit.

This equipment hooks to your comfort equipment to give mighty filtration. Some types have hospital-level filtration for eliminating particles and bioaerosols.

Lingering Odors

Newer residences are securely sealed to boost energy efficiency. While this is good for your energy expenses, it’s not very good for your IAQ.

Musty odors can stick around for a greater amount of time since your house is pulling in less fresh air. Since keeping your windows open all year-round isn’t an option, here are two ways you can make your indoor air smell cleaner.

An air purification system is installed in your ductwork to wipe out odors before they recirculate. Search for one with a carbon filter and the ability to wipe out damaging VOCs. This equipment can also help keep your household healthy by wiping out most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system pulls out stale indoor air and replaces it with clean outdoor air. There are two kinds of units (heat recovery and energy recovery), so ask our professionals for more information on which kind is ideal for your residence.

Unbalanced Humidity

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

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

Instead of having to drag 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 equipment, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.

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

We suggest regular furnace maintenance to ensure your equipment is running smoothly. This work allows our specialists to see problems before they begin, including malfunctions that can create carbon monoxide leaks.

The best approach to keep your house free of carbon monoxide is to get detectors. These alarms need to be on every floor close to bedrooms and living spaces.

Better Your Home’s Air Quality with the Enertek Air Conditioning & Heating Specialists

Informed that your residence has inferior air quality but not sure how to enhance it? Or unsure which option is best for you? Give our approachable HVAC pros a call at (818) 727-9993 or contact us online now. With free estimates and pro support, we’ll help you choose the ideal option for your home and budget.