If you’re uncertain whether your Rockford house has poor 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 houses could be 2–5 times more polluted than outdoors, which can create long-term health concerns.

Most Common Origins of Poor IAQ

We’ve made a list of the most ordinary sources of bad IAQ, the troubles they cause and how you can fix these indoor air pollutants. If you’re concerned about the air inside your home, we advise chatting with a specialist like Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling about which products are a good fit for your home.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are fumes emitted from common household things.

They’re found in paint and stains in addition to:

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

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

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

Air purification systems can also improve your air. This system partners with your heating and cooling equipment to freshen indoor air. When looking for a model, ensure it’s specifically created to wipe out VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can aggravate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it constantly gets moved by your residence’s comfort system. While you can vacuum more frequently and buy an improved air filter, an air filtration system could be a better solution.

This solution hooks to your comfort equipment to give powerful filtration. Some types provide hospital-level filtration for removing particles and bioaerosols.

Persistent Odors

Newer homes are securely sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is good for your heating and cooling expenses, it’s not very good for your IAQ.

Musty odors can stay around for a greater amount of time as your residence is pulling in a smaller amount of fresh air. Because keeping your windows open all year-round isn’t an option, here are two approaches you can make your indoor air smell cleaner.

An air purification system is placed in your HVAC system to eliminate odors before they get released again. Look for one with a carbon filter and the power to wipe out damaging VOCs. These systems can also help keep your loved ones 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 crisp outdoor air. There are two kinds of equipment (heat recovery and energy recovery), so check with our professionals for more info on which solution is right for your home.

Uneven Humidity

It’s essential your home’s humidity remains even. Air that has too much moisture can create mold, while dry air can lead to respiratory troubles.

Our techs suggest 40–50% for the best comfort. To keep yours in balance, consider getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your heating and cooling equipment.

In place of having to drag a humidifier from room to room, this solution delivers consistent humidity throughout your house.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is colorless gas you can’t smell. It’s a byproduct of insufficient combustion in fuel-burning equipment, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.

It presents a severe health risk. In low levels, it can cause flu-like ailments like headaches and nausea. It may be deadly in big levels.

We suggest yearly furnace maintenance to ensure your unit is running properly. This service allows our specialists to discover troubles before they start, including malfunctions that can lead to carbon monoxide leaks.

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

Enhance Your Residence’s Air Quality with the Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling Professionals

Informed that your house has inferior air quality but not sure how to improve it? Or unsure which product is a good fit for you? Give our friendly HVAC specialists a call at (815) 914-6197 or contact us online today. With free estimates and professional service, we’ll help you locate the ideal equipment for your home and budget.