For many families, the most important key to keeping a home comfortable is Indoor Air Quality. That’s because the quality of the air in their home impacts allergies, respiratory systems and health directly. Yet many families are confused about what exactly indoor air quality is and what it means to them. Let’s start with what IAQ is.
IAQ = The Level of Air Purification Inside A Home
It’s easiest to think of Indoor Air Quality like drinking water quality. There are different qualities of drinking water, from kitchen faucet water to filtered water, to the myriad of bottled spring water on the market. And, not all water is drinkable (or potable). For instance, you shouldn’t drink bath or shower water, because the quality of the water hasn’t been designed and cleaned properly for people to ingest.
You can think of Indoor Air Quality much the same way. Not all air is healthy to breathe without being treated. In fact, indoor air can be far more polluted than outdoor air. Some respiratory ailments that people suffer from daily could even be averted if they were just breathing healthy air inside their home and workplace.
Fortunately air inside the home can be cleaned properly with the right equipment. Here are some of the considerations that could dramatically improve the indoor air quality level of your home.
Air Filtration
Filtering out pollutants is what cleans indoor air and maximizes indoor air quality. The air cleansing and filtering process can be done in a few ways, most often through the simple one inch air filters placed in your return ducts. Some people use single-room air cleaners or ‘ionizers’ that plug into an outlet and claim to clean the air of smoke and odours. Unfortunately, many of these off-the-shelf products have proven to be ineffective by leading consumer ratings magazines, and can even emit potentially harmful ozone. Another more viable option is “whole-home air filtration”, which involves installing a larger, high-efficiency air filter at the furnace, which maximize air quality throughout the entire home at a low cost, and usually only need to be replaced annually instead of monthly. They also do not emit ozone, so it's a much greener choice for improving indoor air quality.
Fresh Air Ventilation
As homes become more energy efficient, they become better sealed, which prevents heated and cooled air from escaping. Consequently, less fresh air flows into the house and the air inside stagnates and can smell stale and affect proper humidity levels. Natural ventilation from an open window invites pollutants like dirt, pollen and bacteria into the home. A Fresh Air Ventilator is a product that will draw outside air into your home, then properly filter and regulate its temperature so you have a constant source of clean, fresh air without dramatically increasing energy costs.
Air Flow
Ensuring ducts are not blocked by curtains or furniture is a simple but important tip. Inadequate air flow causes extremely poor heating and air conditioning equipment performance, increased energy consumption, and could also lead to improper humidity levels. All this adds up to an uncomfortable home and a serious drain on your wallet. Air flow should be measured in order to determine if the home comfort system needs changes, to ensure maximum comfort and efficiency.
Duct Cleaning and Sealing
Conditioned air travels throughout the home via a duct system. Over time, the inside of air ducts can get dirty and cause microbial growth, which can cause respiratory problems. Ducts can be professionally cleaned from the inside to help alleviate these symptoms.
Sealing duct joints and elbows ensures the energy that the home comfort system used to condition the air isn’t wasted by leaking that conditioned air into walls and attics. Sealing ducts may also help prevent humidification around air leaks and help prevent the creation of microorganisms.
Humidity Control
Humidity Control is really indoor moisture control. Excessive moisture must first be eliminated at its source, whether that means a plumbing repair, patched room or a moisture barrier to prevent groundwater from seeping into your foundation. Wet conditions in your home’s interior are a natural breeding ground for toxic microbial growth, a bio-hazard that can make your house uninhabitable. This is a very serious situation that can lead to severe respiratory problems, allergies, immune system disorders and chronic fatigue. Excessive moisture and even excessive dryness can be easily controlled via an integrated whole-house humidifier or dehumidifier. These products provide safe, clean air and humidity control.
A Word About Carbon Monoxide
Last but most definitely not least, know the dangers of Carbon Monoxide inside the home. This toxic gas is odorless, colorless and extremely dangerous. It is commonly produced in the home during the normal combustion process in furnaces, hot water heaters and gas stoves. If not properly vented, it can cause severe headaches, nausea, vomiting and even death. The ideal way to prevent a hazardous situation and ensure safety is with properly vented and sealed appliances and heating equipment, as well as a high quality, working Carbon Monoxide detector.
All of these factors add up and determine the quality of comfort in your home.
This article has been provided by Service Experts. Service Experts offers affordable home indoor air analysis and the Home Health™ Report Card summary of the home’s Indoor Air Quality. For more information, visit Service Expert’s Indoor Air Quality section.
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