What are the symptoms of bad air quality in the home?

With the requirements to wear masks everywhere we go these days, isn’t it nice to get home where you can breathe fresh air without one?! Or is the indoor air quality at your home fresh?  For most of us, it isn’t as fresh as we may think.

Your home’s indoor air quality and health of those living there are related, which is what we will discuss here today. Surprisingly, experts say when it comes to indoor air quality vs outdoor, often the outdoor air quality is better than the indoor air quality.

The debate of how indoor air quality is specifically defined continues on. One thing most can agree on is that understanding how certain airborne pollutants and contaminants in the home can affect the occupants is important. What is acceptable for some isn’t for others, but regardless, if you or anyone in your home feel the effects, improving the indoor air quality is a priority. 

Unfortunately, it often takes time to link between poor health with poor indoor air quality, or if there is any link between them. Too many times have homeowners discovered it was their home that was subtly causing somebody in their household harm, without them being aware. So, regardless which side of the debate you fall, the importance of improving indoor air quality is obvious. What health issues are apparently caused by poor indoor air quality? 

  1. Your Allergies: The change in seasons is usually attributed to causing an allergy attack. It could also be your indoor air quality is filled with contaminants. So, yes, seasonal allergies are a factor, but when you come home, those factors should be eased if the indoor air quality is healthy. If the bloody noses, congestion, coughing, headaches, sneezing, and watering eyes continue after you’ve been home, you may need to have your indoor air quality checked.
  2. Symptoms, New and Unusual: Many health ailments and symptoms are mild, but with certain contaminants such as asbestos, mold spores, or other hazardous chemicals can have an intense effect on your health. When chills, dizziness, fatigue, fever, muscle aches, nausea, rashes, and vomiting are frequent problems, along with hearing loss or shortness of breath, there could be an attack on the indoor air quality of your home. 
  3. Your Lungs: Chemicals left in your home can affect your lungs, even lead to severe health conditions, like reoccurring bronchitis or pneumonia. Airborne particles can cause this in your home that you’re breathe every day. The symptoms need to be discussed with your doctor and examined before they become permanent and more severe. 
  4. Environment: Besides the environment around your home and work could affect the indoor air quality of your home, even the indoor air quality at work. Construction, manufacturing, and renovations release chemicals and particles that we breathe in from the air itself and air ducts and ventilation. Your neighbors treating their yards can affect your health too. 

What causes poor indoor air quality?

Our indoor air quality is affected by not enough ventilation inside, absence of fresh outdoor air, contaminated air coming inside, poor upkeep of HVAC systems and ventilation system. Leaks in plumbing creating dampness and moisture and high humidity.

What are the 4 major indoor air pollutants?

The top four major pollutants affecting indoor air quality are:

  • Carbon monoxide
  • Radon
  • Nitrogen dioxide
  • Secondhand cigarette smoke

 The next three major pollutants affecting indoor air quality are:

  • Lead particles
  • Asbestos
  • Mold

 How can I check the air quality in my home?

Okay, we’ve made it clear that there is no confirmation that the indoor air quality in your home is as bad, or worse, than the outdoor air quality. In fact, it can be as much as five times worse! Not every home will have the same indoor air quality inside, some will be better than others. With the many risk factors that are out there today, some are more relevant than others.

Knowing the risk of your home’s indoor air quality can help you combat it though. To find out what the indoor air quality is in your home, there are four things you purchase and install to test your home’s indoor air quality:  

  • Indoor air quality monitor
  • Mold tester
  • Carbon monoxide tester and alarm
  • Radon tester and alarm 

What can clean the air in my house?

There are six things that experts suggest can help clean and improve your home’s indoor air quality:

  1. Increase the ventilation in the attic, add ceiling fans in every room. Ventilating homes reduces moisture levels, a major problem for indoor air quality.
  2. Burn beeswax candles, an all-natural product that purifies the air.
  3. Place salt lamps around your home, one in each room.
  4. Activated charcoal around the home is a natural air purifier.
  5. Place a live houseplant in each room.
  6. Use essential oils with your detergent, soaps, and purchase oil burners.

In Closing

So, following the suggestions in this article, what indoor air quality benefits can you expect?

  1. Everyone in your home will breathe easier.
  2. Everyone is breathing better, they’ll sleep better, they’ll be more rested, get sick less.
  3. Removing the allergens and pollutants will make everyone breathe cleaner and easier.
  4. It will eliminate odors and your home will smell clean and fresh.
  5. Cleaner air will help the air filter in your HVAC, which helps the system work easier and that will lower your utility bills.

Have you noticed a downturn in your indoor air quality in Fort Worth, TX? West-O-Plex A/C & Heating is the one to call! Dial 817-244-2511 today for your air quality and HVAC needs.

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