In Connecticut, people work hard to seal their homes up tightly to prevent leaks of cooled air in summer and heated air in winter. Yet when we close up our homes we may make harmful indoor air pollution much worse. Most Americans spend more than 90 percent of their time indoors, at home, school, or at the gym, making air quality a significant contributor to our health outcomes.
Consulting a qualified HVAC professional can reveal the truth about your home’s air quality. They will identify sources of pollution and help craft a solution that will allow you to breathe easier.
Sources of Indoor Air Pollution and How to Identify Them
There are myriad sources of indoor pollution, from your cook top to household cleaners. Most people don’t notice any health issues but the most vulnerable are young children and the elderly whose immune systems and lungs may not be strong. Prolonged exposure to indoor air pollution is associated with respiratory and heart diseases, cancer, and cognitive deficits.
If you have persistent headaches, coughs, dizziness, fatigue, and upper respiratory irritation, the culprit may be indoor air quality.
Sources of indoor air pollution can include:
- Cooking fuels and fumes from food preparation
- Fumes or gases leaking from appliances or the heat/AC system
- Building materials, particularly manufactured wood substitutes
- Flame retardants on furniture and carpeting
- Molds that spread in damp areas
- Dust from aging materials such as paint and plaster
- Pesticides used in the home and brought in on shoes
- Radon, a naturally occurring gas that rises from the soil
- Carbon monoxide gas from appliances
- Cigarette smoke, scented candles, air fresheners
- Volatile organic compounds or VOCs from cleaning agents, paints, and furnishings
Your HVAC professional can help to identify sources of some air contaminants from furnaces and related appliances through a variety of methods:
- Visual inspection: looking for corrosion, or oily residue
- Pressure test
- Using detection equipment
- Bubble test
- UV light and dye method
Homeowners should guard against any harmful air pollution with carbon monoxide monitors, smoke detectors, and by keeping their appliances and furnace maintained through regular inspections. Testing for radon, the odorless gas that is commonly present in the region, is a critical measure as well. Solutions to basic air quality issues can include removing carpeting and other items that can trap pollen, dust, moisture, and other pollutants. Installing strong ventilation fans over bathroom showers, cooktops, and in damp basements can help to mitigate some causes of poor air quality.
In Connecticut, where humidity can be a major factor in the climate, controlling air temperature is usually the central challenge but controlling moisture inside a home is also important. If the following indicators are present, you should take steps to reduce indoor moisture, such as by installing a dehumidifier, using more powerful exhaust fans, or locating and treating the source of the moisture leaking pipes, leaking roof, porous basement walls:
- Condensation on the inside of windows
- Mildew odor
- Mold growing on walls
- Peeling paint
- Water pooling in the basement
Your HVAC partner can help you pinpoint air quality issues and their sources. Having your system maintained regularly to ensure peak performance, clean filters, and sealed ducts is a start. A professional’s knowledge of each type of system, oil burners, gas, or electric, and their potential issues, can pinpoint potential sources of air contamination quickly.
HVAC Professionals are Your Partners in Indoor Air Quality
The importance of trusted HVAC professionals and regular system maintenance cannot be overstated. Unified Home Solutions is a trained team of installation and maintenance pros who can help you track down and eliminate sources of pollution in your home. Call for a consultation today.