If you’re uncertain whether your Erie residence has unhealthy indoor air quality (IAQ), it likely does.

We are indoors a lot. In reality, we’re in a building up to 90% of the time, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And the air inside homes could be 2–5 times worse than outdoors, which may create long-term health issues.

Most Common Origins of Unsatisfactory IAQ

We’ve made a list of the most common origins of inferior IAQ, the issues they create and how you can take care of these indoor air pollutants. If you’re troubled by the air inside your residence, we recommend consulting with a professional like Patterson & Stirling about which options are best for your house.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are vapors released by regular household products.

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

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

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

Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines when applying paint or spraying cleaning products. Unlatching a window can help fumes dissipate faster.

Air purification systems can also help. This equipment partners with your heating and cooling equipment to improve indoor air. When hunting for a system, ensure it’s specifically created to eradicate VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can aggravate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continually gets recirculated by your home’s comfort equipment. While you can vacuum more routinely and buy an improved air filter, an air filtration system might be a better match.

This solution hooks to your heating and cooling equipment to provide powerful filtration. Some kinds offer hospital-level filtration for getting rid of particles and bioaerosols.

Lasting Odors

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

Stuffy odors can hang around for a greater amount of time as your home is pulling in a smaller amount of fresh air. Because keeping your windows open all the time isn’t doable, here are two approaches you can make your indoor air smell fresher.

An air purification system is installed in your ducts to eliminate odors before they are redistributed. Search for one with a carbon filter and the ability to break down damaging VOCs. These systems can also help keep your loved ones healthy by getting rid of most bacteria and ordinary allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system takes out stuffy indoor air and exchanges it with fresh outdoor air. There are two kinds of units (heat recovery and energy recovery), so check with our professionals for more information on which solution is right for your home.

Unbalanced Humidity

It’s critical your residence’s humidity remains even. Air that’s too humid can lead to mold, while dry air can create respiratory troubles.

Our specialists 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 unit.

Instead of having to pull a humidifier from room to room, this product delivers even humidity across your house.

Carbon Monoxide

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

It causes a serious health risk. In little levels, it can create flu-like sickness like headaches and nausea. It could be lethal in big amounts.

We recommend annual furnace maintenance to ensure your equipment is working smoothly. This service allows our pros to spot issues before they get bigger, including malfunctions that can lead to carbon monoxide leaks.

The best way to keep your home free of carbon monoxide is to install detectors. These alarms need to be on all floors near bedrooms and living areas.

Enhance Your House’s Air Quality with the Patterson & Stirling Pros

Aware that your house has poor air quality but not sure how to make it better? Or unsure which option is a good fit for you? Give our friendly HVAC pros a call at 814-308-0416 or contact us online now. With free estimates and professional service, we’ll help you locate the ideal option for your home and budget.