If you’re unsure whether your Greater Richmond house has poor indoor air quality (IAQ), it likely does.

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

Most Common Origins of Unsatisfactory IAQ

We’ve made a list of the most ordinary origins of bad IAQ, the issues they cause and how you can take care of these indoor air pollutants. If you’re worried about the air inside your home, we recommend consulting with a professional like Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling about which solutions are a good fit for your house.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are vapors leaked by common household items.

They’re found in paint and stains along with:

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

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

Always follow the manufacturer’s directions when applying paint or spraying cleaning products. Opening a window can help vapors dissipate faster.

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

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can trigger health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continuously gets moved by your home’s comfort unit. While you can vacuum more frequently and install an improved air filter, an air filtration system might be a better match.

This equipment hooks to your HVAC equipment to provide strong filtration. Some models provide hospital-level filtration for getting rid of particles and bioaerosols.

Lingering Odors

Modern homes are securely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is great for your heating and cooling bill, it’s not very good for your IAQ.

Stuffy odors can stick around for a greater amount of time since your home is pulling in a smaller amount of fresh air. As keeping your windows open all year-round isn’t a possibility, here are two approaches you can make your indoor air smell better.

An air purification system is put in your ducts to eliminate odors before they recirculate. Find one with a carbon filter and the power to break down dangerous VOCs. These units can also help keep your family healthy by wiping out most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system pulls out musty indoor air and substitutes it with clean outdoor air. There are two types of systems (heat recovery and energy recovery), so check with our professionals for more details on which solution is ideal for your residence.

Unbalanced Humidity

It’s important your home’s humidity stays even. Air that has too much moisture can create mold, while dry air can create respiratory concerns.

Our techs suggest 40–50% for the best comfort. To keep yours even, think over getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your HVAC equipment.

Rather than having to pull a humidifier from room to room, this equipment delivers balanced 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 produces a serious health risk. In little levels, it can create flu-like ailments like headaches and nausea. It may be deadly in big amounts.

We suggest yearly furnace maintenance to ensure your system is operating properly. This job allows our professionals to spot problems before they begin, including malfunctions that can create carbon monoxide leaks.

The best approach to keep your residence free of carbon monoxide is to get detectors. These alarms need to be on all floors by bedrooms and living spaces.

Better Your Residence’s Air Quality with the Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Pros

Aware that your residence has inferior air quality but not sure how to make it better? Or unsure which option is a good fit for you? Give our friendly HVAC specialists a call at 804-302-6657 or contact us online now. With free estimates and pro support, we’ll help you choose the ideal solution for your family and budget.