When it comes to air quality, most people in the Texas Hill Country keep a close eye on exterior mold, pollen, cedar, and ragweed levels. Indoor air quality (IAQ), however, is an even more pressing issue as pollutant levels can be up to 100 times higher in your home. Most Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, and that percentage is even greater for people with allergies or other respiratory conditions. Given that, these are the most important air quality issues you need to be aware of.
Air Quality Issues Inside Your Home
It can be easy to overlook poor air quality inside your house especially as you become acclimated to different smells or odors. The consequences of poor IAQ can be severe and range from allergic reactions to respiratory infections to cardiovascular diseases. That’s why you need to be aware of these four main sources of pollutants inside your home.
1. Mold
Mold is a fungus which grows in areas with high humidity. Given the more airtight construction of new homes, increased interior humidity is a common problem. This can be exacerbated by mold growing on AC cooling coils or inside ductwork as that will distribute it throughout your home. Consistently having condensation on windows or a stuffy, mildew smell indicates mold is likely present.
2. Household Products
Once again, due to less interior and exterior air exchange, there are a variety of household products which are more dangerous than in the past. This includes drain cleaners, floor polish, pesticides, paint strippers, and even laundry detergent. The effects from these can be particularly pronounced in the elderly and small children. At high levels, pregnant women may even suffer birth defects.
3. Building Materials
In older homes, there may still be asbestos in walls as it was once widely used as insulation until it was discovered to cause cancer. Older homes may also contain lead. We usually think of lead pipes or lead-based paint, but it can be present in air under the right conditions. Formaldehyde can linger in rooms where carpet has just been installed without having been sufficiently ventilated and aired out.
4. Gasses
Noxious gasses include carbon monoxide, radon, and nitrogen dioxide. These can be especially hard to detect without the proper equipment as they are odorless and colorless. Too much carbon monoxide in an enclosed space can quickly result in death while radon can cause lung cancer. Exposure to high levels of nitrogen dioxide can cause pulmonary edema as well as chronic bronchitis.
Testing Your IAQ
If you’re concerned about the IAQ in your home, the first step is to schedule an air quality assessment. Our trained technicians will closely examine different areas and systems in your home and conduct tests to determine exactly what air quality issues you may have. Then, we can present a range of solutions for you to choose from.
Contact D’Spain Sales & Service, Inc. for indoor air quality and air conditioning services in Bandera, TX, today!
