The Most Frequent Causes of Bad Indoor Air Quality
Poor air quality can result in health issues ranging from minor physical discomfort to severe health complications.
Indoor air quality is critical to people's and animals' overall health and well-being. Poor air quality can result in health issues ranging from minor physical discomfort to severe health complications.
Many homeowners overlook indoor air quality without realizing that the air they breathe may be more polluted than outside air. This article identifies the major causes of poor air quality indoors:
Tobacco products
Tobacco residue is the leading cause of poor indoor air quality in homes with active smokers. Homeowners who wish to improve indoor air quality should consider smoking outside or eliminating the habit.
Fuel-burning appliances
Combustion particles from fuel-burning appliances, fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, and other combustion sources drastically lower indoor air quality.
Humidity levels
Humidity is often a concern in places with tropical climates. Some areas experience excessive humidity levels throughout the year. Therefore, managing humidity levels indoors is crucial to ensure healthy air quality.
Humidity issues can also occur with water leaks, crawlspace moisture, or trapped moisture from outside.
The humidity level in a home should be between 30% and 50%. Anything above 50% can cause lung irritation, shortness of breath, or respiratory diseases.
Asbestos
Asbestos is among the leading causes of poor indoor quality, especially in older buildings.
Construction materials, floor tiles, paint, and ceilings can contain large amounts of asbestos.
Radon
Much like asbestos, radon was a popular construction material in homes. The material is often to blame for poor air quality in older houses due to its accumulation behind the walls and crevices.
Dust
Dust is a significant problem for indoor air quality. Dust particles contain many contaminants like pollen, dust mites, and other allergens. These contaminants are known to cause respiratory issues and asthma.
Additionally, dust can also contain volatile organic compounds or VOCs, which trigger dizziness, headaches, and similar health issues.
Pet dander
Pet dander is a significant polluter of indoor air quality. In addition, these tiny pet hair and skin particles often cause allergies, throat irritation, asthma, and other respiratory issues.
Cleaning products
Cleaning products, solvents, paints, and furnishings contain VOCs. These particles get released into the air when the products are in use. As a result, indoor air quality can drop significantly.
Pesticides
Most pesticides for killing flies, mosquitoes, rodents, and other pests can cause eye irritation and many other health problems.
The best way to control indoor air quality after pesticide use is to properly dispose of all traces of the substance using protective, disposable equipment.
Learning about bad indoor air quality causes
Awareness of potential causes of bad air quality indoors should be a top priority of any homeowner, especially those with children. The next logical step is reducing air pollution to healthy levels.
Regular vacuuming and cleaning and air purifier installation can help. In addition, local air conditioning services can assist homeowners in finding the ideal solution to control air quality and breathe healthy, fresh air in their homes.
CMB Air is a residential heating and cooling installation, service, and repair company with 15+ years of experience serving Tampa and surrounding areas. If you need a new air conditioner, repair, maintenance or some other service, we can help! Call (813) 447-1443 today!
