If you’re questioning whether your Lake Forest home has poor indoor air quality (IAQ), it likely does.

We are indoors a lot. In fact, we’re indoors 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 might create long-term health concerns.

Most Common Origins of Unsatisfactory IAQ

We’ve put together a list of the most frequent origins of bad IAQ, the troubles they cause and how you can remedy these indoor air pollutants. If you’re concerned about the air inside your house, we recommend chatting with a expert like 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning about which products are a good fit for your house.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are fumes emitted from everyday household products.

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

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

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

Always follow the manufacturer’s directions when using paint or cleaning supplies. Opening a window can help odors disappear faster.

Air purification systems can also better your air. This unit partners with your heating and cooling equipment to enhance indoor air. When looking for one, ensure it’s specifically created to wipe out VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can trigger health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it constantly gets redistributed by your residence’s comfort unit. While you can vacuum more regularly and get an improved air filter, an air filtration system might be a better fit.

This solution hooks to your heating and cooling equipment to provide strong filtration. Some models have hospital-level filtration for eliminating particles and bioaerosols.

Lasting Odors

New houses are securely sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your heating and cooling costs, it’s not very good for your IAQ.

Stale odors can stay around for a greater amount of time because your home is pulling in reduced fresh air. As keeping your windows open all year-round isn’t an option, here are two ways you can make your indoor air smell better.

An air purification system is installed in your ductwork to eliminate odors before they recirculate. Search for one with a carbon filter and the capability to break down harmful VOCs. These units can also help keep your household healthy by wiping out most bacteria and ordinary allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system pulls out stale indoor air and substitutes it with crisp outdoor air. There are two types of systems (heat recovery and energy recovery), so check with our professionals for more information on which kind is right for your home.

Uneven Humidity

It’s essential your house’s humidity remains even. Air that has too much moisture can create mold, while dry air can cause respiratory issues.

Our technicians suggest 40–50% for the best comfort. To keep yours even, consider getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your HVAC unit.

Instead of 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 occurs when there’s insufficient combustion in fuel-burning appliances, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.

It causes a severe health risk. In low levels, it can cause flu-like ailments like headaches and nausea. It can be lethal in big levels.

We recommend annual furnace maintenance to ensure your system is running like it should. This work allows our technicians to spot problems before they get bigger, including malfunctions that can cause carbon monoxide leaks.

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

Enhance Your Home’s Air Quality with the 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning Specialists

Informed that your residence has bad air quality but not sure how to enhance it? Or unsure which option is right for you? Give our friendly HVAC experts a call at 949-204-0859 or contact us online now. With free estimates and expert assistance, we’ll help you locate the right equipment for your needs and budget.