You may constantly hear about new subjects that should bother you and your loved ones. Don’t purchase products that isn’t BPA-free. Stay away from the microwave. Only store your food in glass containers, not plastic.
Now your neighbors are prattling on about indoor air quality (or IAQ) in Mobile. You can’t use strong chemicals to wipe down your counters. You have to buy an air purification system. You should use essential oils as an alternative to air fresheners.
And on and on it goes.
So you stop listening to all the noise and just do the best you can. We feel you - why stress about one issue if you’re just going to have to constantly worry about everything else?
But, of all things, indoor air quality is definitely something you should think about, and here’s why.
It affects your health
We’ve outlined how to fight sickness and stay healthy with indoor air quality; and, we’ve shared how to Stop the Sneezes and help alleviate the symptoms of allergies and asthma with recommendations to improve indoor air quality; we’ve even given you a full review of the APCO Whole-House Air Purifier to help keep your indoor air quality top notch. So now, we’ll be frank: poor indoor air quality is going to result in poor health . We spend upwards of 90% of our life indoors and with indoor air impurities, including pet dander, dust, fibers, and virus-causing germs, floating around our homes, it’s crucial to have an air purification system that can purify our air and help fight the germs that cause illness.
It affects your home
Bad air quality can affect your lungs, but it can also affect the function of your home. Indoor air with increased levels of pollutants hanging around is much harder on your home’s heating and cooling system. Contaminants clog the parts of the blower system and the home’s air filters more quickly, causing your heating and cooling system to work overtime to keep you comfortable. Your ductwork can also become filthy faster, resulting in inefficient airflow.
It affects your workplace
Multiple studies have proven that poor indoor air quality can have a very real effect on workplace production. Not only can it worsen the symptoms of allergies and asthma, but the contaminants put off by copying machines, cleaning supplies, poorly maintained heating and AC equipment, and electrical equipment can cause headaches (even migraines), watery eyes, and itchy throats. While these symptoms may be short-lived, prolonged exposure to poor indoor air quality (and you’re probably spending at least 40 hours a week in the office) can result in skin rashes, respiratory illness, and other chronic ailments. On the more drastic side, radon or asbestos coming in through cracked foundations or ceilings can actually cause cancer and other fatal conditions and a high concentration of carbon monoxide can cause sudden death.
So next time your friend starts telling you about indoor air quality, listen intently because it could be crucial for your health and for your home. If you aren’t sure if your home’s indoor air quality is great or poor, call Climate Control Service Experts for a no-charge in-home analysis and we’ll verify your indoor air quality levels and review whole-home air cleaning choices with you.