If you’re unsure whether your Los Angeles home has poor indoor air quality (IAQ), it possibly 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 more contaminated than outdoors, which may create long-term health issues.

Most Common Origins of Unsatisfactory IAQ

We’ve put together a list of the most frequent causes of inferior IAQ, the issues they cause and how you can take care of these indoor air pollutants. If you’re concerned about the air inside your house, we advise consulting with a expert like AZ Air Conditioning and Heating about which products are a good fit for your house.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are chemicals emitted from regular household things.

They’re found in paint and stains along with:

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

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

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

Air purification systems can also make it better. This unit partners with your heating and cooling equipment to freshen indoor air. When seeking one, ensure it’s specifically made to eradicate VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can aggravate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continually gets recirculated by your residence’s comfort system. While you can vacuum more regularly and install an improved air filter, an air filtration system might be a better solution.

This unit hooks to your HVAC equipment to provide powerful filtration. Some kinds offer hospital-level filtration for eliminating particles and bioaerosols.

Persistent Odors

New houses are securely sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is great for your utility costs, it’s not so good for your IAQ.

Stuffy odors can hang around for a greater amount of time because your home is pulling in a smaller amount of fresh air. Because keeping your windows open all the time isn’t a possibility, here are two approaches you can make your indoor air smell cleaner.

An air purification system is installed in your ductwork to eliminate odors before they get released again. Look for one with a carbon filter and the power to wipe out harmful VOCs. These units can also help keep your loved ones healthy by eliminating most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system removes musty indoor air and substitutes it with clean outdoor air. There are two kinds of systems (heat recovery and energy recovery), so ask our professionals for more details on which kind is right for your home.

Unsteady Humidity

It’s essential your home’s humidity stays even. Air that’s too humid can cause mold, while dry air can lead to respiratory issues.

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

Rather than having to pull a humidifier from room to room, this solution delivers balanced humidity around your house.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is colorless gas you can’t smell. It occurs when there’s insufficient combustion in fuel-burning equipment, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.

It presents an extreme health risk. In small levels, it can cause flu-like ailments like headaches and nausea. It may be lethal in large levels.

We suggest yearly furnace maintenance to ensure your equipment is running properly. This service allows our techs to discover problems before they get bigger, including malfunctions that can lead to carbon monoxide leaks.

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

Better Your House’s Air Quality with the AZ Air Conditioning and Heating Professionals

Aware that your residence has poor air quality but not sure how to make it better? Or unsure which solution is best for you? Give our approachable HVAC experts a call at 800-296-5088 or contact us online today. With free estimates and expert service, we’ll help you locate the ideal equipment for your needs and budget.