As a homeowner, you should be aware there are a number of pollutants that negatively impact your indoor air quality and aggravate many health conditions. Prolonged exposure to some home invaders may even lead to cancer. The most common symptoms of poor indoor air are dry eyes, headaches and nasal congestion, fatigue, nausea, asthma and respiratory complications.
Health-threatening indoor air pollutants
Tracy He, manager of Home Saving Inc. in Markham, says there are many different types of pollutants found in the home, including deadly and carcinogenic gases such as carbon monoxide, radon, and formaldehyde, secondhand tobacco smoke, bacteria and viruses, pollen, animal dander, and dust mite particles.
“The health impact of these different pollutants varies greatly, from mild discomfort to life-threatening,” says He. “Fortunately, there are many ways to improve the air in your family’s home.”
How to improve air quality this fall
Some habits in the home that can reduce a family’s exposure to poor indoor quality are keeping doors and windows shut, improving ventilation, and keeping the house clean.
The best way to remove particles and pollutants from the air is with a whole-home air purifier that removes these particulates from every room of the house. Especially for those with allergy and asthma symptoms, an air purifier can provide significant relief.
The experts at Home Saving can recommend an air purifier for your home.
Removing dangerous gases and volatile compounds
While an air purifier can trap the particulates that impact a family’s health, removing invisible but deadly gases requires whole-home ventilation.
“The concentration of polluted air in the home can be up to 10 times greater than the levels outside, so bringing in fresh air is essential to a family’s health,” said He. “Aprilaire offers two solutions for homeowners to exchange the stale and polluted air in their homes: an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) and a ventilation control system.”
ERVs also improve energy efficiency by ensuring air brought into the house is not too cold or too hot.
Here’s what you need to know about ERVs:
Home Saving Inc. is a local HVAC business specializing in indoor air comfort. For more information, call Home Saving Inc. at 416-800-4410.
