If you’re uncertain whether your Port St. Lucie home has bad indoor air quality (IAQ), it likely does.

We are indoors a lot. In reality, we’re inside 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 could create long-term health concerns.

Most Common Causes of Poor IAQ

We’ve made a list of the most frequent sources of inferior IAQ, the issues they make and how you can fix these indoor air pollutants. If you’re concerned about the air inside your residence, we recommend talking with a pro like Custom Air Systems Inc about which solutions are a good fit for your house.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are chemicals leaked by common household things.

They’re found in paint and stains as well as:

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

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

Always use the manufacturer’s instructions when painting or cleaning. Unlatching a window can help fumes dissipate faster.

Air purification systems can also better your air. This system partners with your heating and cooling equipment to freshen indoor air. When hunting for a system, ensure it’s specifically designed to eliminate VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

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

This solution hooks to your heating and cooling equipment to deliver strong filtration. Some models offer hospital-level filtration for getting rid of particles and bioaerosols.

Lasting Odors

Newer homes are tightly sealed to enhance energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your heating and cooling expenses, it’s not so good for your IAQ.

Stuffy odors can hang around for a greater amount of time as your house is pulling in reduced fresh air. Since keeping your windows open all year-round isn’t doable, here are two methods you can make your indoor air smell fresher.

An air purification system is placed in your ductwork to eliminate odors before they recirculate. Find one with a carbon filter and the power to eliminate dangerous VOCs. These systems can also help keep your loved ones healthy by eliminating most bacteria and common allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system takes out musty indoor air and exchanges it with clean outdoor air. There are two types of systems (heat recovery and energy recovery), so check with our professionals for more details on which solution is right for your residence.

Unsteady Humidity

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

Our techs suggest 40–50% for top comfort. To keep yours steady, consider getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your heating and cooling system.

Instead of having to pull a humidifier from room to room, this product delivers consistent humidity around your house.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is colorless gas you can’t smell. It’s caused by insufficient combustion in fuel-burning units, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.

It creates an extreme health risk. In low levels, it can lead to flu-like ailments like headaches and nausea. It can be deadly in big levels.

We recommend annual furnace maintenance to ensure your unit is running properly. This work allows our techs to discover troubles before they start, including malfunctions that can create carbon monoxide leaks.

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

Enhance Your Home’s Air Quality with the Custom Air Systems Inc Specialists

Aware that your home has bad air quality but not sure how to enhance it? Or unsure which product is a good fit for you? Give our friendly HVAC professionals a call at 772-247-2283 or contact us online today. With free estimates and pro assistance, we’ll help you locate the best equipment for your home and budget.