What comes to mind when you hear ” air pollution”? Many start to imagine billowing smoke stacks pumping charcoal black gas into the air. Well, that’s not entirely true; pollution can be around you, and you wouldn’t even notice. Take your residence as an example where several air pollutants can successfully elude your scrutiny. Pollutants such as VOCs, mold, spores, dust, dirt, fumes, and carbon monoxide can be found in your residence and will inevitably affect your quality of life. Hence, we can safely say indoor air quality will impact your quality of life, so there must be a way to test your home’s indoor air quality. Let’s discuss how you can do that.
Be On A Lookout For Telltale Symptoms:
The human body thrives in a fresh environment, and a low IAQ certainly has a toll on your health. Most symptoms are similar to flu and seasonal allergies; thus, they are easy to overlook. You can expect coughing, scratchy throat, dry skin, headache, and watery eyes to tag along if indoor air quality dwindles. Again as we mentioned earlier, it’s easy to mistake these symptoms for a seasonal illness, but the localization of the symptoms can be a distinguishing factor. That is, when you move away from the environment, the symptoms decrease, and you feel better. However, symptoms welcome you again as soon as you enter the vicinity.
Testing Indoor Air Quality Using An Air Quality Monitor:
If you are experiencing symptoms related to low IAQ, it’s time to invest in an air quality monitor. The air quality monitor senses the air around you and gives you an idea about how dire the situation is. An air quality monitor should be able to monitor and report the following:
Humidity: Ideal humidity lies somewhere between 30% to 50%, and levels more or less than the recommended limit will cause problems. Low humidity causes mild dehydration, which you can feel through dry and itchy skin. On the other hand, high humidity promotes mold growth. Therefore, you need to keep an eye on humidity levels.
VOC: Many products you use in the home, such as oil paint, release volatile organic compounds. If the area is poorly ventilated, there is a risk of buildup. Therefore, an air quality monitor will help you track its level.
Particulate Matters (PM 2.5): Particulate matters indicate the level of dust mites and other allergens in the air.
Carbon monoxide: This gas is often dubbed the silent killer, and you don’t want a buildup of monoxide in your home.
What’s next?
Testing air quality is half the battle; now, you have to figure out how to correct faults. Here are some tips that can help you improve the IAQ of your home.
- Purchase or replace air filters.
- Clean the ducts.
- Call in professionals for HVAC maintenance.
- Improve the ventilation.
Call in the experts from Clean Liquid System, and we will guide you about improving your home’s air quality. To purchase air filters, feel free to surf our catalog or call us at (713) 253-0100.