Why an Energy-Efficient Home Can Impact Air Quality and How to Make It Better 

Houses today are constructed with energy efficiency in mind. This involves added insulation and tightly sealed doors and windows to keep heating and cooling costs reasonable. While this is great for your energy costs, it’s not so good for your indoor air quality. 

Because air has decreased chances to escape, contaminants can accumulate and impact your residence’s indoor air quality. In reality, your house’s air can actually be 2–5 times more unhealthy than the outdoors, according to the EPA. That’s not good for anyone, but it’s especially detrimental for loved ones with allergies, asthma, other respiratory concerns or heart disease. 

Let’s go over some of these routine contaminants and how you can improve your residence’s indoor air quality

6 Common Pollutants that Affect Indoor Air Quality 

When you picture pollutants, you may think about smog or tobacco smoke. But lots of substances that impact your air quality are normal substances. These things have chemicals called volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. 

They entail: 

  1. Cleaning products, like aerosol sprays, bleach and window cleaner. 
  1. Personal care products, including hairspray, perfume and nail products. 
  1. Candles and air fresheners. 
  1. Formaldehyde, which is frequently used in plastic, foam and particleboard products. 
  1. Furniture, window treatments and carpet, especially when they’re brand new. 
  1. Paints and stains. 

Other everyday pollutants include: 

  • Dust 
  • Pet dander 
  • Pollen 
  • Mold 

Symptoms of VOC Exposure 

Some people are more affected by VOCs than others. The EPA says symptoms of VOC exposure entail: 

  • Irritated eyes, nose or throat 
  • Headaches 
  • Dizziness 
  • Fatigue 

In bad cases, the EPA says VOCs can lead to respiratory and heart diseases. 

4 Ways to Enhance Your House’s Indoor Air Quality 

It isn’t hard to boost your residence’s air quality. Here are a couple of ideas from Harvard Medical School

1. Clean Your House Frequently 

Regularly cleaning and washing surfaces that attract allergens, including furniture, carpet and bedding, will help cut down on dust, dust mites and pet dander in your house. 

2. Regularly Replace Your Air Filter 

This essential filter keeps your house cozy and air healthy. How often you should change your air filter depends on the kind of filter you have. Flat filters should be replaced every month, while pleated filters should be replaced every three months. If you’re not sure if your filter should be replaced, remove it and angle it to the light. Get a new one if you can’t see light through it. 

If someone in your household deals with allergies or asthma, we recommend having a filter with a better MERV rating. The bigger the number this is, the better your filter is at eliminating contaminants. 

3. Enhance Natural Ventilation 

Keep fresh air circulating by opening windows whenever the temperature allows. We also recommend running exhaust fans in your bathroom and kitchen frequently to get rid of pollutants and draw in more fresh air. 

4. Call Our Indoor Air Quality Pros 

From whole-home air purifiers, Epperson Service Experts has a fix to help your household breathe better. We’ll help you find the ideal option during your free home comfort assessment. Give us a call at 843-619-3781 to request yours now! 

Savings For You

See All Offers Here >
Icon representing Indoor Air Quality

Free Indoor Air Quality Consultation

  • Written 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
print

© 2024 Service Experts, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning, and the Service Experts logo and design are registered trademarks of Service Experts LLC and used under license by SE Canada Inc. All Rights Reserved. *Not applicable to the Advantage Program. See your signed Advantage Program Agreement for full details and exclusions. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee is subject to certain restrictions and limitations as set forth in the applicable Terms and Conditions.