Do you know the single thing we keep doing non-stop our whole life? Breathing! When can’t live without air even for 5 minutes! Yet how much are we concerned about the air we inhale for our entire lives?
Well, not as much as we should. According to World Health Organization, indoor air pollution was responsible for almost 3.2 million deaths per year in 2020, including over 2,37,000 deaths of children under the age of 5.
So, even when you think you are in the safest place, you might not be just because of poor indoor air quality in your home. So, how to improve indoor air quality? The first thing is to identify it by professional air quality testing. Let’s find out more about this on our blog.
In this blog, we’ll explore the signs of poor indoor air quality in your home and the essential benefits you will gain from air quality testing. So, take action and stay till the end to find out the top 5 benefits you will gain from improved indoor air quality.
Signs of Poor Indoor Air Quality
Poor air quality is a slow killer. You won’t notice its effects immediately, but it slowly creates dangerous respiratory issues, especially for infants and children.
These are some common signs which can indicate poor air quality in your home or office:
- Irritation in eyes, nose, throat, and skin
- Severe headache
- Exhaustion
- Shortness of breath
- Hypersensitivity and allergies
- Coughing and sneezing
- Dizziness
- Nausea
We know these symptoms also appear when you have flu or other respiratory issues. But if you notice these symptoms in your home or office and generally feel good when outside, then you should absolutely be concerned about the air quality of your home or office and go for indoor air quality testing.
If you want to know the types of indoor air quality testing and which one is best for you, make sure to check out our comprehensive blog on The Ultimate Guide to Air Quality Testing In Florida Homes.
Top 5 Benefits of Improved Indoor Air Quality
Improved Health Effects
As we said before, symptoms of poor air quality include nasal irritation, scratchy throat, headaches, nausea, and fatigue. The effects can be severe for those with allergies, colds, and flues.
Especially people with asthma may see worsened symptoms. If you notice these effects in a specific room or area and go away when you leave. In that case, the reason for your symptoms is most probably poor indoor air quality.
Some indoor air pollutants can increase the risk of respiratory disease, heart problems, and cancer over time. Therefore the best way to avoid any short-term or long-term health issues is to have your indoor air quality tested by any professional mold remediation service in Florida and identify the core problem.
For example, you can change the types of cleaning products you use, improve the ventilation of air coming into your home, or have your ductwork and other HVAC equipment serviced or updated.
- Boost Your Comfort
Poor air quality can affect different people differently, but no denying that the symptoms are quite uncomfortable. Nobody wants to have nose, eye, or throat irritation, but improving air quality can relieve these painful issues.
Even a dull headache, such as carbon monoxide exposure, may be a symptom of something dangerous. It’s, therefore, important to take note of your symptoms and have indoor air quality checked to be on the safe side.
Indoor humidity should be between 30% and 50% – an air quality sensor can help you to keep the humidity level in check. Higher levels can make it feel warm and sticky and increase the risk of mold.
If the humidity is too low, you might experience dry skin, more colds and viruses, and static electricity. Professional air quality testing can determine precisely what’s limiting your comfort level so you can take steps to improve it.
- Increased Efficiency and Lower Electric Bills
Air quality issues often result from poor ventilation, which can cause your HVAC system to work harder. This increases the strain on the system, so it uses more energy, rapidly increasing your utility bill.
Allowing air in from the outside helps reduce concentrations of indoor pollutants. However, increased airflow from outdoors on a hot or cold day forces your HVAC system to compensate, so it’s important to carefully control ventilation in a building.
- Improved Employee Performance
Increased comfort tends to increase productivity. Reducing the incidences of illness and symptoms of poor air quality can equally lower absence rates and improve the performance of your workers. Improved ventilation rates can result in up to 35% fewer staff sick days.
If you follow the latest building standards and use surveys to determine employee comfort levels related to temperature, humidity, and other factors, you can narrow down the pollutants to test for.
Compare your survey to a floor plan to spot trends and trouble spots. In addition to analyzing results, share them with everyone to improve accuracy and reporting.
- Reduced Pet and House Odors
Smoke, combustion products, rodent droppings, mold, and other indoor pollutants can give off unpleasant smells. Most of the time, the problem is hidden deep inside your AC ducts.
Foul odors can make people in your home or office miserable. Odor buildup is a serious health risk – it kills you slowly without you realizing. Also, they can indicate more severe problems that can put their health and safety at risk. A cleaner smell is also more inviting to guests, employees, clients, and visitors.
Top 5 IAQ Control Strategies
Now that we know about these amazing benefits of improved indoor air quality, You must be eager to know how to improve indoor air quality.
Let’s unravel the secrets to maintaining fresh and clean air indoors. So, how to improve indoor air quality? Here are 5 amazing strategies that will keep the air in your surroundings healthy and safe:
Managing the Source
First, you must find out where those bothersome air pollutants come from. Managing the source means identifying, avoiding, isolating, or even getting rid of the things that worsen your indoor air quality.
You will be tackling the root causes of air quality problems. For instance, you can make smart choices when selecting carpets, furniture, and equipment that don’t release too many contaminants. Taking control of is variables will result in improved air quality.
Get Rid of Pollutants
According to the University of Tennessee, local exhaust is a control system that reduces exposure to airborne contaminants such as dust, mist, fume, vapor, or gas in the workplace. This will stop the dangerous pollutants from sneaking into your lungs when you breathe.
Local exhaust doesn’t let the airborne particles spread and helps you to maintain a healthy living environment. But this has more of a commercial use like this offices and industries. Places like restrooms, food prep areas, storage rooms, and even photocopying rooms can benefit from this strategy.
Ventilation
Bringing the great outdoors indoors is what ventilation is all about. It’s like inviting fresh air to come in and replace any unwanted stuff in our indoor spaces. Building codes often tell us how much outdoor air we should have inside.
If you are doing activities like painting or cleaning up spills, you can use temporary ventilation machines to reduce the concentration of harmful fumes. Just remember, ventilation is a way of reducing air pollutants, but you have to fix the source of the issue.
Control Exposure
Sometimes, timing can make all the difference. Exposure control will let you adjust the time and place to minimize the effects of intentionally released air pollutants. For example, if you plan to strip and wax the floors, choose weekends when fewer people are around.
Or you can also install an air quality sensor. This tells you when the pollutants rise so you can instantly know whether the air is safe to breathe and take preventive steps.
Air Cleaning
The best way to improve your indoor air quality is undoubtedly a thorough air cleaning from a professional mold remediation service in Florida. Ventilation systems often have filters that can catch these particles, making the air cleaner and healthier.
Sometimes, you can even remove gaseous contaminants, but that can get a bit complex and expensive. But if you want to maintain your air quality in your office or workplace, it’s definitely a great idea!
There you have it—the five fantastic strategies to transform your indoor air quality. With these simple yet powerful tips, you can say goodbye to poor indoor quality air.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the air you breathe indoors deserves your attention to ensure its safety for your beloved ones. Poor indoor air quality can harm our health and well-being, but we have the power to make a difference.
By recognizing the signs of poor air quality, conducting indoor air quality testing, and implementing strategies like managing sources, removing pollutants, improving ventilation, controlling exposure, and considering air cleaning options, we can enjoy the benefits of improved indoor air quality.
To ensure the quality of your indoor air, you should start by getting air quality testing from a professional mold remediation service in Florida. Our professional services will not only test the air for you, but our experts will also extract and remediate mold and keep your home pollutant-free.
These benefits include better health, increased comfort, reduced energy costs, improved productivity, and a more pleasant environment. Let’s prioritize the air we breathe and create healthier indoor spaces for ourselves and those around us.