Guide to Improving Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

Guide to Improving Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

We spend most of our time indoors, so it’s important to ensure clean air quality at all times. This guide will help you understand indoor air quality, including what causes it, how it affects your health, how to test it, and what you can do to improve it.

Understanding Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality refers to the cleanliness and safety of the air inside buildings where we live, work, or entertain ourselves. When a space has good air quality, it means:

• The temperature and humidity levels are comfortable.
• There’s an adequate supply of cleaner air from outdoors.
• You have control of pollutants from both inside and outside the building.

On the other hand, poor air quality means the space has harmful particles, moisture levels, or gases that can negatively affect your health and comfort.

Sources of Indoor Air Pollution

To effectively monitor and manage the air quality in your home, you must understand what can affect it in the first place. These are common sources of indoor air pollution:

• Smoke from cigarettes or fireplaces
• Appliances that use fuel, like gas stoves or ovens
• Building materials with a mineral fiber called asbestos, especially when they’re disturbed or damaged in any way
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), often found in household products like pesticides, paints, air fresheners, and stored fuels
• Mold and mildew
• Pet dander
• Dust mites and pollen

There are several factors that make outdoor air unhealthy, so it’s normal for people to assume that outdoor air quality is worse than what we breathe indoors. However, several reports by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have shown that indoor air pollution levels are typically 2-5 times higher than outdoor pollution levels.

The reason is that contaminants from outside can enter your home through open windows and doors. They can also penetrate small cracks in your walls or window sealants. Over time, both indoor and outdoor contaminants accumulate in your space. As a result, your home becomes less comfortable, and your health and your family’s health could be affected.

How Poor Indoor Air Quality Affects Your Health

Poor indoor air quality can cause or contribute to several long-term or short-term health problems for you and your family.

Immediate Effects

These health issues can show up immediately or within hours of exposure to pollutants:

• Respiratory irritation, like coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath
• Allergic reactions that cause sneezing, a runny nose, itchy eyes, or skin rashes
• Nausea and vomiting
• Headaches and dizziness

Long-Term Effects

After repeated or prolonged exposure to indoor air contaminants, you may experience long-term health effects, such as:

• Serious respiratory diseases like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and severe bronchitis.
• Cardiovascular problems such as heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. 
• Cancer — often caused by exposure to certain pollutants, such as a radioactive gas called radon or asbestos.
• Cognitive impairment, which often leads to memory problems and other neurological issues.

Health Effects of Air Pollutants on Vulnerable Populations

Although anyone can be affected by poor indoor air quality, children, pregnant women, older people, and individuals already suffering from respiratory or cardiovascular diseases are the most vulnerable.

• Children: Studies have shown that air pollutants adversely affect children more than adults. They are more likely to get serious lung infections, have trouble breathing, or develop asthma.
• Pregnant women: A study published in 2021 linked nearly 5.9 million premature births and 2.8 million babies born underweight worldwide to air pollution. These statistics clearly show how crucial it is for expectant women to maintain good indoor air quality.
• Older people: As we age, our bodies become less able to remove harmful chemicals. As a result, older adults are more sensitive to indoor air pollution.
• People with preexisting health conditions: Individuals with asthma, COPD, and other long-term illnesses are already experiencing challenges with their health. Their symptoms get worse when exposed to poor indoor air quality. As a result, they may need more medication, have more hospital visits, and in worst cases, premature death.

How to Test Indoor Air Quality

You can test your home’s air quality yourself or hire a professional to test it for you.

DIY Testing

The easiest way to test the air in your home is by using an indoor air quality monitor. An air quality monitor tracks certain pollutants in real time, allowing you to instantly know when air conditions change. However, each device can only detect the specific contaminants it is built to measure. For example, a monitor that checks for particulate matter (PM) like dust, pet dander, or pollen cannot detect carbon monoxide or radon. 

Additionally, you must understand the basics of the U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI) to be able to interpret the results. If you’re having trouble interpreting your air quality test results or think there may be pollutants in your home that your monitor cannot detect, it is a good idea to talk to an air quality professional.

Professional Testing

DIY testing is a good first step, but hiring a professional gives you a more complete picture of your indoor air quality. Professionals can interpret the AQI more accurately and test for harmful contaminants that consumer test kits often miss. These include dangerous substances like lead, asbestos, or mold that may be hidden. Because of their training and experience, professionals can give you advice and provide solutions that will improve your overall home environment.

How to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Here are quick tips for reducing indoor air pollution:

• Eliminate or control the source: The air in your home will get cleaner if you remove or reduce things that cause pollution. For example, you can avoid smoking inside your home and clean your space regularly to minimize dust and allergens. You can also choose paints, cleaners, and other household products labeled “low VOC” or “VOC-free.” These products release fewer harmful chemicals into the air, which helps keep your indoor air cleaner and safer.
• Improve ventilation: Try to let outdoor air into your home whenever possible. Opening windows and doors helps remove stale or polluted air and bring in cleaner air. You can install a fresh air intake if your home has a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. With a fresh air intake, the system can bring in cleaner air from outside, rather than reusing the same indoor air repeatedly.
• Install an air purifier or air scrubber: Air purifiers have many benefits, which include reducing allergens like dust and pet dander, filtering out smoke or odors, and helping remove airborne pollutants. If you want a more advanced solution, consider the air scrubber. This device can remove up to 99% of bacteria, viruses, and germs in the air and on surfaces. You can have a professional install a whole-home air scrubber in your duct system so that all the air in the house is cleaned. You can also use portable air scrubbers to improve the air in specific rooms.
• Control humidity: Use humidifiers and dehumidifiers to keep moisture levels in your home balanced. Keep humidity levels between 30%-50% to avoid problems like mold or dry skin.

Ranck’s Solutions for Indoor Air Quality Improvement

While there are steps you can take to ease the issue, dealing with indoor air pollutants is a job best left to the experts. Ranck offers various air conditioning services that will help improve your indoor air quality, ensuring better health and increased comfort for you and your family. If you’d like more information about how to improve indoor air quality or want to book a service, call us at (717) 397-2577 or contact us online today.