Why an Energy-Efficient Home Can Influence Air Quality and How to Enhance It 

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

As air has reduced chances to escape, contaminants can build up and impact your residence’s indoor air quality. In actuality, your residence’s air can actually be 2–5 times worse than the outdoors, according to the EPA. That’s not good for anyone, but it’s particularly detrimental for loved ones with allergies, asthma, other respiratory concerns or heart disease. 

Let’s review some of these everyday contaminants and how you can enhance your residence’s indoor air quality. 

6 Routine Pollutants that Affect Indoor Air Quality 

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

They involve: 

1. Cleaning products, like aerosol sprays, bleach and window cleaner. 

2. Personal care products, including hairspray, perfume and nail products. 

3. Candles and air fresheners. 

4. Formaldehyde, which is frequently used in plastic, foam and particleboard products. 

5. Furniture, window treatments and carpet, particularly when they’re brand new. 

6. 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 improve your residence’s air quality. Here are a few ideas from Harvard Medical School: 

1. Clean Your House Regularly 

Routinely 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. Routinely 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 use. 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 advise having a filter with a better MERV rating. The bigger the number this is, the better your filter is at eliminating contaminants. 

3. Improve Natural Ventilation 

Keep fresh air circulating by opening windows whenever the temperature allows. We also advise 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, Teays Valley Service Experts has a solution to help your household breathe better. We’ll help you select the best option during your free home comfort assessment. Contact us at 304-760-5088 to request yours now!