6 Common Threats to Indoor Air Quality in Sarasota, FL

The outdoor air quality of Sarasota, FL, is a bit better than the national average. When you’re outside, there’s not that much you can do about the air quality you’re inhaling. But indoors, that’s a different story. The air quality of your home should always be healthy and free of pollutants. Here are six threats to your indoor air quality:

What’s Indoor Air Quality?

The United States Environmental Protection Agency defines air quality in terms of how it affects the health and comfort of the people inhaling it. If you’re sitting at home and sneezing or experiencing asthma, the air quality is probably not healthy. The air you’re breathing indoors shouldn’t trigger respiratory issues. Instead, the air inside should be your refuge from the questionable air outside.

Household Cleaners and Disinfectants

Household cleaners and disinfectants are made to be more environmentally friendly today. Nonetheless, many still have chemicals that emanate strong smells. The combination of the chemical and smells has a negative impact on the indoor air quality.

When you clean, the best action you can take is to open a window until the house has aired out and the majority of the smell is gone. The chemicals are hazardous to your lungs, and breathing them in long spurts should be avoided.

Smoke

It has been proven that secondhand smoke kills. If you’re a smoker, you’re encouraged to at least smoke outside. Smoke lands on all surfaces including on your bed when you sleep, which is not healthy.

The negative effects of smoke are well-documented and include cancer. Smoke from a fireplace and furnace is also harmful to your health, so it should be minimized as much as possible.

Cooking

As innocent as cooking your meals may seem, the smoke created from this necessary task is harmful to the air quality of your home. The smoke creates hazardous gases that cause damage. The best way to combat smoke from cooking is to install exhaust vents over the stove and use them.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

The presence of volatile organic compounds indoors can cause nausea, headaches and fatigue. A common VOC comes from paint. Others come from formaldehyde, the carpet and garbage.

A VOC due to the garbage that needs to be taken outside is an inconvenience. There are more serious VOCs that are hazardous to your health such as those from gasoline, pesticides and other evaporated substances.

Excess Moisture

There should never be excess moisture in your home for an extended period. Excess moisture allows spores that produce bacteria, microbial and other living allergens to thrive on your surfaces even though you cannot see them. They can even grow inside the cooling system, which means that you end up breathing air that has bacteria floating on it.

Radon

Radon is found underneath the foundation of a house in the dirt. When the weather gets hot, it heats the soil. This turns radon into a gas.

If there are cracks in your foundation, the Rrdon gas can find its way into your home where you breathe and sleep. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the USA.

What are Some Indoor Air Quality Solutions?

There are several ways to improve the indoor air quality of a home. After inspection, our team of factory-trained and NATE-certified service technicians take note of their findings. Then, they can outline solution options for you.

At All American Heating & Cooling, we offer several indoor air quality solutions such as air purifiers, UV lamps and dehumidifiers. Call us to schedule an appointment. We’re happy to help you resolve all your IAQ issues.

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