What is IAQ?

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is the air quality within your home as it relates to your and your family’s health and comfort. IAQ takes into account various pollutants, some impossible to detect without an IAQ test.

Indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air are the primary cause of IAQ problems in homes. Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources, and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the home. High temperature and humidity levels can also increase concentrations of some pollutants. Primary factors that affect IAQ are carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds, particulates, temperature and humidity.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that interferes with the delivery of oxygen through the body. CO causes headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea, and even death. Potential sources are defective central heating furnaces, automobile exhaust, tobacco smoke, space heaters using fossil fuels. The solution to CO contamination is source removal.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is exhaled by humans and pets as a natural part of the metabolic process. High levels of CO₂ can cause drowsiness and headaches. ASHRAE recommends that indoor CO₂ levels not exceed 700 ppm above outdoor ambient levels. The solution for high CO₂ levels is ventilation.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are chemicals found in home furnishings, carpets, building materials, paints and lacquers, cleaning supplies, waxes, pesticides, moth repellents, air fresheners, and dry-cleaned clothing. VOCs evaporate into the air when these products are used or sometimes even when they are stored. Volatile organic compounds irritate the eyes, nose and throat, and cause headaches, nausea, and damage to the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system. Some of them can cause cancer. Solutions for high VOC levels include ventilation and VOC destruction technologies.

Particulates can induce eye, nose, and throat irritation; respiratory infections, bronchitis and even lung cancer. Particulates include asthma triggers and mold.

Asthma triggers include mold, dust mites, secondhand smoke, and pet dander, as well as other pollutants in the air. Asthma triggers cause symptoms including coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, and breathing problems. Asthma attacks can be life threatening. However, asthma can be controlled by reducing asthma triggers.

Molds are living things that produce spores. Molds produce spores that float in the air, land on damp surfaces, and grow. Inhaling or touching molds can cause hay fever-type symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rashes. Molds can also trigger asthma attacks. Indoor humidity can increases the likelihood of mold. Indoor humidity should be kept between 30 and 50 percent.

Particulate solutions include filtration, air cleaner systems, and de/humidification.

If you concerned about any of these issues, your indoor air quality needs to be improved. That starts with testing. Let us help you. Have an AirAdvice for Homes™ indoor air quality test done today in your home – it’s simple.

The AirAdvice for Homes™ indoor air quality test measures levels of contaminants that affect your home’s air quality, such as particle allergens (dust, pet dander, pollen), carbon dioxide (can cause stuffy rooms), chemical pollutants (harmful gasses), temperature, humidity, and carbon monoxide.

At AirAdvice, we are experts in indoor environmental quality. We work with a select group of licensed HVAC contractors that we know and trust who are trained in AirAdvice™ testing. Clear your home of indoor air pollution. Find an IAQ expert in your area.

What Causes Indoor Air Pollution?

There are many factors that can cause indoor air pollution:

The typical home generates approximately 40 pounds of dust a year per every 1500 square feet.
There are over 4,000 compounds in tobacco smoke, many of which are strong irritants.
Just one ounce of dust contains about 40,000 dust mites, which aggravate allergies.
Carpets, furniture, bathrooms, damp basements, and other seemingly benign household items can contribute to indoor air pollution.
Tobacco smoke and wood smoke are a common cause of indoor air pollution.
Flowers and trees are both sources of pollen, but surprisingly trees affect allergy sufferers more. Trees like alder, pine and birch do not rely on insects to distribute pollen. They rely on wind, and this means their pollen can regularly enter your home.
Common activities such as cooking, cleaning, and remodeling cause the spread of indoor contaminants.
Perfume, paint, air fresheners and hairspray cause indoor air pollution.

What is causing indoor air pollution in your home? Get an indoor air pollution test to find out. The results could be surprising. Significantly lowering indoor air pollution is normally not that difficult, but you have to know what you are dealing with

Indoor air pollution and its health implications are a rapidly growing concern for families in today’s society. You want your family to be safe from the air pollution problems found in the outside environment, yet you may be unaware that indoor air pollution can have a major effect on your family’s health, comfort, and safety as well.

The EPA has identified indoor air pollution as one of the top five urgent environmental risks to public health. Indoor air pollution contributes to lung disease, including respiratory tract infections, asthma, and lung cancer, and can greatly exacerbate allergy symptoms. If you or a family member suffer from allergies or asthma, or if you have infants or elderly persons living at home, indoor air pollution and its health implications are of even greater concern to you.

Even healthy adults can experience adverse symptoms with as little as a single exposure to indoor air pollution. Some common symptoms are headaches, nausea, sore or scratchy throat, nasal irritation, dry, red, or watering eyes, coughing, and fatigue.

Common indoor air pollutants

Throughout your home, there could be contaminants that you do not know about that are quietly contributing to air quality problems in every room of the house. There are many factors that can cause indoor air pollution:

Bedrooms – dust mites, pet dander, fragrances, dry-cleaning
Family rooms – tobacco smoke, wood stoves/fireplaces, unvented space heaters
Bathrooms – plumbing leaks, damp flooring and carpeting, excessive moisture, insect debris, viruses and bacteria, household cleaners, air fresheners
Kitchens – cooking smoke, gas appliances, household cleaning agents, insect debris, viruses and bacteria, garbage pails, plumbing leaks
Attics – outdated insulation, old clothing and bedding, asbestos, dust
Garages – paints and solvents, auto exhaust and gasoline fumes, pesticides and herbicides, carbon monoxide, hobby supplies (like vanishes and glues)
Basements – radon, plumbing leaks, viruses and bacteria, dust
Fireplaces – carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, particle allergens, chemical pollutants, and temperature, humidity, air pressure issues
Yards – pollen, dust, pesticides, herbicides

If you or your family has suffered from any of the symptoms above, or recognize any of these pollutants in your home, let us help you. Have an AirAdvice for Homes™ indoor air quality test done today in your home – it’s simple.

Find an IAQ Expert in your area.

Allergy

Indoor allergens are airborne particles inside the home that cause allergic reactions, and they often provoke or worsen asthma symptoms. It is estimated that over 42 million Americans suffer from allergies or asthma, and indoor allergens are a serious contributor to their symptoms.

The majority of people with asthma, or allergies like hay fever, tend to think of their homes as a safe haven free from the elements that aggravate their condition. The fact is that indoor allergens are prevalent in most people’s homes. This is because homes actually trap in the allergens, and therefore they are unavoidable.

Common indoor allergens are pollen, dust, dust mites, mold, mildew, insect debris and pet dander. Pollens are the main cause of seasonal allergies, however if you experience allergy symptoms like stuffed up nose, watery or itchy eyes, sneezing, congestion, or runny nose year-round, then most likely you are experiencing non-seasonal allergic reactions caused by indoor allergens.

A few facts about indoor allergens and allergies:

Allergy symptoms are often aggravated in the winter because people tend to keep their windows closed, thereby trapping the allergens indoors.
Having windows open during high pollen and mold count seasons can worsen allergy symptoms because high concentration allergens are able to enter your home.
If you experience allergy symptoms due to indoor allergens, you will continue to be symptomatic as long as exposure continues.
Indoor allergen sensitivity is extremely common and can occur at any age.

AirAdvice indoor air quality tips:

The key to controlling allergies caused by indoor allergens is to reduce your level of exposure to them. Depending on your specific living environment, the solution could be adequate ventilation, filtration, source removal, or some combination of all of these.

Asthma

Many groups are especially susceptible to the health effects of indoor pollution. These include infants and the elderly, those with heart and lung diseases, people with asthma, and individuals who have developed extreme sensitivity to chemicals. Unfortunately, these are the people who often spend the most time indoors.

The effects of indoor air pollution are vast in America:

It is estimated that over 15 million Americas including one in 13 school-age children have asthma.
Over 28 million Americans suffer from allergies such as hay fever.
The number of people with asthma has gone up almost 60% in the last 30 years.
Kids inhale 50% more air per pound of body weight than adults. This is because they breathe faster, and it causes them to be especially sensitive to the effects of indoor air pollution.
Asthma related illness accounts for around $6.2 billion per year in America.
An estimated 1.8 million people that suffer from asthma require emergency room treatment each year, resulting in about 500,000 hospitalizations.
Kids under 18 years of age make up 47.8% of the emergency room visits and 34.6% of the hospitalizations due to asthma attacks.
Asthma accounts for more hospitalizations in kids than any other chronic ailment.
Asthma causes more school absences than any other chronic ailment.

Pollution