Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can lead to numerous health problems, on top of the constant discomfort. Indoor air quality is an essential aspect of home maintenance, yet it is often overlooked. People get dryer vent cleaning in Nashville and other places with moderate climate quite regularly, but not all of them know the other ways to improve their IAQ. However, to tell if your IAQ needs improvement, you need to look out for the following signs:
1. Allergies are acting up
A tell-tale sign of poor indoor air quality is the exacerbation of family members’ allergies. Many people tend to associate allergy episodes with changes in seasons. This can be true; however, there is still a chance that IAQ has got something to do with it.
To find out whether your allergies are a cause of poor IAQ or external factors, pay attention to when your episodes trigger. Do they flare up in seasons that don’t usually worsen your allergies? Do you experience issues at home only? Are other people in the house experiencing flare-ups as well? If you answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then you may be dealing with an outrageous amount of allergens in your home.
2. New and unusual symptoms
The air indoors can be contaminated by harmful substances like mold spores, toxic fumes, and asbestos, among many others. These contaminants can cause symptoms that range from mild to severe, depending on their concentration in the air. If anyone in the house starts to experience nausea, fatigue, fevers, dizziness, chills, vomiting, shortness of breath, and hearing loss that cannot be chalked up to another illness, you might want to have your IAQ checked.
3. Respiratory problems
If you have an existing respiratory illness and it is mysteriously getting worse, the contaminants in your home may be causing its exacerbation. On the other hand, if you don’t have an existing respiratory problem but manage to experience symptoms of one, it can also mean that your IAQ is getting worse.
Harmful particles in the air could cause severe respiratory problems if left ignored. Thus, make sure you rule out IAQ first before looking at other causes. Otherwise, other people in the house can contract similar illnesses, too.
4. Inconsistent humidity
When your humidity levels are off, it can lead to discomfort, house damage, and a barrage of health problems. Signs of low humidity include dried indoor plants, peeling wallpaper, unusual static electricity, and health issues like dry skin, irritated eyes, colds, and infections. On the other hand, high humidity can cause mold, dust mites, and other allergens to survive and replicate in the home.
5. HVAC issues
There are many issues that your HVAC system can run into, but these are the most common ones that can indicate poor IAQ: uneven temperatures, excessive dust, and stale odors. If you are experiencing these problems in your home, you might want to get your HVAC checked by professionals before the problem gets worse.
The worst thing you can do about poor IAQ is to ignore it. But now that you know the common signs of bad indoor air quality, you should be prepared to take action.