Indoor air quality is the quality of the air inside of a building and it can have a huge affect on your health. Humidity, lack of ventilation, temperature, and mold or mildew from moisture all have an effect on the quality of the air that you breathe indoors. What things contribute to poor indoor air quality and how can you improve it?
Poor indoor air quality can have an even larger effect on your health than outdoor air. Industrial pollution, car exhaust, pollen, and other pollutants can’t stand up to lingering cigarette smoke, dust, pollen, pet dander, cleaning solutions, mold, and mildew that you may find indoors.
How Does Air Quality Affect Your Health?
Poor indoor air quality can lead to watery eyes, scratchy throats, dry skin and rashes, coughing, fatigue, and dizziness amongst other symptoms. HVAC services in the Los Angeles area can help avoid the risk of these symptoms by performing routine maintenance such as changing your air filters. People with lung problems like COPD, asthma, and allergies should be particularly attentive to the quality of the indoor air in their homes and offices.
How to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality
There’s a few simple things you can do to improve the indoor air quality of your home or business. First, you can open the windows, so fresh air can circulate and move the stale air around. Clean the air intake of dust, dirt, and debris, so it isn’t blown around the house. Replace the filters at least three months out or monthly, if possible. This will keep the dirt and dust to a minimum.
Use vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice to clean instead of commercial household cleaners whenever possible. Ask smokers to smoke outdoors. Use a humidifier or a dehumidifier, depending on your climate, to keep the indoor air at proper humidity levels. An air purifier will also help keep unwanted pollutants out of your indoor air.
And finally, to improve indoor air quality, have an HVAC service in Los Angeles give your unit a checkup twice a year. A technician can ensure that the air you breathe indoors at home or at work is of the best possible quality.
