The last few years have brought with them a lot of chatter about the importance of air quality, especially indoor air quality. But what is the difference between indoor and outdoor air quality? Is one better than the other, and are there ways to improve it? What are the implications of poor air quality? Use this guide to get the answers to all of these questions.
Basics of Air Quality
Air quality is the measure of contaminants in the air, both natural and man-made. Contaminants may include liquid, particulate matter, and toxic gases. While all air contains contaminants to some degree, the higher the concentration, the worse the air quality becomes and the more impact it has on people, equipment, and the environment.
Indoor Versus Outdoor Air Quality
One of the natural questions is whether indoor air or outdoor air has worse quality. After all, outdoor air is considered fresh, but indoor air can be more tightly controlled and treated. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air contains an average of two to five times more contaminants than outdoor air.
In extreme cases, it may contain up to 100 times more contaminants. Further, most people spend the vast majority of their time inside a building, so knowing how to manage air quality becomes critically important.
Outdoor Air Contaminants
Outdoor air contains many of the common contaminants you think about, including automotive and industrial pollution, dust, and pollen, just to name a few. However, air quality is measured using the Air Quality Index, which measures the concentration of contaminants in a particular area. Since the air outside can circulate more widely, the concentration tends to be lower than in a closed space like a building.
Additional Indoor Air Contaminants
Indoor air may contain most of the contaminants that you’ll find in outdoor air. However, there are several that you’ll find in greater concentration inside and that may pose significant problems when that concentration builds substantially.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
VOCs are compounds that have high vapor pressure and low water solubility. Low water solubility means the compound’s molecules stay together while high vapor pressure means the molecules will become gaseous. This is called off-gassing. These compounds are also linked to symptoms like respiratory and eye irritation, headaches, and loss of coordination over the short term.
Longer term and with high exposure, they can cause organ damage, cause cancer, or disrupt critical physiological processes like the endocrine system. VOCs come from all sorts of places in your home, including construction materials, paints, glues, linens, clothes, air fresheners, cleaners, and even personal care products.
Pet Dander
If you have animals in your home, you’ll have pet dander floating in your air. Some animals and species release more dander than others, but this is a key issue for every pet. Dander is an allergen known to exacerbate both pet-related allergies and asthma. The best way to combat this is to bathe your animal regularly and stay on top of your cleaning routine.
Radon
Radon is a radioactive gas that’s naturally contained in some soils and is known to cause lung cancer when exposed to high enough concentrations over a long period. High levels of radon require professional mitigation. The best way to know if this is a problem in your home is to install a radon detector.
Carbon Monoxide
Air naturally contains some carbon monoxide, but it can be problematic when there’s a lot of exposure in high concentrations. Carbon monoxide is a byproduct of burning natural gas, especially if it’s not burning efficiently. Any cracks in your appliance’s exhaust can cause concentrated exposure that could be lethal. Stay on top of routine maintenance to mitigate this risk and keep a working carbon monoxide detector in your home.
Why Indoor Air Quality Is Critically Important
As you can see from some of the contaminants above, poor air quality can have significant impacts on your daily life and long-term health. Additionally, more contaminants in the air can negatively impact the efficiency of your HVAC system, causing increased operating costs, additional repairs, and a shorter service life.
How to Improve IAQ
Fortunately, improving your indoor air quality doesn’t have to cost a fortune or require an advanced degree in environmental sciences. Many of the best ways to control your air quality should already be part of your normal household rhythm and don’t require hiring someone.
Air Filters
Your HVAC system’s air filters are the best way to improve your home’s air quality. Check and change the filter routinely and install the highest efficiency filter your system can handle. At a minimum, use pleated filters over flat fiberglass models. Ideally, check your filter monthly, expecting to change it every 30 to 90 days for 1- or 2-inch filters.
Ventilation
One of the fastest ways to improve your home’s air quality is to increase ventilation and exchange the highly contaminated indoor air for fresh air outside. If the weather is appropriate, open your home’s windows and allow the house to air out. Otherwise, use your home’s ventilation fans in the kitchen and bathrooms. You may also check with your HVAC provider to see if an energy recovery ventilator is a good option for your home.
Humidity Control
Maintaining the proper humidity in your home ensures that particulate matter falls from the air but prevents a moist environment that will encourage biological growth. The EPA recommends maintaining an indoor humidity level between 30% and 50%. Over the hot and humid summer, you may need some help reducing humidity. However, over the cold and dry winter, you may need to add humidity to your home’s air.
Household Cleaning
When you have proper humidity in your air, particulate matter will fall and collect on your floor and furniture as dust. It’s imperative to clean this regularly to prevent circulating air from picking some of it up and continuing to circulate it. Further, simply moving around your home can disturb the dust, adding particles back into the air.
HVAC Maintenance
Keeping your HVAC system properly maintained will ensure it’s working effectively to remove contaminants. During this maintenance visit, a technician works to ensure the system circulates the proper amount of air by performing a deep cleaning and testing the circulating fan among many other tasks.
Air Quality Devices
Finally, you may need to consider adding devices to help improve your home’s air quality. Depending on your need, you can opt for smaller room-sized units or add larger whole-house options to your HVAC system. These options typically include air purifiers and air scrubbers. Ionizers can add charged particles to the air to weigh down airborne particulates so they fall. They may also make some contaminants inert, such as those that cause odors or are pathogenic.
Since 1946, property owners around Commerce have trusted Matheson Heating, Air & Plumbing to treat their home’s air and keep it comfortable. Our experienced team provides indoor air quality solutions, including humidity control, air scrubbers, and air purifiers, along with heating and AC installation, maintenance and repair, and a wide range of residential plumbing services including water heaters, sump pumps, and water treatment installation, repair, and plumbing fixture and drain installation and repair. Call to schedule a consultation with one of our indoor air quality experts today.