Do You Ever Wonder If Indoor Air Quality Can Affect Your Family’s Health?

You may have seen the initials IAQ before and chosen to ignore them, or you may know about indoor air quality (IAQ) and thought that you need have no concerns as you have air conditioning (AC) at home. Problem is, AC can negatively affect IAQ if the equipment is not properly maintained.

So, first off, what are the main causes of IAQ problems?

• Your location
• The season
• Type of furniture and furnishings
• Condition of your HVAC
• Your lifestyle
• Number of pets you have

Where your location is concerned, invariably air quality is going to be better in a small town than in the middle of a major city. Pollen, the plague of many in the summer can be the greatest seasonal effect for many of you. If you have old cloth- or fabric-covered settees or heavy-duty curtains, these can be perfect resting places for mites and dust. Items made from synthetic materials can also adversely affect IAQ owing the release of harmful volatile organic compounds.

Your HVAC needs to be regularly maintained to ensure it is not adding to the problem, especially if the filters are dirty. Your lifestyle will also affect the quality of air in your home – especially if you work long hours and das a consequence the housework gets neglected and dust builds up in the less-than-obvious places. Finally, pets are a great source of ‘pollutants’ to indoor air quality, especially cats and dogs, who love bringing the outside inside!

Your solution to the above problems can be as easy as regular maintenance checks on you HVAC unit, installation of an air purifier, addition of an air humidifier, or the use of UV lamps which can help to kill harmful bacteria.

If you live in or near Austin, TX then why not give us a call here at (512) 836-1414 and we’ll be happy to talk to you about your options, or come out and see whether or not you have a problem with the quality of the air in your home.