Your Arlington Heights, IL home’s indoor air quality can be riddled with contaminants that may be making you sick. People assume if they can’t smell anything in their indoor air that it must be healthy. While odd smells are something to investigate, it’s common to not notice anything abnormal even while a high prevalence of particulate matter circulates. Let’s discuss testing your home’s indoor air quality and how you can improve your IAQ.
Testing for Contaminants
There are several contaminants that are common in homes across the Arlington Heights area and throughout the U.S. This includes substances like pollen and pollution from the outdoors, pet dander, mold spores, dust, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs come from products that emit dangerous chemicals, such as carpets, countertops, cupboards, paint, air fresheners, cleaning products, perfume, etc.
There are different tests that can be completed by a professional that will determine what’s in your air. It’s ideal to test different surfaces and rooms in your home to get an accurate look at your IAQ. Once you receive your results, you can work with our team to figure out how to improve your indoor air quality.
There are also indoor air quality monitors that provide real readings of certain chemicals and irritants. You can monitor carbon monoxide and radon using detectors designed to spot certain levels of these contaminants. If you suspect radon may be a problem, have a professional check your basement and test your air for any signs of this gas. Store-bought detectors can often be conservative, not alerting you unless levels are quite high. You don’t want any amount of radon in your indoor air, so it’s essential to get an accurate reading.
Knowing When to Test
While any homeowner can benefit from an indoor air quality test, there are signs and symptoms to watch out for that warrant testing. For example, an increase in allergy or asthma symptoms can indicate a high prevalence of indoor contaminants. Other physical symptoms that often reflect IAQ issues include headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, and shortness of breath. You should also watch out for stale, musty, or moldy smells.
Making IAQ Improvements
The type of contaminants in your air will determine what kind of improvements need to be made. For example, small particulate matter like the dust, pollen, and pet dander that we discussed can be removed using a high-efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA). Most furnaces can’t support the restriction of air that occurs when using a HEPA filter, so we can install a whole-house air purification device on your HVAC system. This equipment addresses all of the air circulating through your HVAC system and home, making it more efficient than a portable unit.
If we spot mold spores in your indoor air, it’s important to address the relative humidity in your home. The ideal level of moisture in your air is between 30% and 50%. Anything higher than that can result in the growth of mold. Mold is a major risk if you’re also dealing with plumbing leaks, poor ventilation issues, etc. A whole-house dehumidification unit can be installed on your HVAC system to remove moisture from your air.
Ventilation from the inside of your home to the outdoors is ideal as well. Most homes in the Arlington area are constructed with exhaust fans, at least in the bathrooms and kitchen. These fans should be run while bathing or cooking to remove humid or contaminated air. We can also install ventilation fans in attics, basements, and other living spaces.
If you would like to have an indoor air quality test performed in your Arlington Heights home, reach out to our team here at IBBOTSON Heating & Air Conditioning Co.. Not only can we determine what the state of your indoor air is, but we can help you make improvements as well. We also service, install, and provide maintenance for different types of heating and cooling equipment. We also work on water heaters, boilers, and more.
Reach out to IBBOTSON Heating & Air Conditioning Co. for assistance today.
