Why an Energy-Efficient Residence Can Influence Air Quality and How to Make It Better 

Homes today are constructed with energy efficiency in mind. This includes added insulation and tightly sealed doors and windows to keep heating and cooling costs reasonable. While this is great for your energy costs, it’s not so great for your indoor air quality. 

Because air has reduced chances to escape, contaminants can increase and impact your home’s indoor air quality. In reality, your residence’s air can actually be 2–5 times worse than the outdoors, according to the EPA. That’s not good for anyone, but it’s specifically detrimental for family members with allergies, asthma, other respiratory concerns or heart disease. 

Let’s review some of these everyday contaminants and how you can boost your home’s indoor air quality. 

6 Common Pollutants that Affect Indoor Air Quality 

When you picture pollutants, you may think about smog or tobacco smoke. But many substances that impact your air quality are common substances. These things contain chemicals called volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. 

They involve: 

1. Cleaning products, such as aerosol sprays, bleach and window cleaner. 

2. Personal care products, such as hairspray, perfume and nail products. 

3. Candles and air fresheners. 

4. Formaldehyde, which is frequently used in plastic, foam and particleboard products. 

5. Furniture, window treatments and carpet, specifically when they’re brand new. 

6. Paints and stains. 

Other everyday pollutants include: 

• Dust 
• Pet dander 

• Pollen 
• Mold 

Symptoms of VOC Exposure 

Some people are more affected by VOCs than others. The EPA says symptoms of VOC exposure entail: 

• Irritated eyes, nose or throat 

• Headaches 
• Dizziness 
• Fatigue 

In bad instances, the EPA says VOCs are linked to respiratory and heart diseases. 

4 Ways to Enhance Your House’s Indoor Air Quality 

It isn’t hard to improve your home’s air quality. Here are several ideas from Harvard Medical School: 

1. Clean Your Residence Regularly 

Frequently cleaning and washing surfaces that attract allergens, such as furniture, carpet and bedding, will help decrease on dust, dust mites and pet dander in your house. 

2. Regularly Replace Your Air Filter 

This essential filter keeps your house cozy and air healthy. How often you should change your air filter depends on the kind of filter you install. Flat filters should be swapped each month, while pleated filters should be swapped every three months. If you’re unsure if your filter should be swapped, remove it and hold it up to the light. Get a new one if you can’t see light through it. 

If someone in your residence deals with allergies or asthma, we suggest having a filter with a better MERV rating. The bigger the number this is, the better your filter is at getting rid of contaminants. 

3. Improve Natural Ventilation 

Keep fresh air circulating by opening windows whenever the temperature allows. We also suggest running exhaust fans in your bathroom and kitchen frequently to get rid of pollutants and introduce more fresh air. 

4. Chat Our Indoor Air Quality Pros 

From whole-home air purifiers, Midway Services has a resolution to help your household breathe better. We’ll help you choose the right option during your free home comfort assessment. Contact us at 727-219-2471 to schedule yours now!