The Importance of Indoor Air Quality

Most people know that breathing good quality air is critical, but many are unaware how much indoor air quality actually impacts our overall health. This is concerning considering the fact that the majority of Americans spend most hours inside their workplaces, schools, and homes (and these hours increase further in winter). According to the EPA, we spend 90% of our time indoors, taking 20,000 breaths a day—and indoor air has the potential to contain two to five times the concentrated pollutants than outdoor air. Poor indoor air quality can therefore cause a myriad of health issues ranging from allergy irritability, to asthma complications, to more severe long-impacted toxicity levels in the body.

The good news is it is perfectly possible to improve your indoor air quality by reducing allergens, irritants, and pollutants in your home or business. At Earl’s Air Conditioning in the Coachella Valley, we provide you with the information and services you need to protect and maintain your health with quality, breathable indoor air.

Common Indoor Air Pollutants and Causes

While not all indoor air pollutants can be completely eliminated due to specific individual circumstances, it is important to be aware of what can be reduced. From the year your home was built, to the time of year it is, to even your household appliances emissions and furniture materials, there are several variables that cause indoor air pollution.

Common issues that contribute to poor air quality include:

• Appliances such as space heaters, wood stoves, gas stoves, water heaters, dryers and fireplaces that emit gases such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide
• Burning materials or improperly vented fuel-burning inside the home
• Building materials and furnishings (many vintage, or older furniture may contain harmful chemicals)
• Other home maintenance emissions such as: asbestos-containing insulation, newly installed flooring, upholstery or carpet, and cabinetry/wood finishing
• Household cleaning products, and even hobbies such as painting that emit toxins, even at low levels
• Malfunctioning, improperly maintained, or dirty central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices
• Excess moisture in the home
• Poor ventilation that traps outdoor irritants inside, such as allergens, air pollution, and even pesticides

There are more serious toxins that you can test to prevent polluting your indoor air and keeping you safe. Ensuring proper sealing and ventilation in your home can also help. These especially dangerous issues include:

• Secondhand smoke: a serious indoor air pollutant that worsens symptoms for asthma sufferers, increases risks of SIDS and infections in children, and causes toxic symptoms in the body.
• Radon: a dangerous gas pollutant that comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil and rocks, and is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon enters homes through improperly sealed openings.
• Carbon monoxide: a colorless and odorless gas and exposure causes headaches, dizziness, weakness, and nausea, with toxic amounts potentially fatal.

Health Issues Caused by Poor Indoor Air Quality

Health issues from poor indoor air quality can emerge at any time—even years later. Though you may not be able to control pollutants of the air outdoors, or of other public indoor buildings, understanding and controlling the air quality inside your own home is critical for your health and well-being.

Ultimately, maintaining quality indoor air reduces the toxins within your body and can help avoid serious health complications such as:

• Headaches
• Eye irritation
• Allergies
• Fatigue and/or chronic dizziness
• Asthma
• Ear and respiratory infections
• Impacted immune system
• SIDS
• Long-term serious health issues such as cancer
• Contribute to potential spread of COVID exposure

There are signs in your home that you can watch out for as well, which may indicate poor air quality. Excess moisture can cause structural rot and manifest as peeling paint, mold growth, or mustiness. You can also look for back-drafting appliances which may indicate improper use and potential harmful emissions. Another simple indicator of poor air quality is a high energy bill—an HVAC specialist can clean, maintain, repair, or install a working and efficient system to help manage good indoor air quality in your home.

Indoor Air Quality Solutions

Inadequate ventilations and improperly maintained HVAC systems can impact your air quality significantly – but these problems can also be resolved relatively easily.

There are several options to ensure you are breathing high quality air in your home or business. Earl’s Air Conditioning offers:

1. Air Scrubbing by Aerus: Air scrubbing is air purification, and Earl’s Air Conditioning only offers the best products to eliminate any pollutants and irritants in the air you breathe at home. Aerus Air Scrubbers are discreetly installed by adding to your existing HVAC system (with accessible ducting).
2. Air Filtration System Installation: A properly installed, high quality air filtration system could potentially change your life by disinfecting indoor air to eliminate airborne bacteria, reduce dangerous contaminants, particles, and toxins, and minimize allergens such as pollen and pet dander. An air filtration system can also reduce the growth of mildew and mold, and deodorize air and prevent stale air—common issues in homes with previously poor air quality. Whether you need an upgrade, repair, or new system altogether, our professionals can help.
3. HVAC Maintenance and Repair: With or without an air filtration system, improperly maintained HVAC systems can contribute to poor air quality. Ducts need to be maintained with cleaning, filters need changing, and your system’s moving parts needs to be working efficiently. We suggest 1-2 maintenance visits per year to ensure your system is functioning properly and keeping the air in your home as clean and fresh as possible.

By incorporating and maintaining an efficient fresh air system, you will reduce and eliminate harmful toxins in the air that you breathe in your home so you can avoid potential health issues. Our team at Earl’s Air Conditioning in the Coachella Valley are here to help you maintain healthy, good indoor air quality at any time of year.

Call Earl’s Air Conditioning today for a free quote – we want you breathing good, quality air, for your health!