Taking stock of the quality of the indoor air you breathe is an important part of being comfortable in your home and looking out for your health and that of your loved ones. Plenty of pollutants and contaminants can be present in a home, such as excessive mold, pet dander, and viruses. Each can individually contribute to a slew of potential issues. A few of them combined can really diminish one’s quality of life. Let’s look at the reasons why you might need to test your home’s air quality.
Allergies and Respiratory Issues
It is possible to feel the effects of having poor air quality in your home. When there is a clear increase in irritations, allergies, or respiratory issues in your household, the air inside could be to blame. If you notice that you are experiencing symptoms such as congestion or coughing in your home but you feel fine elsewhere, you could have poor indoor air quality that should be tested.
Headaches
Frequent headaches when you are at home could be another sign that it is time to get your indoor air quality tested. A combination of pollutants and poor air circulation can cause inflammation of the sinuses, which leads to increased head pressure and general discomfort. This can wind up inducing severe headaches and even migraines that appear after a few hours of being inside the home. These can be accompanied by related symptoms like fatigue, nausea, and dizziness.
Skin Issues
The quality of your indoor air can have an effect on your skin. Poor indoor air quality has been linked to eczema, rashes, hives, acne, dermatitis, dryness, spots, and even premature aging. Indoor air pollution can cause topical reactions from sitting on your skin. It can also wind up penetrating the skin barrier, leading to more severe instances of eczema or acne. The long-term exposure of your skin to toxic air pollutants can even lead to skin cancer. If you have been noticing changes to your skin that you cannot explain, it is possible that it has to do with your home’s air quality and merits having it tested.
Poor Sleep
If you are unable to get a good night’s sleep and every other possible reason has been investigated, it could be your indoor air quality. Airborne irritants like pollen and dust can make breathing at night difficult. This can lead to difficulty falling asleep, waking up throughout the night, or complete insomnia. This inability to get a proper amount of rest can lead to fatigue, the inability to focus, a loss of productivity, and potentially dangerous situations.
Mental Health and Cognitive Function
Poor indoor air quality can even have a significant impact on your mental health and cognitive function. Studies have shown that air pollution can contribute to conditions such as anxiety and depression. Symptoms such as irritability, mood swings, and difficulty concentrating can be exacerbated by pollutants in the air. In addition, exposure to indoor air pollution can negatively affect cognitive function, leading to difficulties with memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. If you find that your mental sharpness and emotional well-being are compromised when you are at home, it could be an indication that your indoor air quality needs to be addressed.
Excessive Dust
Everyone’s house gets dusty, but if you feel like you are having to contend with a major increase in dust particles, it may be a sign to have your indoor air quality tested. The increase could have to do with things like dirty air filters or poor ventilation. Check out these possibilities first, and if addressing them does not help, speak to a professional about having your air tested and what could be causing all the dust.
Mildew or Mold Growth
If you notice mold or mildew in your home, this is a good sign that the indoor air you are breathing could be improved. An indoor air quality test can tell you just how much more airborne mold there is inside your home compared to outdoors. You will also want to have the mold itself inspected.
Humidity Level
If you have been noticing your food in the pantry getting soggy or things feeling sticky and damp, you may have an increase in humidity in your home. Another indicator that the humidity is too high in your home is if you often find condensation on your windows or other glass surfaces. High humidity creates an ideal environment for pollutants to grow and thrive, leading to a decrease in indoor air quality. Anything above 30–50% humidity in your home can lead to microbial growth, so if your home has become excessively humid, you may want to get your indoor air quality tested.
Unusual Smells
A definite sign that you may want to consider getting an indoor air quality test is if your home has persistent odors. This could be anything from a chemical smell to mustiness. Smells like these can be indicative of pollutants in your air, ranging from mold to gas.
Perpetually Stale Air
If the air in your home feels old and stiff, this could be a sign that your home is not as well-ventilated as it should be. Ventilation issues can lead to poor air quality. An indoor air quality test can verify if you need to find ways to better ventilate your home.
What Is Involved in an Air Quality Test for Your Home?
When a professional comes to your home and conducts an indoor air quality inspection, it involves observations, collecting data, sampling, and testing. This comprehensive approach should only be entrusted to a trained technician and not a layperson. Self-testing kits exist for the homeowner, but they generally do not provide enough information to make a full assessment and can be difficult to decipher. With a technician doing the inspection, you can count on a professionally thorough assessment.
Speaking to a Professional About Testing Your Home’s Air Quality
If you are in Oviedo, FL, or the surrounding area, we would love to talk to you about your indoor air quality concerns. At American Air & Heat, we understand how important it is to make sure that the air you are breathing at home has you feeling safe and comfortable. If we do an indoor air quality inspection of your home and find that it needs improvement, we are able to offer tools that can help. We carry a full range of air-cleaning devices that can be paired with your HVAC system. This includes mechanical air cleaners, electronic air cleaners, ultraviolet lights, and electrostatic filters.
We can also help you with any of your other heating and cooling needs, whether it be an installation, repair, or routine maintenance. You can also come to us about the latest in technology within the industry, whether that is exploring the benefits of ductless heat pumps or the latest in smart thermostats. If you are ready to see how we can improve the air quality in your home, contact American Air & Heat today.
