Did you know that indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air? This fact often comes as a shock to homeowners who think their homes are the safest and cleanest of places.
Although you may routinely mop the floors, scrub the countertops, and dust the cabinets in your home, there’s a chance that there are harmful airborne contaminants lingering in the air. Your indoor environment is supposed to be a comfortable place, but unfortunately, poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can wreak havoc on your household’s health if you aren’t careful.
Fortunately, there are ways to tell if you have poor indoor air quality. Let’s take a look at some of the top warning signs in detail below.
Your Family Is Feeling Sick
There are many ways to tell if you have poor indoor air quality inside your home. Unfortunately, one of the most concerning signs is declining health.
Some of the most common airborne contaminants include pollen, dust, mold spores, and pet dander. If you have high levels of these contaminants inside your home, your family can experience a wide range of health problems, including coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, headaches, and difficulty breathing.
Since health problems are some of the most common signs of poor indoor air quality, don’t hesitate to ask your family members how they’re feeling. If your household has allergies or asthma, be on the lookout for worsening symptoms.
You’ve Noticed Excessive Dust
Have you spotted dust buildup around your vents? Are you frequently having to replace your air conditioning system’s air filters? Excessive dust is one of the most common signs of poor indoor air quality, so you should pay attention to any dust you see inside your home.
You’ll want to thoroughly check around your ventilation system, but also be on the lookout for any dust collecting on the surfaces you use every day.
You Smell a Musty Odor
If you’ve noticed a musty, unpleasant odor inside your home, and it just won’t seem to go away, don’t simply push this problem to the wayside. Instead, treat it with the utmost concern. These musty odors can sometimes indicate that you’re dealing with mold or mildew problems.
Mold is a harmful pollutant because it can lead to various health problems, including a runny nose, fatigue, and trouble breathing.
There are many ways to tell if you have poor indoor air quality, starting with health effects and visual dust buildup. However, the smells inside your home can also tell you a great deal about the potential pollutants lurking in your air. Don’t overlook a musty odor simply because you don’t see any visible mold growth.
You’re Struggling to Sleep
Do you have a difficult time sleeping? Although this issue can be attributed to many factors, it’s important to recognize that poor indoor air quality could be the culprit behind your lack of shut-eye. If there’s a high level of indoor air pollutants inside your home, this can have a negative effect on air circulation and your health. An uncomfortable indoor temperature is also a factor of air quality that has a strong link to sleep quality and duration.
Poor sleep is one of the most concerning signs of poor indoor air quality since it can have many consequences for your overall health. You’ll want to get to the bottom of the problem as soon as possible so that you can get back to enjoying a rejuvenating, restful sleep.
High Relative Humidity
Does your home constantly feel humid? Although high humidity can be frustrating to deal with, you might be surprised to learn that this issue is one of the top signs of poor indoor air quality. Excessive humidity itself is not all that bad apart from the uncomfortable sticky feeling, which is bad enough! However, the real issue is that it provides the right conditions for the growth and development of mold and mildew that can cause infections, as well as dust mite colonies that trigger allergic reactions.
So what is too high? Relative humidity targets vary by climate zone and building type. The ideal relative humidity target in Cayman for residential dwellings is 45% to 55%. This is our standard at Polar Bear Air Conditioning, however, every home is different and so are the needs of occupants. If your thermostat measures relative humidity you can check it to see if your home is within the desired range. Also note however, that thermostat readings are sometimes inaccurate. If you think this is the case you should have a certified technician compare it with a professional grade psychrometer.
Improve Your Home’s IAQ With Help From Polar Bear
As you can see, there are many ways to tell if you have poor indoor air quality. Of course, it’s not always easy to know if you’re dealing with poor IAQ inside your home or some other factor. If you’re concerned for your family’s health, there are various steps you can take to improve your air quality. For starters, it is recommended to replace your air conditioning system’s air filter at least once every 30 – 90 days. You might also want to consider installing air purifiers or a dehumidifier.
The air in your home can make or break your family’s comfort. Fortunately, Polar Bear offers top-tier indoor air quality services in the Cayman Islands for your health and comfort.
We provide dependable services for all of your needs, whether you’re looking for an AC condensing unit for sale or are feeling concerned about poor air quality. Our experts are happy to assist you. Contact us today to learn more about our services!
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