Since mid-2020, we have thought about indoor air quality more than ever before. Due to fears about viruses and the spread of illnesses, you may have seen an increase in the use of air purifiers indoors. Whether in medical offices, schools, or businesses, people have taken steps to ensure the air inside is cleaner.
But the truth is that air quality has always been important to monitor, and viruses aren’t even the biggest contributor to poor air quality. Far more common are man-made pollutants like noxious gasses from new furniture and fresh paint and natural sources like dust, pet dander, and mold. Each of these pollutants can start or worsen health issues when concentrated by poor ventilation or lack of filtration.
Why you should care about indoor air quality
If you or anyone in your family is immunocompromised or has any respiratory issues— the most common being asthma— then you are already aware of how extremely important air quality is for ensuring their health. Small dust particles, fumes from cooking or smoking, excess humidity… any of these can be devastating for someone already struggling with respiratory problems.
On the other hand, you might consider yourself and your family members to be perfectly healthy. However, poor air quality in your home can still lead to digestive, cognitive, and respiratory challenges down the road. It’s important to monitor your indoor air and proactively treat it, especially during the winter and summer months when we spend more time indoors and opening windows isn’t an option.
Maintaining indoor air quality
The EPA recommends ventilating indoor spaces with fresh outdoor air, using HVAC systems with good filters (that are cleaned or changed regularly!), and using air purifiers as ways to improve indoor air quality. The EPA published this guide in 2018 on how to choose air cleaners for improving indoor air quality in the home. The guide details how different cleaners or systems work and which options are available. Or, just head on over to our Air Quality Solutions page, where we explain some of our most popular options in detail.
Call us
Make sure your indoor air quality is good and that your HVAC system is contributing to the circulation of healthy air by calling in the professionals at Exxel Mechanical Services. An HVAC professional will be able to examine areas in your system that might be contributing to air pollutants and ensure that your HVAC system does its part in keeping your air clean.
Call us at (443) 821-1040 or email us at bob@exxelmechanical.com. It would be our pleasure to see how we can help your family breathe easier at home.
