If you’re uncertain whether your Wausau house has bad indoor air quality (IAQ), it possibly does.

We are indoors a lot. In fact, we’re indoors up to 90% of the time, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And the air inside residences could be 2–5 times more contaminated than outdoors, which could create long-term health issues.

Most Common Sources of Poor IAQ

We’ve compiled a list of the most common origins of inferior IAQ, the troubles they cause and how you can take care of these indoor air pollutants. If you’re worried about the air inside your home, we suggest talking with a professional like Gilray Heating and Cooling about which products are ideal for your family.

Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are chemicals emitted from common household products.

They’re found in paint and stains as well as:

  • Furniture
  • Carpet
  • Building materials
  • Cleaning products
  • Cosmetics
  • Air fresheners
  • Candles

When these vapors accumulate in your home, they might irritate your eyes, nose and throat. They can also create headaches and nausea. Regardless of whether your residence is in a rural or industrial location, an EPA study found indoor levels of these pollutants can be 2–5 times higher than the air outside your home.

Always use the manufacturer’s guidelines when painting or cleaning. Opening a window can help odors disappear faster.

Air purification systems can also make it better. This system partners with your heating and cooling unit to freshen indoor air. When looking for one, ensure it’s specifically designed to wipe out VOCs.

Dust and Pet Dander

Dust and pet dander can irritate health problems like asthma and allergies, especially when it continuously gets moved by your residence’s comfort unit. While you can vacuum more frequently and get an improved air filter, an air filtration system might be a better match.

This unit hooks to your comfort equipment to deliver mighty filtration. Some kinds provide hospital-level filtration for getting rid of particles and bioaerosols.

Persistent Odors

Newer houses are closely sealed to increase energy efficiency. While this is fantastic for your utility expenses, it’s not very good for your IAQ.

Stuffy odors can stick around for a greater amount of time because your house is pulling in a smaller amount of fresh air. Since keeping your windows open all the time isn’t doable, here are two methods you can make your indoor air smell better.

An air purification system is placed in your ducts to neutralize odors before they get released again. Look for one with a carbon filter and the ability to eliminate damaging VOCs. This equipment can also help keep your loved ones healthy by eliminating most bacteria and ordinary allergy triggers like pollen and mold spores.

A ventilation system pulls out stuffy indoor air and replaces it with clean outdoor air. There are two types of systems (heat recovery and energy recovery), so call our professionals for more details on which type is right for your home.

Uneven Humidity

It’s essential your house’s humidity remains even. Air that’s too humid can lead to mold, while dry air can lead to respiratory concerns.

Our techs suggest 40–50% for top comfort. To keep yours even, consider getting a whole-home humidifier or whole-home dehumidifier with your HVAC system.

In place of having to pull a humidifier from room to room, this product delivers balanced humidity throughout your house.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is colorless gas you can’t smell. It’s caused by insufficient combustion in fuel-burning units, like gas heating systems, water heaters or fireplaces.

It presents a severe health risk. In little levels, it can create flu-like sickness like headaches and nausea. It may be deadly in big amounts.

We recommend annual furnace maintenance to double-check your unit is operating properly. This service allows our techs to see issues before they start, including malfunctions that can cause carbon monoxide leaks.

The best approach to keep your home free of carbon monoxide is to install detectors. These alarms must be on each floor close to bedrooms and living spaces.

Better Your House’s Air Quality with the Gilray Heating and Cooling Pros

Know that your house has bad air quality but not sure how to make it better? Or unsure which product is right for you? Give our friendly HVAC pros a call at 715-301-0727 or contact us online right away. With free estimates and expert support, we’ll help you choose the best option for your home and budget.