Does My Home’s Air Quality Affect My Health?

It is easy to blame common cold symptoms on seasonal allergies. However, tree and grass pollen this spring may not be the only pollutant causing your health to decline. We spend a large majority of our time indoors, whether at home or inside an office. Do you know what you are breathing in each day? Indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air due to lack of ventilation. Your home’s air quality could be affecting your health, and the Rogers Heating and Cooling team is here to keep you breathing easy! In this article, we discuss how poor air quality can lead to negative heath symptoms and ways to improve indoor air quality in Halifax County!

Why Is Good Air Quality Important?

The summer season brings an array of fun activities in South Boston, such as a family boating day on Buggs Island or strolling down Main Street and stopping at Southern Plenty for a bite to eat. The Rogers team wants our community to have a fun and relaxing summer, but sickness due to poor indoor air quality can put a damper on the excitement. It is important to be knowledgeable on what you are breathing inside your home, so you are able to reduce harmful pollutants and stay healthy!

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor concentrations of pollutants are 2-5 times higher than outdoor concentrations. The difference between indoor and outdoor air quality is ventilation. The wind picks up pollutants and relocates them, while pollutants can build up in your home over time without open windows or blowing fans. Whether you are working, sleeping, eating, or relaxing, you are breathing in your home’s air for multiple hours at a time. Harmful pollutants can cause both short and long-term health effects, such as:

• Irritated eyes, throat, and nose
• Headaches
• Dry and cracked skin
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Heart disease
• Respiratory problems and diseases
• Cancer

Many underestimate how poor air quality can affect your health. While harmful pollutants can both quickly and slowly harm residents, young children, older adults, and people who struggle with respiratory illnesses are more susceptible to negative health effects.

What Causes Poor Indoor Air Quality?

Contrary to popular belief, poor indoor air quality contributes to much more than just dust particles! Many things in your daily routine can affect your home’s air quality, and you may not even realize the pollutants being released. To be able to improve indoor air quality in Clarksville, VA and surrounding areas, homeowners must identify the source of pollutants in their homes. Below we have listed eight common causes of poor indoor air quality other than dust according to the EPA.

• Fuel burning combustion appliances such as ovens, furnaces, gas water heaters, and fireplaces. Carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide are harmful pollutants that can be released from these appliances.
• High humidity within your home can lead to mold and mildew growth.
• Indoor animals. We love our furry friends, but pet dander is a common household allergen that lives on your pet’s fur.
• Tobacco products such as cigarettes, pipes, and cigars.
• Building materials. Certain materials such as floor and ceiling tiles, insulation, and roofing shingles can release asbestos, which is a harmful air pollutant.
• Household cleaning products such as ammonia and bleach.
• Artificial fragrances. Along with cleaning products, some artificial fragrances such as perfume, hair sprays, and air fresheners can release volatile organic compounds.
• Outdoor sources such as pollen and radon.

5 Ways To Improve Indoor Air Quality In South Boston, VA

It is important to take action to improve your home’s air quality for your health, comfort, and home. However, many homeowners are unaware of specific steps to take to reduce pollutants. We don’t expect you to be the indoor air quality experts in South Boston, VA, that is what the Rogers team is here for! Below we have listed five simple ways to improve indoor air quality in Danville, VA and surrounding areas!

• Control Humidity
• Install An Air Purifier
• Groom Pets Outdoors
• Regularly Change & Use Quality Air Filters
• Utilize UV Lights

Control Humidity

Humidity plays a large role in your home’s air quality and comfort. Most people associate humidity with an uncomfortable, sticky feeling. However, proper levels of humidity are actually necessary for home comfort and your health! Home humidity levels in Halifax County should remain between 30-50% for ideal comfort. Humidity levels can fluctuate throughout the year, and it is important your home is prepared to protect its air quality.

Humidifying systems add moisture back into the air if your home is too dry. Low humidity increases susceptibility to illnesses and causes dry skin. Dehumidifying systems remove humidity from the air when there is too much moisture. High humidity encourages mold and mildew growth, along with a variety of poor health symptoms. Let the Rogers Heating and Cooling team install a humidifier or dehumidifier in South Boston, VA and surrounding areas to help you control moisture in your home!

Install An Air Purifier

One of the best and easiest ways to reduce airborne pollutants in your home is to install an air purifier. Air purifiers pull harmful allergens and pollutants from a specific area, filter out the unwanted particles, and release clean air back into your home. Let a Rogers technician install an air purifier in Danville, VA to help reduce harmful pollutants in your home!

Groom Pets Outdoors

We love our own indoor animals, and we love greeting yours! However, your indoor animals may be causing poor air quality inside your home and affecting your health. Pet dander is a collection of allergens, such as dead skin cells and bacteria, and is often found on your pet’s fur. Don’t worry – your furry friend can stay indoors, but we suggest implementing regular grooming outside of your home! To reduce pet dander and improve indoor air quality, frequently groom your animals outdoors or support a local pet groomer in Clarksville, VA, such as Betsy’s Grooming!

Regularly Change & Use Quality Air Filters

An air filter’s main purpose is to collect harmful pollutants before they enter your home. Allergens such as dust can build up in your air filter over time, which is why we recommend changing air filters at least every 90 days. Clogged or dirty air filters allow pollutants to slip by and decrease air quality throughout your home. Additionally, we recommend investing in quality air filters for your home to further improve air quality. An air filter’s effectiveness to catch particles is measured by minimum efficiency reporting values (MERV). The higher the MERV, the more and smaller particles the filter can catch. We recommend homeowners using air filters ranging between 8-10 MERV. Give us a call for more information or to purchase a quality air filter in Danville, VA!

Utilize UV Lights

If you struggle with mold inside your home, the pollutant can trigger uncomfortable allergy symptoms and potentially lead to an allergic reaction. It is important to control and eliminate mold in your home, and UV lights can help filter out the harmful pollutant! UV lights target mold and bacteria by emitting ultraviolet rays to destroy the DNA makeup. Give us a call to install a UV light system in South Boston, VA and surrounding areas!

We are here to keep you healthy and comfortable each season, and improving indoor air quality is a great way to start! Give us a call for indoor air quality services in South Boston, Danville, and Clarksville, VA today!