Controlling the Humidity in Your Home

Indoor air quality is easy for homeowners to overlook because it can often go unnoticed for a long period of time. However, this doesn't mean that your air quality is unimportant. Once the air quality in your home falls below a certain level, you will probably begin to notice negative consequences in your home. Here are three reasons that indoor air quality is important.

1. Health

Poor indoor air quality is often the result of a handful of common pollutants in the home. Combustion byproducts are a prominent example. These pollutants can come from sources like wood and gas-burning stoves, fireplaces, and water heaters, or other appliances that generate heat.

Combustion pollutants can cause sinus and respiratory irritation, headaches, nausea, and worsen allergies and asthma symptoms. Certain combustion products are also toxic, such as carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide can cause unconsciousness and even death in high enough concentrations.

2. Cleanliness

Most of the dust that builds up on surfaces around your home was originally airborne. Floating dust and dirt particles clump together until they become heavy enough to fall out of the air and land on surfaces, such as tables, chairs, floors, and more. Much of this dust collects in your ducts and is circulated through your home every time you use your HVAC system. Maintaining good air quality in your home will reduce how frequently you have to dust and vacuum.

3. Comfort

Filtering airborne pollutants is just one aspect of indoor air quality. An HVAC system fully equipped for good air quality will often feature a humidifier or dehumidifier as well. Dehumidifiers help to achieve a comfortable indoor humidity level in hot, humid environments, while humidifiers are often a better choice for dry, cold environments. Homes in temperate climates may even be equipped with both.

The humidity of your home's air has a big impact on your comfort. Sweating is less effective at cooling you off if the air is too humid. Dry air can cause skin rashes, dry eyes, and nosebleeds in people who are sensitive to the air quality. Dry air also makes it easier for viruses and bacteria to survive and spread through the air, so you may experience more frequent illnesses if your home's humidity is not working.

Indoor air quality is a complex topic that depends on several factors. If you suspect that your home is suffering from air quality issues, a local HVAC technician can help. Whether your system needs additional filtration, ventilation, or humidity control, a professional inspection will help you make a plan to improve indoor air quality. For more information about indoor air quality services, contact a local business near you to learn more.