Indoor Air Quality in VirginiaYou probably don't think that much about the air inside of your home, as long as it's not too hot or cold, but the truth is that the quality of your air can have a massive effect on the way you feel. Do you get a fair few coughs and colds? Are your allergies always bothering you, even indoors? Chances are that your air is to blame.We at ARS Rescue Rooter in Virginia know how much the indoor air quality of your home can affect you, and we don't want you to suffer when there's a solution. Throughout our several years of business, we've been providing reliable HVAC systems and accessories, including those that can help purify your air. With a dedicated team and a masterful knowledge-base, we can get you free of air pollutants, so that you can breathe freely again.What is indoor air quality?Indoor air quality is the quality of the air in your home as it affects the health and comfort of those residing in it. Pollutants, humidity, and other factors play a big role in the quality of the air inside your house or building, and too much of any of them can have unpleasant effects. Things such as dirt, dust, pet dander, pollen, and other irritants are unhealthy when you breathe them in all day, and too much or too little humidity in the air can cause problems of its own.What are the negative effects of poor air quality?There are numerous negative effects of having poor air quality. In the workplace, it's been shown that poor air quality can reduce productivity by up to 9% and leads employees and visitors to express dissatisfaction with the environment. In the home, it can lead to health issues. Some present themselves immediately during and after direct exposure, while others can affect you in later years. Health issues that present immediately include:Irritated eyes, nose, and throatUnexplained headachesDizzinessCoughing and sneezingUpper respiratory congestionNose bleedsPainful or difficult breathing (dyspnea)Sore throatFatigue and exhaustionNausea, vomiting, fever, chills, muscle pain, and other severe symptoms are also possible, especially with repeated or long exposure. Prolonged exposure to pollutants can also exacerbate existing medical conditions such as asthma, making attacks more common and severe. Repeated exposure over time can lead to more severe problems, too, especially for those who are already at risk, such as the elderly or those with existing conditions. Respiratory diseases and infections, heart disease, and even cancer have been linked to repeated or prolonged exposure over a period of several years to poor indoor air quality, which can be severe and sometimes fatal.If you're not sure whether or not your symptoms are due to your air quality, pay attention to when you feel the worst. Feeling better after you leave home or leave a certain room is a good sign that your illness is related to air quality. Seeing a medical professional and getting checked out for the issues you're having will also rule out other possible illnesses.What can I do to improve air quality?Knowing that your indoor air quality can have this big of an impact on you and your family's health can be frightening, but there are things you can do to improve it. The first thing you should do is identify what in particular is making it so poor. Is it pollen? Is it lack of humidity, or too much? Is it dirt or pet dander? Taking stock of the area around your home - and your HVAC unit - can help you narrow it down.If you find that your HVAC unit has been pulling in pollen from flowers growing against the external unit, try pulling them. If animal dander is an issue, try to vacuum more often, which will help keep the hair, dander, and other dirt from circulating. If there are smokers in your family, ask them to start smoking outside, and if you haven't yet, have your home tested for levels of radon, a radioactive gas that occurs naturally but can have devastating health effects.Beyond identifying the pollutants and trying to reduce them, you should look into utilizing your heating and air conditioning system to clean your air. Attachments such as purifiers, humidifiers, and more can help clean the air and eliminate most pollutants. An ideal humidity level is 30-50%, and a dehumidifier or humidifier can help you keep this range. A purifier will pull contaminants from the air before it circulates throughout your home, which will help dramatically. Improving your ventilation system can also help, as well as an implementing an air cleaner or filter to run in your home.Consult the expertsWhen you struggle with the negative effects of poor indoor air quality, it can be frustrating, and you might not know how to handle it. Our experts at ARS Rescue Rooter can help you with improving your indoor air quality through finding either a more efficient HVAC system, accessories, or even improving your ventilation. You don't have to struggle with poor air quality any longer.Call today to start breathing easier.
